Sardine: calcium from the bones and an insulin resistance signal in older adults

In a one-year randomized trial in 152 adults aged 65 or older with prediabetes, adding 7.1 oz (200 g) of sardine a week to diabetes prevention advice lowered insulin resistance compared with the advice alone (HOMA-IR, p = 0.032). It also shrank the share rated at very high risk on the FINDRISC score (p = 0.035). The trial was open label, 30 people dropped out, and its endpoint was a risk score. Whether fewer of them went on to develop diabetes was not measured. A smaller pilot in 35 people who already had type 2 diabetes and took no drugs found no difference in glycemic control after six months of 3.5 oz (100 g) of sardines five days a week, while their omega-3 index rose 2.6% against 0.6%. The firmer ground is what sits in the can. Eaten with their soft bones, canned sardines carry 500 to 679 mg of calcium per 3.5 oz (100 g) in the UK table, against 50 mg in raw flesh, and we found no study measuring how much of that bone calcium the body absorbs. A standard US can weighs 2.6 oz (75 g), and one sardine 12 g.

The numbers, per 3.5 oz (100 g)

As people eat it, per 3.5 oz (100 g)

How much is actually in it

• FDA testing of 90 sardine samples found a mean mercury level of 0.013 ppm (median 0.010, maximum 0.083). — 90 sardine samples, FDA monitoring 2002-2010 (n = 90) Evidence E source
  Mean 0.013 ppm, median 0.010, max 0.083 ppm
• Raw sardine flesh gives about 20 g of protein, 1.3 g of omega-3 fats, 8.3 mcg of vitamin B12 and 51 mcg of selenium per 3.5 oz (100 g) in the UK table. — CoFID 2021 food code 16-401, Sardines, flesh only, raw Evidence E source
  Energy 134 calories, protein 19.8 g, fat 6.1 g, n-3 PUFA 1.32 g, vitamin B12 8.3 mcg, selenium 51 mcg, iodine 79 mcg, vitamin D 4.0 mcg, calcium 50 mg per 3.5 oz (100 g)
• 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 codes 16-424 (canned in brine, drained), 16-440 (canned in olive oil, drained), 16-401 (flesh only, raw) Evidence E source
  Calcium 679 mg (brine), 500 mg (olive oil), 50 mg (raw flesh); sodium 368 and 400 mg vs 136 mg; n-3 PUFA 2.50 and 2.54 g vs 1.32 g

What a real portion looks like

• In the US dietary survey one canned sardine weighs 12 g and a standard can 75 g. — FNDDS food code 26139180, Fish, sardines, canned Evidence E source
  1 sardine 12 g, 1 standard can 75 g, 1 cubic inch 17 g, quantity not specified 85 g
• NIH lists two canned Atlantic sardines as giving 1.2 mcg (46 IU) of vitamin D, or 6% of the Daily Value. — NIH ODS vitamin D food table, Sardines (Atlantic), canned in oil, drained, 2 sardines Evidence E source
  1.2 mcg (46 IU), 6% DV per 2 sardines
• UK women aged 20 to 39 ate on average 1.2 oz (33 g) of oily fish a week in 2008 to 2021, only 24% of the 140 g the NHS recommends. — UK women aged 20-39, National Diet and Nutrition Survey 4-day diaries Evidence C source
  33 g oily fish per week, 24% of NHS recommended 140 g

What your body absorbs

• In 31 nursing mothers given fresh sardines, omega-3 DHA in breast milk was higher at 15 and 30 days. — 31 nursing mothers, 4.4 lb (2 kg) of fresh sardines twice with a 15-day interval (n = 31) Evidence C source
  Higher docosapentaenoic and docosahexaenoic acid in milk at 15 and 30 days

