Tuna vs. Sardines — Health Impact and Nutrition Comparison

Culinary world

Sardines are available in different ways, and they can be sold fresh, frozen, smoked, canned sardines with olive oil or soybean oil, and pickled.

Different countries have their signature dish when it comes to sardines. For example, in Italy, Sicily, a famous regional dish is pasta con le sarde, spaghetti mixed with sardines and anchovies. In Portugal, where seafood is one of the main sources of proteins in gastronomy, they rely heavily on sardine consumption. One of the famous sardine dishes is grilled sardines.

On the other hand, tuna can be used in many different recipes. It can be consumed raw, which is the case in sushi and sashimi in Japanese gastronomy. Raw tuna is of high value as it needs culinary mastery and the best type of fish for the perfect flavors.

Tuna can be grilled or canned with different types of oils. The most common consumption of tuna is the raw form which is in Japanese gastronomy. Another famous tuna dish is seared tuna. Canned tuna has a variety of ways to be eaten; one of the common ways is tuna pasta, or tuna salad, where canned tuna is associated with different types of pasta and garnishes.

In this article, we will compare sardines and tuna based on their difference in nutritional content, weight loss and diet impacts, and health impacts.

Macronutrients and Calories

Sardines are denser in nutrients than tuna. It contains about 11% fat, 25% protein, 60% water, and 4% other nutrients. On the other hand, tuna has a lower fat content, with only 0.6%, and contains 29% protein, 69% water, and 1.4% other nutrients. For more detailed information, please refer to the sections below.

Tuna has fewer calories than sardines, with 130 kcal per 100g for tuna and 208 kcal for sardines.

Carbs

Sardines and tuna contain no carbohydrates.

Protein

Tuna and sardines contain all essential amino acids. However, tuna has 29.15 g of protein per 100g, while sardines have 24.62 g.

It is important to note that a single serving of these fish provides a significant amount of protein, with 36% and 39% of the daily value being met.

The dietary benefits and bodybuilding benefits will be discussed in the upcoming paragraphs.

Fat

Sardines have 11.45g of fat per 100g, while tuna only has 0.59g. A serving of sardines contains 13.5% of the DV for fat, while a serving of tuna has only 0.6% of the DV for fat. 

It is important to recognize that sardines contain more mono- and polyunsaturated fats; however, saturated fat amounts are also higher than tuna.

Minerals

It is worth noting that sardines have a more extensive and varied mineral profile than tuna. 

Sardines are rich in calcium, iron, phosphorus, sodium, zinc, copper, and manganese, whereas tuna is higher in magnesium, potassium, and selenium. 

A serving of 100g of sardines can provide about 30% of the daily value (DV) required for calcium, while a serving of 50g of tuna can provide about 98% of the DV for selenium. 

The chart below illustrates the differences between the mineral contents of the two fish.

Mineral Comparison

Mineral comparison score is based on the number of minerals by which one or the other food is richer. The "coverage" charts below show how much of the daily needs can be covered by 300 grams of the food.

Tuna

3

100 g 300 g 3 oz - 85g

Sardines

6

100 g 300 g 1 cubic inch - 16g2 sardines - 24g1 oz - 28.35g1 cup, drained - 149g

Contains more PotassiumPotassium	+32.7%
Contains less SodiumSodium	-82.4%
Contains more SeleniumSelenium	+105.3%

Contains more CalciumCalcium	+9450%
Contains more IronIron	+217.4%
Contains more CopperCopper	+332.6%
Contains more ZincZinc	+191.1%
Contains more PhosphorusPhosphorus	+47.1%
Contains more ManganeseManganese	+730.8%

~equal in Magnesium ~39mg

Vitamins

Sardines contain more lipid-soluble vitamins, such as A, D, E, and K. Besides, sardines are high in vitamins B2, B5, B9, and B12. Meanwhile, tuna is richer in vitamins B1, B3, and B6.

It's worth noting that consuming 100g of tuna can meet about 98% of the daily value (DV) required for vitamin B12. However, the amount of vitamin B12 found in sardines is about 3.8 times higher than that of tuna. 

You can confidently meet your daily vitamin B6 needs by consuming just two servings of tuna, which provides a 100% DV of this essential nutrient. 

The following is a chart that depicts the difference in vitamin content.

Vitamin Comparison

Vitamin comparison score is based on the number of vitamins by which one or the other food is richer. The "coverage" charts below show how much of the daily needs can be covered by 300 grams of the food.

