Choose canned tuna if you want a mild filling that flakes easily. Choose sardines with edible bones if you want a fish that can also contribute calcium. Both can supply protein. Compare the specific products by the amount you will eat, particularly if one is packed in water and the other in oil, brine or tomato sauce.
Check the can for the fish species, ingredients and any declared drained weight. A cheap can may give you less usable fish if it contains more packing liquid. If you eat the sauce, compare the whole product rather than treating the fish and sauce as separate purchases.
- Compare protein and sodium using the same label basis.
- Look for edible bones if calcium is one of your priorities.
- Check the fish species when mercury guidance applies to you.
- Choose an intact can and follow the opened-product storage directions.
In this guide
Section 1 of 5
Match the fish to the meal
Fish is one of the protein foods in HealthHub’s My Healthy Plate. Tuna can be flaked into a sandwich or mixed with pasta. Sardines can go with toast, rice or cooked vegetables. Sardines with soft edible bones can contribute calcium if you eat the bones. Boneless sardines and tuna do not offer that same source from edible bones. HealthHub’s My Healthy Plate guide · HealthHub’s guide to food sources of calcium
| What you want | Start with | Check before buying |
|---|---|---|
| Mild sandwich filling | Tuna in water or another packing liquid you like | Protein, sodium and drained weight |
| Fish with edible bones | Sardines labelled as containing bones | Calcium if declared and whether you eat the bones |
| Sauce for a rice bowl | Fish in tomato sauce | Sodium, ingredients and the portion of sauce you eat |
| A pantry option for one meal | A can you can finish | Price for the usable amount |
| A lower-sodium choice | Similar products on an equal weight basis | Whether the figures describe drained or undrained food |
Section 2 of 5
Read the liquid and the nutrition panel separately
Water, oil, brine and prepared sauce affect what you get from the can. A product packed in water can still contain added salt. An oil-packed product may suit your meal if you want to use some of the oil. If you drain it, use the drained weight for a cost comparison and check whether the nutrient figures are also given for the drained product.
Suppose a $2.40 can yields 120 g of drained fish. That is $2 per 100 g of drained fish. A $2.70 can that yields 150 g costs $1.80 per 100 g. These are example prices. The second can offers more fish per dollar if you eat it all. If you need only a small amount, consider what will happen to the remainder. HealthHub’s guide to food labels
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Section 3 of 5
Check the species when mercury matters
The word tuna covers several species. SFA identifies bigeye tuna among predatory fish that can accumulate higher levels of mercury and advises limiting predatory fish. Check the species if the packaging declares it. If it is unclear and you are following advice specific to pregnancy or a child, use the guidance from your healthcare team and choose a product you can identify. Cooking or draining fish cannot be relied on to reduce mercury. Singapore Food Agency guidance on heavy metals in seafood
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Section 4 of 5
Use the whole can safely
Choose an intact can and read the date and storage instructions. SFA advises avoiding cans that are rusty, dented or swollen. After opening, use clean utensils and follow the label’s instructions for unused fish. For a sandwich you will eat later, keep the filling appropriately chilled from preparation until lunch. An unopened shelf-stable can and an opened fish sandwich require different storage. SFA’s home food safety guidance
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Section 5 of 5
Common canned fish questions
Is tuna in water always lower in sodium?
Compare the label. Some products packed in water contain added salt.
Are sardines always higher in calcium?
Check whether they contain edible bones and compare declared calcium when available.
Can I use the sauce in the can?
If the product instructions allow it, you can use it as part of a dish. Include the sauce when considering sodium and portion size.