Canned Tuna vs. Salmon
Nutrition comparison of Canned Tuna and Salmon
Ever wonder how your favorite foods stack up against each other in terms of nutrition?
We compared the nutritional contents of
canned tuna
versus
salmon
(100g each)
below using 2020 USDA and NIH data[1].
For a quick recap of significant nutrients and differences in canned tuna and salmon:
- Both canned tuna and salmon are high in calories, potassium and protein.
- For omega-3 fatty acids, salmon has more dpa than canned tuna.
- Salmon has more thiamin, riboflavin, pantothenic acid, Vitamin B6 and Vitamin B12.
- Salmon is an excellent source of Vitamin D.
USDA sources for nutritional information: Canned Tuna (Fish, tuna, white, canned in water, without salt, drained solids) and Salmon (Fish, salmon, pink, raw) . Have a correction or suggestions? Shoot us an email.
Calories and Carbs
calories
Both canned tuna and salmon are high in calories. Canned tuna is very similar to salmon for calories - canned tuna has 128 calories per 100 grams and salmon has 127 calories.
For macronutrient ratios, canned tuna is heavier in protein, lighter in fat and similar to salmon for carbs. Canned tuna has a macronutrient ratio of 78:0:22 and for salmon, 67:0:33 for protein, carbohydrates and fat from calories.
Macro Ratios from Calories:
| Canned Tuna | Salmon | |
|---|---|---|
| Protein | 78% | 67% |
| Carbohydrates | ~ | ~ |
| Fat | 22% | 33% |
| Alcohol | ~ | ~ |
Protein
protein
Both canned tuna and salmon are high in protein. Canned tuna has 15% more protein than salmon - canned tuna has 23.6g of protein per 100 grams and salmon has 20.5g of protein.
Fat
saturated fat
Both canned tuna and salmon are low in saturated fat - canned tuna has 0.79g of saturated fat per 100 grams and salmon has 0.81g of saturated fat.
trans fat
Both salmon and canned tuna are low in trans fat - salmon has 0.03g of trans fat per 100 grams and canned tuna does not contain significant amounts.
cholesterol
Canned tuna and salmon contain similar amounts of cholesterol - canned tuna has 42mg of cholesterol per 100 grams and salmon has 46mg of cholesterol.
Vitamins
Vitamin A
Salmon has 483% more Vitamin A than canned tuna - canned tuna has 6ug of Vitamin A per 100 grams and salmon has 35ug of Vitamin A.
Vitamin D
Salmon is an excellent source of Vitamin D and it has more Vitamin D than canned tuna - salmon has 435iu of Vitamin D per 100 grams and canned tuna does not contain significant amounts.
Vitamin E
Salmon has more Vitamin E than canned tuna - salmon has 0.4mg of Vitamin E per 100 grams and canned tuna does not contain significant amounts.
Vitamin K
Salmon and canned tuna contain similar amounts of Vitamin K - salmon has 0.4ug of Vitamin K per 100 grams and canned tuna does not contain significant amounts.
The B Vitamins
Salmon has more thiamin, riboflavin, pantothenic acid, Vitamin B6 and Vitamin B12. Both canned tuna and salmon contain significant amounts of niacin and folate.
| Canned Tuna | Salmon | |
|---|---|---|
| Thiamin | 0.008 MG | 0.08 MG |
| Riboflavin | 0.044 MG | 0.105 MG |
| Niacin | 5.799 MG | 7.995 MG |
| Pantothenic acid | 0.124 MG | 1.03 MG |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.217 MG | 0.611 MG |
| Folate | 2 UG | 4 UG |
| Vitamin B12 | 1.17 UG | 4.15 UG |
Minerals
calcium
Canned tuna and salmon contain similar amounts of calcium - canned tuna has 14mg of calcium per 100 grams and salmon has 7mg of calcium.
iron
Canned tuna has 155% more iron than salmon - canned tuna has 0.97mg of iron per 100 grams and salmon has 0.38mg of iron.
potassium
Both canned tuna and salmon are high in potassium. Salmon has 54% more potassium than canned tuna - canned tuna has 237mg of potassium per 100 grams and salmon has 366mg of potassium.
