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.
Detailed nutritional comparison of canned tuna and salmon 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 Salmon (Fish, salmon, pink, raw) . Have a correction or suggestions? Shoot us an email.


Image of Canned Tuna src
Image of Salmon src

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) .

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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.