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Protein

Sardines

Canned sardines are the highest omega-3-per-dollar food in the store, and because they are small and short-lived they accumulate almost no mercury. The edible bones make them a serious calcium source too.

Organic upgrade priority

Residue data does not apply

  • →Pesticide residue monitoring does not apply to this food in the same way.

Key numbers

Nutrient density
90/100
Per calorie, across the whole database
Typical price
$2.49
per 3.75 oz can · no organic version stocked
Servings a week
2
Per person, at typical purchase volume

What to look at instead

Pesticide residue monitoring does not apply to sardines the way it does to fresh produce. These are the measures that actually decide the purchase.

Cost per gram omega-3
~$1.78
vs ~$3.60 for fresh salmon at the prices listed here
Mercury
Very low
FDA "Best Choices" — small forage fish sit at the bottom of the accumulation chain
Sodium
465 mg
20% DV per can; rinse or buy no-salt-added if you are watching sodium
Calcium
351 mg
From the soft edible bones

Nutrition

Per 1 can, drained (92 g).

191

calories

22.7 g

protein

0 g

fiber

465 mg

sodium

  • Omega-3 ~1.4 g
  • Calcium 27% DV
  • Vitamin B12 149% DV

Buying and storing

  • ◆Sardines packed in olive oil taste better than water-packed and the oil is worth keeping for dressings.
  • ◆Because sardines are eaten whole, they are one of the few animal foods that supply meaningful calcium.

Common questions

›Is sardines a healthy choice?

Canned sardines are the highest omega-3-per-dollar food in the store, and because they are small and short-lived they accumulate almost no mercury. The edible bones make them a serious calcium source too. A 1 can, drained (92 g) serving provides 191 calories, 22.7 g protein, and 0 g fiber, scoring 90/100 on nutrient density.

›Does sardines need to be organic?

Pesticide residue monitoring does not apply to sardines the way it does to fresh produce, so this site does not assign an organic upgrade priority. The label buys you a defined set of production standards rather than a measurable change in residue evidence.

›What can I buy instead of sardines?

If the organic version is out of budget or the fresh price has spiked, Salmon, Canned tuna cover similar ground on this list. Each one is either lower on residue evidence, cheaper per serving, or both.

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Canned tuna

$1.79 / 5 oz can

Nutrition 84/100 · 39 g protein · 0 g fiber

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Lentils

$2.29 / 1 lb bag · organic $3.29

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Nutrition 91/100 · 15.2 g protein · 15 g fiber

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