Anchovies or sardine: which is healthier?
Full comparison · Protein · Calories · Healthier
Neither food is healthier in every way. Per 3.5 oz (100 g), here is where anchovies and sardine differ against FDA Daily Values, so you can choose for what you need more or less of.
Anchovies
- More of: iron (26% vs 16% DV), vitamin k (10% vs 2% DV), magnesium (16% vs 9% DV), potassium (12% vs 8% DV).
- Also more of what the FDA treats as nutrients to limit: sodium (159% vs 13% DV), saturated fat (11% vs 8% DV).
Sardine
- More of: vitamin b12 (372% vs 37% DV), vitamin d (24% vs 8% DV), calcium (29% vs 18% DV).
- Also more of what the FDA treats as nutrients to limit: cholesterol (47% vs 28% DV).
Beyond the nutrient table
Health effects depend on more than composition: how much you eat, what it replaces, and the studies on each food. These pages grade that evidence:
What the numbers don't tell you
On this page both are canned in oil and drained, and the sardines come with their soft bones. Salt is where they split: these anchovies carry 3,668 mg of sodium per 3.5 oz (100 g), the sardines 307 mg.
The sardines show 382 mg of calcium against 232 mg. In the UK food table, canned sardines with their bones hold 500 to 679 mg per 3.5 oz (100 g), against 50 mg in raw flesh. We found no study of how much bone calcium is absorbed. FDA testing of 90 sardine samples found a mean mercury level of 0.013 ppm, and we hold no anchovy figure.
Of 73 confirmed cases of anisakiasis, a parasitic infection, in Italy, raw or undercooked anchovies were the source in 65.7%, sardines alone in 1.4%, and anchovies or sardines in 15.1%. A Spanish model estimated 0.66 Anisakis larvae per untreated raw or marinated anchovy meal. FDA guidance says brining and pickling reduce the parasite hazard but do not eliminate it. In pregnancy and for children, FDA advises fish cooked to a safe internal temperature, 145 °F (63 °C) for most seafood.
For a tin you eat often, sardines give far less salt and more calcium. Each 1 oz (28 g) of these anchovies holds about 1,040 mg of sodium, so treat them as a seasoning.
Evidence behind this note
- Level E Canned sardines eaten with their soft bones carry 500 to 679 mg of calcium per 3.5 oz (100 g) in the UK table, against 50 mg in raw flesh. CoFID 2021, Public Health England, OGL v3.0, codes 16-424, 16-440, 16-401
- Level E FDA testing of 90 sardine samples found a mean mercury level of 0.013 ppm (median 0.010, maximum 0.083). US FDA, Mercury Levels in Commercial Fish and Shellfish (1990-2012), content current as of 02/25/2022
- Level C Across 73 confirmed Italian cases of anisakiasis over two decades, raw or undercooked anchovies were the source in 65.7% of patients. Parasite, 2018
- Level C A Spanish risk model put the average exposure at 0.66 live Anisakis larvae per untreated raw or marinated anchovy meal and a 9.56 x 10-5 probability of illness per meal. Sci Rep, 2017
- Level E FDA guidance says brining and pickling reduce but do not eliminate parasites in fish, while freezing at -20°C (-4°F) for 7 days, or at -35°C (-31°F) until solid and then 15 hours, does kill them. FDA, Fish and Fishery Products Hazards and Controls Guidance, Chapter 5: Parasites
- Level E The FDA advises pregnant women to eat fish only cooked to a safe internal temperature, so raw or marinated sardines are out. FDA/EPA, Questions and Answers on Advice about Eating Fish, content current as of 02/17/2022
- Level E The FDA says most seafood, which includes small fish such as anchovies when cooked, should reach an internal temperature of 145 °F (63 °C). FDA, Selecting and Serving Fresh and Frozen Seafood Safely
Written from the studies and agency guidance we hold for both foods, reviewed by the Bioma editorial system. How we verify.
Keep exploring
Read more about these foods
- Anchovies: the parasite rule, and what else is actually known
- Sardine: calcium from the bones and an insulin resistance signal in older adults
Rankings and guides
- Fiber: what it does and how much you need
- Sodium: what it does and how much you need
- Which foods are highest in potassium?
- Anchovies: full nutrition facts
- Sardine: full nutrition facts
More comparisons
Where the numbers come from
- Anchovies: USDA FoodData Central, Fish, anchovy, european, canned in oil, drained solids, FDC ID 174183 · full profile · all forms of anchovies
- Sardine: USDA FoodData Central, Fish, sardine, Atlantic, canned in oil, drained solids with bone, FDC ID 175139 · full profile · all forms of sardine
Each food is one USDA entry, chosen as it is usually eaten. Other cuts, brands and preparations differ; the links show them. % DV uses FDA Daily Values for adults. How we verify.