Sardines vs Mackerel vs Salmon: Omega-3 Per Tin and Portion

8 min readUpdated: 12 Nov 2026

Contents 10

Why 250 mg is the number to beat
Tinned fish per 100 g and per portion
Fresh fish per 100 g and per portion
What the numbers say
What a week can look like
Mercury and who should be careful
Which one for what
FAQ
Related
Sources

By the Nutriveda editorial team · Sources checked 2026-11-10

Short answer: all three are rich in the long-chain omega-3 fats EPA and DHA, and any of them covers the 250 mg a day that EFSA sets as the adequate intake for adults several times over in one portion. Per 100 g in the USDA records, fresh Atlantic mackerel leads (about 2,300 mg EPA + DHA), farmed Atlantic salmon follows (about 1,970 mg), and canned fish sits around 1,000-1,400 mg. A 92 g tin of sardines in oil gives about 900 mg, enough for three and a half days. Canned light tuna is the odd one out: about 220 mg per 100 g.

Why 250 mg is the number to beat

EFSA’s adequate intake for adults is 250 mg of EPA plus DHA a day, which is about 1,750 mg a week. The same 250 mg appears in EU law: food that is at least a source of omega-3 fats may say that “EPA and DHA contribute to the normal function of the heart”, with the effect obtained from 250 mg a day (Regulation (EU) No 432/2012). Because the body stores these fats, it does not matter if they come every day or in two fish meals a week; what counts is the weekly total.

Tinned fish per 100 g and per portion

Values from USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy). “Per portion” uses the tin weight where USDA gives one that matches European tins (sardines, 92 g drained), otherwise 85 g, the USDA standard portion. “Days of 250 mg” is the portion divided by 250 mg. “Grams for 250 mg” is how much fish covers one day.

Fish (per 100 g)	EPA	DHA	EPA + DHA	EPA + DHA per portion	Days of 250 mg per portion	Grams for 250 mg	kcal	Protein	Sodium	Calcium	Vitamin D	Source
Sardines, Atlantic, canned in oil, drained, with bones	470 mg	510 mg	980 mg	1 tin (92 g drained): 900 mg	3.6	25 g	208	25 g	307 mg	382 mg	4.8 µg	USDA FDC 175139
Sardines, Pacific, canned in tomato sauce, drained, with bones	530 mg	860 mg	1400 mg	85 g: 1190 mg	4.7	18 g	185	21 g	414 mg	240 mg	4.8 µg	USDA FDC 175140
Mackerel (jack), canned, drained	430 mg	800 mg	1230 mg	85 g: 1050 mg	4.2	20 g	156	23 g	379 mg	241 mg	7.3 µg	USDA FDC 175121
Salmon, pink, canned, drained	330 mg	740 mg	1080 mg	85 g: 920 mg	3.7	23 g	138	23 g	381 mg	283 mg	14.5 µg	USDA FDC 175175
Salmon, sockeye, canned, drained	520 mg	750 mg	1270 mg	85 g: 1080 mg	4.3	20 g	167	24 g	408 mg	232 mg	21.0 µg	USDA FDC 173693
Light tuna, canned in water, drained	30 mg	200 mg	220 mg	85 g: 190 mg	0.8	112 g	86	19 g	247 mg	17 mg	1.2 µg	USDA FDC 173709

Fresh fish per 100 g and per portion

Raw weight, same source. Cooking removes water, so 100 g of cooked fish holds a little more of everything; the values for cooked fish in USDA come from separate samples and are not directly comparable, so we keep raw for all three.

Fish (per 100 g)	EPA	DHA	EPA + DHA	EPA + DHA per portion	Days of 250 mg per portion	Grams for 250 mg	kcal	Protein	Sodium	Calcium	Vitamin D	Source
Mackerel, Atlantic, raw	900 mg	1400 mg	2300 mg	1 fillet (112 g raw): 2570 mg	10.3	11 g	205	19 g	90 mg	12 mg	16.1 µg	USDA FDC 175119
Salmon, Atlantic, farmed, raw	860 mg	1100 mg	1970 mg	85 g raw: 1670 mg	6.7	13 g	208	20 g	59 mg	9 mg	11.0 µg	USDA FDC 175167
Salmon, Atlantic, wild, raw	320 mg	1120 mg	1440 mg	85 g raw: 1220 mg	4.9	17 g	142	20 g	44 mg	12 mg	–	USDA FDC 173686

Values rounded: omega-3 to 10 mg, the rest to whole numbers. “-” means USDA has no value in that record. EPA + DHA is the sum of the two values in each record.