Omega-3 and Omega-6
omega 3s
For omega-3 fatty acids, salmon has more DPA than canned tuna per 100 grams. Both canned tuna and salmon contain significant amounts of alpha linoleic acid (ALA), DHA and EPA.
| Canned Tuna | Salmon | |
|---|---|---|
| alpha linoleic acid | 0.071 G | 0.047 G |
| DHA | 0.629 G | 0.333 G |
| EPA | 0.233 G | 0.182 G |
| DPA | 0.018 G | 0.047 G |
| Total | 0.951 G | 0.609 G |
omega 6s
Comparing omega-6 fatty acids, both canned tuna and salmon contain significant amounts of linoleic acid.
| Canned Tuna | Salmon | |
|---|---|---|
| linoleic acid | 0.055 G | 0.081 G |
| other omega 6 | ~ | 0.004 G |
| Total | 0.055 G | 0.085 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 Salmon (Fish, salmon, pink, raw) .
Canned Tuna g
()
|
Daily Values (%) |
Salmon g
()
|
|||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| KCAL % |
|
5% | calories | 5% |
|
KCAL % | |
| G % |
|
5% | carbohydrates | 5% |
|
G % | |
| G % |
|
5% | dietary fiber | 5% |
|
G % | |
| G | 5% | sugar | 5% | G | |||
| G % |
|
5% | total fat | 5% |
|
G % | |
| G % |
|
5% | saturated fat | 5% |
|
G % | |
| G | 5% | monounsaturated fat | 5% | G | |||
| G | 5% | polyunsaturated fat | 5% | G | |||
| G | 5% | trans fat | 5% | G | |||
| MG | 5% | cholesterol | 5% | MG | |||
| MG % |
|
5% | sodium | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| 5% | Vitamins and Minerals | 5% | |||||
| UG % |
|
5% | Vitamin A | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | Vitamin C | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| IU % |
|
5% | Vitamin D | 5% |
|
IU % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | calcium | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | iron | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | magnesium | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | potassium | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | thiamin (Vit B1) | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | riboflavin (Vit B2) | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | niacin (Vit B3) | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | Vitamin B6 | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | pantothenic acid (Vit B5) | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| UG % |
|
5% | folate (Vit B9) | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| UG % |
|
5% | Vitamin B12 | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | Vitamin E | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| UG % |
|
5% | Vitamin K | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| G % |
|
5% | protein | 5% |
|
G % | |
| UG % |
|
5% | biotin (Vit B7) | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | choline | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | chlorine | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| UG % |
|
5% | chromium | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | copper | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| UG % |
|
5% | fluoride | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| UG % |
|
5% | iodine | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | manganese | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| UG % |
|
5% | molybdenum | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | phosphorus | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| UG % |
|
5% | selenium | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | zinc | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| G | 5% | Water | 5% | G | |||
| G | 5% | Starch | 5% | G | |||
| G | 5% | Alcohol | 5% | G | |||
FAQ
Does canned tuna or salmon contain more calories in 100 grams?Both canned tuna and salmon are high in calories. Canned tuna is quite similar to salmon for calories - canned tuna has 128 calories in 100g and salmon has 127 calories.
Is canned tuna or salmon better for protein?
Both canned tuna and salmon are high in protein. Canned tuna has 20% more protein than salmon - canned tuna has 23.6g of protein per 100 grams and salmon has 20.5g of protein.
Does canned tuna or salmon contain more potassium?
Both canned tuna and salmon are high in potassium. Salmon has 50% more potassium than canned tuna - canned tuna has 237mg of potassium in 100 grams and salmon has 366mg of potassium.