What cooking and storage change

• In 73 Italian cases of anisakiasis, a parasitic infection, raw or undercooked anchovies were the main source, with sardines named in a smaller share. — 73 confirmed anisakiasis cases reported in Italy since 1996 (n = 73) Evidence D source
  Source: anchovies 65.7%, anchovies or sardines 15.1%, sardines 1.4%
• Grilled sardine flesh in the UK table holds more protein, vitamin D and omega-3 per 3.5 oz (100 g) than raw, mainly because grilling drives out water. — CoFID 2021 codes 16-438 (flesh only, grilled) and 16-401 (flesh only, raw) Evidence E source
  Grilled vs raw per 3.5 oz (100 g): protein 25.4 vs 19.8 g, vitamin D 5.1 vs 4.0 mcg, n-3 PUFA 1.69 vs 1.32 g, vitamin B12 10.6 vs 8.3 mcg
• For oily fish baked without drippings, the USDA retention table keeps 85% of vitamin B12 and all of the calcium, iron and zinc. — USDA retention factors for Finfish and Shellfish Products, fish over 5% fat, baked without drippings Evidence E source
  Vitamin B12 85%, vitamin B6 90%, thiamin 95%, calcium 100%, iron 100%, zinc 100% retained (Retn_Code 2451)
• Of 73 confirmed anisakiasis cases in Italy, raw or undercooked anchovies caused most, with anchovies or sardines named in 15.1% and sardines alone in 1.4%. — 73 human anisakiasis cases reported in Italy since 1996 (n = 73) Evidence D source
  Source: anchovies 65.7%, anchovies or sardines 15.1%, sardines 1.4%
• 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. — fish intended to be eaten raw or undercooked (US seafood industry guidance) Evidence E source
  Brining and pickling do not eliminate parasites; -4 °F (-20°C) for 7 days or -31 °F (-35°C) until solid plus 15 hours kills them

What it does to your health

• A 2018 Cochrane review found that women given omega-3 fats in pregnancy had less preterm birth before 37 weeks (11.9% vs 13.4%, 26 RCTs) and before 34 weeks (2.7% vs 4.6%, 9 RCTs), with high-quality evidence. — 10,304 participants in 26 RCTs (preterm <37 wk) and 5,204 in 9 RCTs (early preterm <34 wk), omega-3 LCPUFA vs no omega-3 (n = 10,304) Evidence A source
  Preterm birth <37 wk RR 0.89 (95% CI 0.81 to 0.97); early preterm <34 wk RR 0.58 (0.44 to 0.77); high-quality evidence
• In pooled data from 19 European birth cohorts, women eating fish more than once a week in pregnancy had a 13% lower risk of preterm birth than women who rarely ate fish. — 151,880 mother-child pairs from 19 population-based European birth cohort studies (n = 151,880) Evidence C source
  Preterm birth RR 0.87 (95% CI 0.82, 0.92) for >1 to <3 times/wk; RR 0.89 (0.84, 0.96) for >=3 times/wk vs <=1 time/wk
• Babies of 15 women given sardines plus fish oil from week 26 to 35 of pregnancy were born with 35% more DHA in red blood cells than babies of 16 unsupplemented mothers. — Fifteen healthy pregnant women supplemented vs sixteen unsupplemented controls (n = 31) Evidence C source
  Newborn DHA 35.2% higher in red blood cells and 45.5% higher in plasma
• A meta-analysis of 31 observational studies linked more fish in pregnancy to lower food allergy and slightly lower wheeze in children. — 31 observational studies of maternal fish intake and offspring allergy (n = 31 studies) Evidence C source
  Food allergy 0.75 (95% CI 0.64-0.88); wheeze 0.97 (0.96-0.99)
• In a 1-year randomized trial in 152 adults aged 65 or older with prediabetes, adding 7.1 oz (200 g) of sardine a week lowered insulin resistance and the share at very high diabetes risk compared with diet advice alone. — 152 subjects with fasting glucose between 100-124 mg/dL aged >=65 yo, one year (n = 152) Evidence B source
  Fewer in very high FINDRISC risk group (p=0.035), lower HOMA-IR (p=0.032), higher HDL-cholesterol and adiponectin, lower triglycerides and blood pressure (p<0.05)
• In a randomized trial in 94 postpartum women, a higher protein diet built on 4.4 oz (125 g) of sardine a week gave more weight loss among overweight and obese women than standard advice. — 94 postpartum women in Brazil, isocaloric 1,800 calories diet (n = 94) Evidence B source
  Body weight decreased in intervention vs control among overweight and obese women (beta = -0.325; p = 0.049)
• In a randomized crossover trial in 18 people with plaque psoriasis, 6 oz (170 g) of oily fish daily for 6 weeks, with sardine among the fish named, gave a modest 11 to 15% clinical improvement that white fish did not. — 18 patients with chronic plaque psoriasis, 6-week crossover periods (n = 18) Evidence B source
  Modest clinical improvement 11% and 15% (P < 0.01) with oily fish, not with white fish
• In a randomized crossover meal test in 15 adults with type 2 diabetes, adding 4 g of EPA and DHA from sardine oil cut the post-meal rise in an atherogenic lipoprotein by 23%. — Adults with type 2 diabetes (n = 15), 3 test meals (n = 15) Evidence B source
  Postprandial change in LpB:C 23% lower after MUFA + EPA/DHA than after MUFA (P < 0.0001)
• In 63 hemodialysis patients, a canned sardine sandwich three times a week for 8 weeks did not lower CRP overall. — 63 patients receiving maintenance HD three times per week, 8 weeks (n = 63) Evidence C source
  No effect on CRP overall; reduction only in upper CRP tertile (P = .047) and non-diabetic subgroup (P = .034)