What the numbers say

Mackerel is the richest. One raw Atlantic mackerel fillet (112 g) gives about 2,570 mg of EPA + DHA, more than the EFSA amount for a whole week.
Farmed salmon beats wild salmon on omega-3. In USDA, farmed Atlantic salmon has about 1,970 mg per 100 g and wild Atlantic salmon about 1,440 mg. Farmed salmon is also fattier (13 g against 6 g of fat per 100 g), which is where the extra omega-3 sits.
Tinned sardines, mackerel and salmon are close to each other: roughly 1,000-1,400 mg per 100 g. The differences between tins come mostly from species and sample, not from oil or tomato sauce, so pick the one you like.
Bones bring calcium. Sardines eaten with their soft bones have about 380 mg of calcium per 100 g; canned salmon with bones 230-280 mg. Fresh fillets have 10-15 mg.
Tins bring salt. Canned fish has about 300-410 mg of sodium per 100 g against 40-90 mg in fresh fish. A tin of sardines (92 g) has about 280 mg of sodium, or 0.7 g of salt.
Tuna is not an omega-3 fish in a tin. Canned light tuna in water has about 220 mg per 100 g: you would need about 110 g to reach one day’s 250 mg, against about 25 g of sardines.

What a week can look like

The NHS recommends at least 2 portions of fish a week, one of them oily; a portion is about 140 g. One 140 g portion of farmed salmon gives about 2,750 mg of EPA + DHA and one of tinned sardines about 1,370 mg, so the “one oily fish a week” pattern already reaches or comes close to EFSA’s 1,750 mg. Two examples:

A salmon fillet on Tuesday and a tin of sardines on toast on Friday: about 1,670 + 900 = 2,570 mg (85 g salmon portion).
A mackerel fillet once a week: about 2,570 mg on its own.

Mercury and who should be careful

The US FDA lists salmon, sardines, Atlantic mackerel and canned light tuna among its “Best Choices”, the fish lowest in mercury, while king mackerel, a different and much larger species, is on its list of fish to avoid. The FDA advice applies by species, so read the label: in a tin, “mackerel” can be several species. The NHS advises no more than 2 portions of oily fish a week for girls, women who may become pregnant, and pregnant or breastfeeding women, because oily fish contain more pollutants that can build up in the body.

Which one for what

You want	Pick	Why (from the tables above)
The most EPA + DHA per bite	Fresh mackerel or farmed salmon	About 1,970-2,300 mg per 100 g
A cheap shelf option	Tinned sardines or mackerel	About 900-1,050 mg per portion, no cooking
Calcium too	Sardines or canned salmon with the bones	230-380 mg of calcium per 100 g
Less salt	Fresh fish, or rinse and drain tinned fish	Fresh: 40-90 mg sodium per 100 g
Vitamin D	Fresh mackerel, farmed salmon or canned salmon	11-21 µg per 100 g in the records that list it

FAQ

Which has more omega-3: sardines, mackerel or salmon?

Per 100 g in USDA: fresh Atlantic mackerel about 2,300 mg EPA + DHA, farmed Atlantic salmon about 1,970 mg, wild Atlantic salmon about 1,440 mg, tinned sardines about 980-1,400 mg. Per typical portion all three cover several days of EFSA’s 250 mg.

Is tinned fish as good as fresh for omega-3?

It is a good source: tinned sardines, mackerel and salmon have about 1,000-1,400 mg of EPA + DHA per 100 g, so a portion still covers 3-5 days. Fresh mackerel and farmed salmon have more per 100 g in the USDA records, but the samples differ, so the gap is not a measure of what canning removes.

Do sardines in oil or in tomato sauce have more omega-3?

In USDA the tomato-sauce record has more (about 1,400 against 980 mg per 100 g), but it is a different species (Pacific against Atlantic). The sauce is not what makes the difference; both are good sources.

How much salmon do I need for 250 mg of EPA + DHA?

About 13 g of farmed or 17 g of wild Atlantic salmon (raw weight) per day, or one 85-140 g portion a week for the weekly total of about 1,750 mg.

Is canned tuna a good source of omega-3?

Not a strong one. Canned light tuna in water has about 220 mg of EPA + DHA per 100 g, roughly a fifth of tinned sardines. It is a good source of protein with little fat.

How often can I eat oily fish?

The FDA says fish from its “Best Choices” list, which includes salmon, sardines and Atlantic mackerel, can be eaten 2-3 times a week, including in pregnancy. For girls, women who may become pregnant, and pregnant or breastfeeding women the NHS advises no more than 2 portions of oily fish a week. Choose low-mercury species and vary them.

Sources

USDA FoodData Central, SR Legacy (April 2018 release): FDC 175139, 175140, 175121, 175175, 173693, 173709, 175119, 175167, 173686; nutrients 1278 (EPA), 1272 (DHA), 1008, 1003, 1093, 1087, 1114 per 100 g; portions 92 g (sardine tin), 112 g (mackerel fillet), 85 g. fdc.nal.usda.gov
EFSA NDA Panel. Scientific Opinion on Dietary Reference Values for fats, including saturated fatty acids, polyunsaturated fatty acids, monounsaturated fatty acids, trans fatty acids, and cholesterol. EFSA Journal 2010;8(3):1461. doi.org
Commission Regulation (EU) No 432/2012 – list of permitted health claims (EPA and DHA and the normal function of the heart). EUR-Lex
U.S. Food and Drug Administration: Advice about Eating Fish, content current as of 5 March 2024. fda.gov
NHS: Fish and shellfish. nhs.uk

This page is for information only and is not medical or dietary advice. If you are pregnant, take blood-thinning medication, have a health condition or take supplements, talk to your doctor or dietitian before changing your diet.