Tuna

3

100 g 300 g 3 oz - 85g

Sardines

8

100 g 300 g 1 cubic inch - 16g2 sardines - 24g1 oz - 28.35g1 cup, drained - 149g

Contains more Vitamin B1Vitamin B1	+67.5%
Contains more Vitamin B3Vitamin B3	+320.8%
Contains more Vitamin B6Vitamin B6	+521.6%

Contains more Vitamin AVitamin A	+45.5%
Contains more Vitamin EVitamin E	+603.4%
Contains more Vitamin DVitamin D	+140%
Contains more Vitamin B2Vitamin B2	+65.7%
Contains more Vitamin B5Vitamin B5	+92.2%
Contains more Vitamin B12Vitamin B12	+280.4%
Contains more Vitamin KVitamin K	+2500%
Contains more FolateFolate	+400%

~equal in Vitamin C ~0mg

~equal in Choline ~75mg

Glycemic index

Both sardine and tuna have a glycemic index that is equal to 0.

Keto Diet

Sardine and tuna are considered ideal keto diet foods. They are high-fat, low-carb meals. It is critical to remember that the fat profile of these fish contains healthy fats. However, when consuming sardine, it is necessary to keep in mind its high cholesterol level.

Sardine has a higher mineral and vitamin content than tuna.

Tuna has a richer vitamin profile compared to sardines. Both these give an advantage to these foods in the keto diet.

Vegan Diet

Both sardines and tuna cannot be consumed in the vegan diet.

Bodybuilding

Sardine and tuna are perfect foods to be consumed during bodybuilding. They are packed with proteins and healthy fats and are devoid of carbs. This combination makes them ideal for bodybuilding. These foods are easy to prepare and can be associated with a salad to provide a fuller range of flavors and tastes. It is important to associate these types of proteins with fiber-rich food.

Cardiovascular health

Section reviewed by cardiologist Astghik Grigoryan

Omega-3 fatty acids in tuna and sardine enhance heart function by regulating lipid levels in the blood and lowering the risk of cardiovascular disease, acting as an antihypertensive, antiarrhythmic, and anti-atherogenic agent (1.2.3.4.5).

Consuming fatty fish at least twice a week may lower the risk of heart disease. The American Heart Association strongly advises making it an integral part of your diet to maintain a healthy heart (6).

According to a study, sardines and tuna, which contain tocopherol, which has anti-inflammatory properties, may decrease the risk of atherosclerosis (7).

Diabetes

Diabetes therapy is based on dietary recommendations, including changes in dietary fat quality. The danger associated with increased blood glucose concentrations with an omega–3–enriched diet may be offset by beneficial effects on lipoprotein concentrations.

Patients with type 2 diabetes may benefit from an increase in long-chain omega-three fatty acids from fatty fish (tuna, sardine) and omega 6 fatty acids from linoleic acid. Thus tuna and sardines are recommended to be consumed in the regulation of glucose levels in diabetes (8).

According to several papers, a high-fat diet supplemented with fish oil improved metabolic characteristics linked with type 2 diabetes, such as decreased glucose tolerance and hepatic steatosis (9).

Cancer

Few studies suggest that consuming essential fatty acids may reduce the chance of getting cancer. As we know, fat from both sources contains 20–25 percent saturated fatty acids, the fat-soluble vitamins A and D, and omega–3 fatty acids, which are important components of cell membranes and appear to have anti-inflammatory effects as well as inhibiting the growth of colon, breast, and prostate cancers in vitro (10).

Inflammation

Tuna and sardine have anti-inflammatory properties due to their omega-3 content, contributing to their preventive activities against atherosclerosis, plaque rupture, and cardiovascular mortality (1).

Regulation of pro-inflammatory prostaglandins and hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid synthesis via the cyclooxygenase and lipoxygenase pathways via fatty acids has a significant role in inflammation, proliferation, and angiogenesis which are essential drivers in cancer progression (11).

Bone Health

Sardine, a tiny fish that may be eaten with the bones, is a good source of calcium, even if calcium from bone may be difficult to absorb (12).

As a result, calcium-containing products may help reduce gout episodes while protecting your bones (13).

Sardines include vitamin D, which is important to bone health and development (14).

Pregnancy

Methylmercury, which is present in tuna, can build up in human tissues. It can have a detrimental influence on the development of the baby's brain and nervous system. Rapid development rates and a high-fat content in tuna may play key roles in controlling pollutant concentrations such as mercury.

So, pregnant women should avoid too much tuna consumption (15).

Diabetes

According to certain research, the high cholesterol content of sardines may be linked to an increased risk of type 2 diabetes (16).