Canned Tuna vs. Spirulina

Nutrition comparison of Canned Tuna and Spirulina


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

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

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

  • Both spirulina and canned tuna are high in calories, potassium and protein.
  • Canned tuna has 70% less saturated fat than spirulina.
  • Canned tuna has signficantly less carbohydrates than spirulina.
  • Spirulina has more thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid and folate, however, canned tuna contains more Vitamin B12.
  • Spirulina has signficantly more Vitamin C than canned tuna.
  • Spirulina has signficantly more Vitamin E than canned tuna.
  • Spirulina is an excellent source of calcium, dietary fiber and iron.
Detailed nutritional comparison of canned tuna and spirulina 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 Spirulina (Seaweed, spirulina, dried) . Have a correction or suggestions? Shoot us an email.


Image of Canned Tuna src
Image of Spirulina src

Calories and Carbs

calories

Both spirulina and canned tuna are high in calories. Spirulina has 127% more calories than canned tuna - spirulina has 290 calories per 100 grams and canned tuna has 128 calories.

For macronutrient ratios, canned tuna is heavier in protein, much lighter in carbs and heavier in fat compared to spirulina per calorie. Canned tuna has a macronutrient ratio of 78:0:22 and for spirulina, 58:24:18 for protein, carbohydrates and fat from calories.

Macro Ratios from Calories:

Canned Tuna Spirulina
Protein 78% 58%
Carbohydrates ~ 24%
Fat 22% 18%
Alcohol ~ ~

carbohydrates

Canned tuna has signficantly less carbohydrates than spirulina - spirulina has 23.9g of total carbs per 100 grams and canned tuna does not contain significant amounts.

dietary fiber

Spirulina is an excellent source of dietary fiber and it has more dietary fiber than canned tuna - spirulina has 3.6g of dietary fiber per 100 grams and canned tuna does not contain significant amounts.

sugar

Canned tuna has less sugar than spirulina - spirulina has 3.1g of sugar per 100 grams and canned tuna does not contain significant amounts.

Protein

protein

Both spirulina and canned tuna are high in protein. Spirulina has 143% more protein than canned tuna - spirulina has 57.5g of protein per 100 grams and canned tuna has 23.6g of protein.

Fat

saturated fat

Canned tuna has 70% less saturated fat than spirulina - spirulina has 2.7g of saturated fat per 100 grams and canned tuna has 0.79g of saturated fat.

cholesterol

Spirulina has less cholesterol than canned tuna - canned tuna has 42mg of cholesterol per 100 grams and spirulina does not contain significant amounts.

Vitamins

Vitamin C

Spirulina has signficantly more Vitamin C than canned tuna - spirulina has 10.1mg of Vitamin C per 100 grams and canned tuna does not contain significant amounts.

Vitamin A

Spirulina has 383% more Vitamin A than canned tuna - spirulina has 29ug of Vitamin A per 100 grams and canned tuna has 6ug of Vitamin A.

Vitamin E

Spirulina has signficantly more Vitamin E than canned tuna - spirulina has 5mg of Vitamin E per 100 grams and canned tuna does not contain significant amounts.

Vitamin K

Spirulina has more Vitamin K than canned tuna - spirulina has 25.5ug of Vitamin K per 100 grams and canned tuna does not contain significant amounts.

The B Vitamins

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

Canned Tuna Spirulina
Thiamin 0.008 MG 2.38 MG
Riboflavin 0.044 MG 3.67 MG
Niacin 5.799 MG 12.82 MG
Pantothenic acid 0.124 MG 3.48 MG
Vitamin B6 0.217 MG 0.364 MG
Folate 2 UG 94 UG
Vitamin B12 1.17 UG ~

Minerals

calcium

Spirulina is an excellent source of calcium and it has 757% more calcium than canned tuna - spirulina has 120mg of calcium per 100 grams and canned tuna has 14mg of calcium.

iron

Spirulina is an excellent source of iron and it has 28 times more iron than canned tuna - spirulina has 28.5mg of iron per 100 grams and canned tuna has 0.97mg of iron.

potassium

Both spirulina and canned tuna are high in potassium. Spirulina has 475% more potassium than canned tuna - spirulina has 1363mg of potassium per 100 grams and canned tuna has 237mg of potassium.

Omega-3 and Omega-6

omega 3s

For omega-3 fatty acids, spirulina has more alpha linoleic acid (ALA) than canned tuna per 100 grams, however, canned tuna contains more dha, epa and dpa than spirulina per 100 grams.

Canned Tuna Spirulina
alpha linoleic acid 0.071 G 0.823 G
DHA 0.629 G ~
EPA 0.233 G ~
DPA 0.018 G ~
Total 0.951 G 0.823 G

omega 6s

Comparing omega-6 fatty acids, spirulina has more linoleic acid than canned tuna per 100 grams.

Canned Tuna Spirulina
linoleic acid 0.055 G 1.254 G
other omega 6 0.051 G ~
Total 0.106 G 1.254 G



Customize your serving size


The comparison below is by weight, but sometimes 100g isn't that intuitive of a measurement for food. View a custom portion comparison (e.g. cups, oz, package).

You can try adding or subtracting the amount of either Canned Tuna or Spirulina .

Note: The specific food items compared are: Canned Tuna (Fish, tuna, white, canned in water, without salt, drained solids) and Spirulina (Seaweed, spirulina, dried) .

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FAQ

Does spirulina or canned tuna contain more calories in 100 grams?
Both spirulina and canned tuna are high in calories. Spirulina has 130% more calories than canned tuna - spirulina has 290 calories in 100g and canned tuna has 128 calories.

Is spirulina or canned tuna better for protein?
Both spirulina and canned tuna are high in protein. Spirulina has 140% more protein than canned tuna - spirulina has 57.5g of protein per 100 grams and canned tuna has 23.6g of protein.

Does spirulina or canned tuna contain more calcium?
Spirulina is a rich source of calcium and it has 760% more calcium than canned tuna - spirulina has 120mg of calcium in 100 grams and canned tuna has 14mg of calcium.

Does spirulina or canned tuna contain more iron?
Spirulina is an abundant source of iron and it has 28 times more iron than canned tuna - spirulina has 28.5mg of iron in 100 grams and canned tuna has 0.97mg of iron.

Does spirulina or canned tuna contain more potassium?
Both spirulina and canned tuna are high in potassium. Spirulina has 480% more potassium than canned tuna - spirulina has 1363mg of potassium in 100 grams and canned tuna has 237mg of potassium.