Safety, limits and interactions

• Systematic reviews of seafood in pregnancy found no net adverse neurocognitive outcomes in children at the highest seafood intakes, despite higher mercury exposure. — 44 publications on 106,237 mother-offspring pairs and 25,960 children (n = 106,237) Evidence C source
  No net adverse neurocognitive outcomes in offspring at the highest seafood intakes, despite associated increases in mercury exposure
• The FDA advises pregnant women to eat fish only cooked to a safe internal temperature, so raw or marinated sardines are out. — people who are pregnant, and children Evidence E source
  Only fish cooked to safe internal temperatures
• In a PREDIMED nested case-control study of 147 cardiovascular cases and 267 matched controls, the highest mercury levels were not linked to cardiovascular disease. — 147 cardiovascular cases and 267 matched controls from the PREDIMED trial (n = 414) Evidence C source
  RR highest vs lowest mercury quartile 0.71 (95% CI 0.34, 1.14)
• A 45-year-old man in Saudi Arabia with heavy intake of seafood and canned sardines developed headaches and neuropathy with confirmed arsenic intoxication. — A 45-year-old Caucasian male (n = 1) Evidence D source
  Urinary arsenic confirmed intoxication, inorganic form; symptomatic treatment
• Among 81 fish-allergic patients in Spain, 42% had anaphylaxis and the average specific IgE to sardine was 18.4 kUA/L. — 81 patients with fish allergy, 2005-2016 (n = 81) Evidence C source
  Mean sIgE sardine 18.4 kUA/L, cod 32.2, hake 17.5; anaphylaxis in 42%

What people believe that the data does not support

• The FDA and EPA advise people who are or may become pregnant or are breastfeeding to eat 2 to 3 servings of 4 ounces a week of Best Choices fish, and sardines are on that list. — adults who are or might become pregnant or are breastfeeding Evidence E source
  2 to 3 servings of 4 oz a week from Best Choices, which include sardines
• EFSA advises that toddlers, children and women of childbearing age get the benefits of fish by eating more of the species low in methylmercury. — toddlers, children and women of childbearing age Evidence E source
  Choose species low in methylmercury
• The EU register holds no authorized health claim for sardine, and a claim that a sardine and anchovy oil product reduces hot flushes was not authorized. — EU Register on nutrition and health claims, snapshot 2026-09-21 Evidence E source
  0 authorized, 1 non-authorized (POL-HC-6314)

Who this works differently for

• The sardine diabetes pilot enrolled only free-living adults who were overweight or obese, with a BMI between 26 and 35. — Free-living men and women aged 40-70 with BMI 26-35 kg/m2, HbA1c 6.0-8.0%, no insulin or oral antidiabetic drugs (n = 35) Evidence B source
  Eligibility criteria, no effect size
• Babies of 15 women given sardines plus fish oil from week 26 to 35 of pregnancy were born with 35% more DHA in red blood cells than babies of unsupplemented mothers. — Fifteen healthy pregnant women supplemented vs sixteen unsupplemented controls, 26th to 35th wk of pregnancy (n = 31) Evidence C source
  Newborn RBC DHA 7.92% vs 5.86% of fatty acids (35.2% higher), plasma 5.05% vs 3.47% (45.5% higher)

