Canned Tuna vs. Clams

Nutrition comparison of Canned Tuna and Cooked Clams


Ever wonder how your favorite foods stack up against each other in terms of nutrition?

We compared the nutritional contents of canned tuna versus cooked clams (100g each) below using 2020 USDA and NIH data[1].

For a quick recap of significant nutrients and differences in canned tuna and clams:

  • Both clams and canned tuna are high in calories, potassium and protein.
  • Clam has more thiamin, riboflavin, pantothenic acid, folate and Vitamin B12, however, canned tuna contains more Vitamin B6.
  • Clam is a great source of iron.
  • Clam is an excellent source of Vitamin A, Vitamin C and calcium.
Detailed nutritional comparison of canned tuna and clams is analyzed below. You can also visualize the nutritional comparison for a custom portion or serving size and see how the nutrition compares.

USDA sources for nutritional information: Canned Tuna (Fish, tuna, white, canned in water, without salt, drained solids) and Clams (Mollusks, clam, mixed species, cooked, moist heat) . Have a correction or suggestions? Shoot us an email.


Image of Canned Tuna src
Image of Clams src

Calories and Carbs

calories

Both clams and canned tuna are high in calories. Clam has 16% more calories than canned tuna - clam has 148 calories per 100 grams and canned tuna has 128 calories.

For macronutrient ratios, canned tuna is heavier in protein, lighter in carbs and heavier in fat compared to clams per calorie. Canned tuna has a macronutrient ratio of 78:0:22 and for clams, 73:15:13 for protein, carbohydrates and fat from calories.

Macro Ratios from Calories:

Canned Tuna Clams
Protein 78% 73%
Carbohydrates ~ 15%
Fat 22% 13%
Alcohol ~ ~

carbohydrates

Canned tuna has less carbohydrates than clam - clam has 5.1g of total carbs per 100 grams and canned tuna does not contain significant amounts.

Protein

protein

Both clams and canned tuna are high in protein. Clam has a little more protein (8%) than canned tuna by weight - clam has 25.6g of protein per 100 grams and canned tuna has 23.6g of protein.

Fat

saturated fat

Both clams and canned tuna are low in saturated fat - clam has 0.19g of saturated fat per 100 grams and canned tuna has 0.79g of saturated fat.

cholesterol

Clams and canned tuna contain similar amounts of cholesterol - clam has 67mg of cholesterol per 100 grams and canned tuna has 42mg of cholesterol.

Vitamins

Vitamin C

Clam is an excellent source of Vitamin C and it has more Vitamin C than canned tuna - clam has 22.1mg of Vitamin C per 100 grams and canned tuna does not contain significant amounts.

Vitamin A

Clam is an excellent source of Vitamin A and it has 27 times more Vitamin A than canned tuna - clam has 171ug of Vitamin A per 100 grams and canned tuna has 6ug of Vitamin A.

The B Vitamins

Clam has more thiamin, riboflavin, pantothenic acid, folate and Vitamin B12, however, canned tuna contains more Vitamin B6. Both canned tuna and clams contain significant amounts of niacin.

Canned Tuna Clams
Thiamin 0.008 MG 0.15 MG
Riboflavin 0.044 MG 0.426 MG
Niacin 5.799 MG 3.354 MG
Pantothenic acid 0.124 MG 0.68 MG
Vitamin B6 0.217 MG 0.11 MG
Folate 2 UG 29 UG
Vitamin B12 1.17 UG 98.89 UG

Minerals

calcium

Clam is an excellent source of calcium and it has 557% more calcium than canned tuna - clam has 92mg of calcium per 100 grams and canned tuna has 14mg of calcium.

iron

Clam is a great source of iron and it has 190% more iron than canned tuna - clam has 2.8mg of iron per 100 grams and canned tuna has 0.97mg of iron.

potassium

Both clams and canned tuna are high in potassium. Clam has 165% more potassium than canned tuna - clam has 628mg of potassium per 100 grams and canned tuna has 237mg of potassium.

Omega-3 and Omega-6

omega 3s

For omega-3 fatty acids, canned tuna has more alpha linoleic acid (ALA) and dha than clam per 100 grams, however, clam contains more dpa than canned tuna per 100 grams. Both canned tuna and clams contain significant amounts of EPA.

Canned Tuna Clams
alpha linoleic acid 0.071 G 0.008 G
DHA 0.629 G 0.146 G
EPA 0.233 G 0.138 G
DPA 0.018 G 0.104 G
Total 0.951 G 0.396 G

omega 6s

Comparing omega-6 fatty acids, both canned tuna and clams contain significant amounts of linoleic acid.

Canned Tuna Clams
linoleic acid 0.055 G 0.032 G
other omega 6 0.051 G 0.082 G
Total 0.106 G 0.114 G



Customize your serving size


The comparison below is by common portions, e.g. cups, packages. You can also see a more concrete comparison by weight at equal weight (by grams) comparison.

Note: The specific food items compared are: Canned Tuna (Fish, tuna, white, canned in water, without salt, drained solids) and Clams (Mollusks, clam, mixed species, cooked, moist heat) .

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FAQ

Does clams or canned tuna contain more calories in 100 grams?
Both clams and canned tuna are high in calories. Clam has 20% more calories than canned tuna - clam has 148 calories in 100g and canned tuna has 128 calories.

Is clams or canned tuna better for protein?
Both clams and canned tuna are high in protein. Clam has a little more protein ( 10%) than canned tuna by weight - clam has 25.6g of protein per 100 grams and canned tuna has 23.6g of protein.

Does clams or canned tuna contain more calcium?
Clam is a rich source of calcium and it has 560% more calcium than canned tuna - clam has 92mg of calcium in 100 grams and canned tuna has 14mg of calcium.

Does clams or canned tuna contain more potassium?
Both clams and canned tuna are high in potassium. Clam has 170% more potassium than canned tuna - clam has 628mg of potassium in 100 grams and canned tuna has 237mg of potassium.