Seafood

Sardines nutrition, every number, sourced.

On USDA figures, 1 can (3.75 oz) of sardines works out at 191 calories and carries 23 g of protein. The record behind it is USDA’s “Fish, sardine, Atlantic, canned in oil, drained solids with bone”. The nutrients it delivers best are vitamin B12 and selenium. Change the amount below for your own portion. The panel and the nutrient breakdown both update.

By Alen Yaco · Updated 20 September 2026

Figures: USDA FoodData Central, record 175139. Calculated in your browser; nothing is uploaded.

How many calories does sardines have?

191 calories is the figure for 1 can (3.75 oz) of sardines; 208 is the figure per 100 g. Below are the remaining portions USDA measured.

How much protein does sardines provide?

1 can (3.75 oz) of sardines provides 23 g of protein. Set beside the 50 g reference intake, that is 45 percent. Measured by calories, sardines is 47 percent protein: enough to build a meal on.

Energy-wise, protein contributes 49 percent, fat 51 percent and carbohydrate 0 percent, which makes it mostly a fat.

Buying, cooking and using sardines

Sardines are small, oily saltwater fish. Fresh specimens must have bright, clear eyes, shiny silver skin, and firm flesh that resists finger pressure. Tinned varieties are sold whole or filleted, packed in olive oil, spring water, or sauces. Choose tins from traditional European packers who grade and clean the fish by hand.

Fresh sardines cook rapidly under a hot grill or over charcoal. Their high oil content helps them baste from within, but the delicate skin tears easily. The most common mistake is overcooking, which dries the flesh and releases strong, unpleasant odours. Keep heat high and cook them briefly until the skin blisters.

In Portugal, grilled sardines are eaten on thick slices of crusty bread to catch the rich oil. Tinned sardines suit quick meals. Mash them onto toast with lemon juice and black pepper, or toss them through southern Italian pasta with wild fennel, raisins, toasted pine nuts, and dry white wine.

Micronutrients in sardines

Measured against FDA Daily Values, the strongest lines for 1 can (3.75 oz) of sardines are 343 percent of a day’s vitamin B12, 88 percent of a day’s selenium, 36 percent of a day’s phosphorus. Adjust the panel at the top and these rows recalculate.

Sodium is the figure to watch here: 307 mg per 100 g is 13 percent of a day’s limit, which is what usually decides how often sardines fits.

Sardines against a daily budget

If you eat 2,000 calories a day, 1 can (3.75 oz) of sardines accounts for 10 percent of them, and for 45 percent of the 50 g protein benchmark. To replace 2,000 with your real number, use the TDEE calculator; to turn that into targets, the macro calculator.

Three recipes built around sardines

Written by the Calorie Counter Team. The nutrition under each one is not an estimate: every ingredient is matched to its USDA FoodData Central record and the totals are summed from those, then divided by the servings.

Breakfast · British

Sardine and Tomato Toast

Toast topped with mashed canned sardines and seasoned sliced tomatoes.

10 min · serves 2

526kcal

39gprotein

21gfat

45gcarbs

Ingredients

• sourdough bread 160 g
• canned sardines in oil 240 g
• raw tomatoes 150 g
• olive oil 10 g
• table salt 2 g
• black pepper 1 g

Method

1. Toast the sourdough bread slices for 3 minutes.
2. Drain the sardines, reserving 10 grams of the oil.
3. Mash the sardines in a bowl with the reserved oil, salt, and black pepper.
4. Slice the tomatoes into 5-millimetre rounds.
5. Spread the mashed sardines onto the toast and layer the tomato slices on top.

Summed from 6 USDA records and divided by servings. Heat alters weight and a few nutrients, so read it as a close figure.

Dinner · Italian

Sardine and Fennel Pasta

Pasta tossed with pan-fried fennel, garlic, and canned sardines.

20 min · serves 2

667kcal

41gprotein

25gfat

67gcarbs

Ingredients

• dried spaghetti 160 g
• canned sardines in oil 240 g
• raw fennel bulb 150 g
• raw garlic 10 g
• olive oil 20 g
• lemon juice 15 g
• table salt 3 g

Method

1. Boil the spaghetti in salted water for 10 minutes, then drain and reserve 50 millilitres of pasta water.
2. Slice the fennel bulb and garlic into 2-millimetre pieces.
3. Heat the olive oil in a pan over medium heat and cook the fennel and garlic for 5 minutes.
4. Add the sardines and cook for 2 minutes, breaking them into 2-centimetre pieces with a spoon.
5. Stir the drained pasta, lemon juice, salt, and reserved pasta water into the pan until combined.

Figures are per serving and come from 7 USDA FoodData Central entries; cooking will shift them slightly.

Lunch · Northern European

Sardine Potato Salad

A cold salad of boiled potatoes, spring onions, and sardines in a light mayonnaise dressing.

45 min · serves 2

547kcal

34gprotein

29gfat

37gcarbs

Ingredients

• raw potatoes 400 g
• canned sardines in water 240 g
• mayonnaise 40 g
• raw spring onions 30 g
• lemon juice 10 g
• table salt 2 g
• black pepper 1 g

Method

1. Peel the potatoes, cut them into 2-centimetre cubes, and boil in salted water for 12 minutes.
2. Drain the potatoes and let them cool for 20 minutes.
3. Slice the spring onions into 5-millimetre pieces and drain the sardines.
4. Whisk the mayonnaise, lemon juice, salt, and black pepper together in a bowl.
5. Add the potatoes, spring onions, and sardines to the bowl, then stir for 30 seconds to combine.

Figures are per serving and come from 7 USDA FoodData Central entries; cooking will shift them slightly.

Calorie Counter Team, food critic

What a meal with sardines adds up to

A sample plate, not a prescription: sardines plus two sides, each line sourced and the sum shown.

How sardines compares with similar foods

Per 100 g, each in the form its own page leads with; the second column says which.

Sardines: common questions

How many calories are in 1 can (3.75 oz) of sardines?

1 can (3.75 oz) of sardines is 191 calories. That comes from the USDA record “Fish, sardine, Atlantic, canned in oil, drained solids with bone” (FDC 175139), which is 208 calories per 100 g.

Is there much protein in sardines?

You get 23 g from 1 can (3.75 oz) of sardines, equal to 45 percent of the daily reference amount; 100 g holds 25 g.

Can you eat sardines when trying to lose weight?

That depends on the rest of the day, not on sardines. For planning: 1 can (3.75 oz) of sardines is 191 calories and 23 g of protein, 47 percent protein by energy, a strong ratio for staying full on fewer calories.

Which nutrients is sardines highest in?

Chiefly vitamin B12 at 343 percent, selenium at 88 percent, phosphorus at 36 percent, for 1 can (3.75 oz) of sardines. See the full profile above for the remaining values.

Do you need to gut fresh sardines before cooking?

Yes, you should gut fresh sardines, though very small fish are sometimes cooked whole. Scrape away the tiny scales, cut along the belly, and rinse out the cavities under cold water before patting them dry.

Can you eat the bones in tinned sardines?

Yes, the bones in tinned sardines are completely edible and soft. The canning process subjects the fish to high heat and pressure, which softens the skeleton so that it crumbles easily when pressed with a fork.

Sources

• Fish, sardine, Atlantic, canned in oil, drained solids with bone — USDA FoodData Central, FDC ID 175139
• Daily Values for nutrition labelling, 21 CFR 101.9