What is still unknown

• A 2025 systematic review of 40 articles, almost all cohorts, linked seafood in pregnancy with better social-emotional and behavioral development in children, with very low to moderate certainty. — 40 articles (1 RCT, 24 prospective cohorts, 1 retrospective cohort) on seafood intake in pregnancy and child outcomes (n = 40 articles) Evidence C source
  Better social-emotional, behavioral and aggregate development scores; inconsistent for overall cognition; no lactation studies
• In a 6-month randomized pilot in 35 drug-naive people with type 2 diabetes, 3.5 oz (100 g) of sardines 5 days a week did not improve glycemic control but raised the omega-3 index by 2.6% against 0.6%. — 35 drug-naive patients with type 2 diabetes, 6 months (n = 35) Evidence B source
  No significant difference in glycemic control; omega-3 index +2.6% vs +0.6% (P = 0.001); adiponectin +40.7% within sardine group (P = 0.04)

The bottom line

Canning also brings salt and fat. The same UK rows give 368 mg of sodium per 3.5 oz (100 g) in brine and 400 mg in olive oil, against 136 mg raw, and about 2.5 g of omega-3 fats against 1.32 g. Raw flesh gives 19.8 g of protein, 8.3 mcg of vitamin B12 and 51 mcg of selenium per 3.5 oz (100 g), from one table with no sample spread for a fish whose fat changes with the season. Vitamin D is modest per portion. NIH lists two canned Atlantic sardines at 1.2 mcg, 6% of the Daily Value, although raw flesh holds 4.0 mcg per 3.5 oz (100 g). Grilling raises protein, vitamin D and omega-3 per 3.5 oz (100 g) because the fish loses water. USDA retention factors for oily fish baked without drippings keep 85% of B12 and all of the calcium, iron and zinc, figures set for the whole group in a table dated 1975. The other trials are small or used something other than whole sardine. In 94 postpartum women in Brazil, a higher protein diet with 4.4 oz (125 g) of sardine a week plus advice to cut carbohydrate gave more weight loss than standard advice among those overweight or obese, at the edge of significance (p = 0.049). Eighteen people with plaque psoriasis improved by a modest 11 to 15% on 6 oz (170 g) of oily fish a day for 6 weeks in a 1993 crossover trial, with sardine one of several fish named and white fish giving no gain. In 15 adults with type 2 diabetes, 4 g of EPA and DHA from sardine oil in a single test meal cut the post-meal rise in an atherogenic lipoprotein by 23%. A sardine sandwich three times a week for 8 weeks did not lower CRP overall in 63 people on hemodialysis, in a study where patients were not randomized. That study measured CRP only, the sodium in canned sardines given above applies to these patients too, and none of our cards covers phosphorus for people on dialysis. The EU register holds no authorized health claim for sardine, and a sardine and anchovy oil product was refused a claim for reducing hot flushes. UK women aged 20 to 39 ate 1.2 oz (33 g) of oily fish a week on average between 2008 and 2021, 24% of the 140 g the NHS recommends. In 31 nursing mothers given fresh sardines, DHA in breast milk was higher at 15 and 30 days, in a study with no control group and no size of change in the abstract. Newborns of 15 women who took sardines plus fish oil from week 26 to 35 of pregnancy had 35% more DHA in red blood cells than babies of 16 unsupplemented mothers, without randomization. Neither study looked at safety in pregnancy. Fish allergy is the caution with the clearest numbers. Among 81 fish-allergic patients in Spain, 42% had anaphylaxis and the average specific IgE to sardine was 18.4 kUA/L, though most reactions were to hake and mackerel and a positive test is not the same as a reaction. Raw or marinated sardines can carry Anisakis. FDA guidance for fish meant to be eaten raw or undercooked says brining and pickling reduce the parasite hazard but do not eliminate it. Freezing at -20°C (-4°F) or below for 7 days in total, or at -35°C (-31°F) until solid and then held there for 15 hours, is sufficient to kill parasites. That guidance is written for the seafood industry, speaks of fish in general rather than sardine, and does not say whether a home freezer reaches those temperatures. Of 73 confirmed cases in Italy, sardines alone were named in 1.4% and anchovies or sardines in 15.1%, in a series gathered from published reports. On mercury, a nested case-control study in the Spanish PREDIMED trial, 147 cases and 267 controls, found no link between mercury levels and cardiovascular disease (RR 0.71, 95% CI 0.34 to 1.14), a result about mercury exposure in general and not about sardine. One 45-year-old man in Saudi Arabia who ate a lot of seafood and canned sardines developed neuropathy with confirmed arsenic poisoning, and the source was never proven.

Compared with other foods

Sources

1. ev-sardpg-07 · agency dataset
   SARDINE | 0.013 | 0.010 | 0.015 | ND | 0.083 | 90 | FDA 2002-2010
   US FDA, Mercury Levels in Commercial Fish and Shellfish (1990-2012), content current as of 02/25/2022 · checked 2026-10-07
2. sard-r2-01 · CoFID 2021, dataset
   Sardines, flesh only, raw (CoFID 16-401): Energy 134 kcal; Protein 19.8 g; Fat 6.1 g; n-3 poly /100g food 1.32 g; Vitamin B12 8.3 ug; Selenium 51 ug; Iodine 79 ug; Vitamin D 4.0 ug; Calcium 50 mg
   CoFID 2021, Public Health England, OGL v3.0, code 16-401 · checked 2026-09-29
3. sard-r2-02 · CoFID 2021, dataset
   Sardines, canned in brine, drained (16-424): Calcium 679 mg; Sodium 368 mg; n-3 poly /100g food 2.50 g. Sardines, canned in olive oil, drained (16-440): Calcium 500 mg; Sodium 400 mg; n-3 poly /100g food 2.54 g. Sardines, flesh only, raw (16-401): Calcium 50 mg; Sodium 136 mg; n-3 poly /100g food 1.32 g
   CoFID 2021, Public Health England, OGL v3.0, codes 16-424, 16-440, 16-401 · checked 2026-09-29
4. sard-r2-05 · USDA FNDDS, dataset
   Fish, sardines, canned (FNDDS 26139180, fdc_id 2706293): 1 sardine 12 g; 1 cubic inch 17 g; 1 standard can 75 g; Quantity not specified 85 g
   USDA FNDDS, FDC 2706293 · checked 2026-09-29
5. sard-r2-06 · NIH ODS fact sheet
   Sardines (Atlantic), canned in oil, drained, 2 sardines 1.2 46 6
   NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, Vitamin D Fact Sheet for Health Professionals · checked 2026-09-29
6. sard-r2-20 · Survey analysis
   Women aged 20-39 years consumed an average of 33 g of oily fish per week in the period 2008-2021. This is only 24% of the NHS recommended intake of 140 g.
   Int J Food Sci Nutr, 2026 · checked 2026-09-29
7. sard-r2-13 · Prospective study
   This was a prospective study of 31 nursing mothers under observation at the Hospital Guilherme Alvaro. Each was given 2 kg of fresh sardines twice with a 15-day interval... regular consumption and shorter intervals between ingestion and milk collection resulted in higher concentrations of docosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid at 15 and 30 days into the study.
   J Pediatr (Rio J), 2006 · checked 2026-09-29
8. ev-sardpg-10 · Case series
   In most of the patients (65.7%), the source of infection was raw or undercooked anchovies, followed by "anchovies or sardines" (15.1%), generic "raw seafood" (15.1%), and sardines (1.4%).
   Parasite, 2018 · checked 2026-10-07
9. sard-r2-03 · CoFID 2021, dataset
   Sardines, flesh only, grilled (16-438): Energy 172 kcal; Protein 25.4 g; n-3 poly /100g food 1.69 g; Vitamin B12 10.6 ug; Vitamin D 5.1 ug. Sardines, flesh only, raw (16-401): Energy 134 kcal; Protein 19.8 g; n-3 poly /100g food 1.32 g; Vitamin B12 8.3 ug; Vitamin D 4.0 ug
   CoFID 2021, Public Health England, OGL v3.0, codes 16-438 and 16-401 · checked 2026-09-29
10. sard-r2-04 · USDA Table of Nutrient Retention Factors, dataset
    USDA-RETN-R6:2451 FINFISH,>5%FAT,BAKED,WO/DRIPPINGS, group Finfish and Shellfish Products: vitamin_b12_ug 85% retained, vitamin_b6_mg 90%, thiamin_mg 95%, calcium_mg 100%, iron_mg 100%, zinc_mg 100%
    USDA Table of Nutrient Retention Factors, Release 6, 2007, Retn_Code 2451 · checked 2026-09-29
11. sard-r2-18 · Case series
    In total, 73 cases were included in the analysis, while 34 were excluded... In most of the patients (65.7%), the source of infection was raw or undercooked anchovies, followed by "anchovies or sardines" (15.1%), generic "raw seafood" (15.1%), and sardines (1.4%).
    Parasite, 2018 · checked 2026-09-29
12. sf-fpf-r1-8 · agency advice
    Freezing and storing at an ambient temperature of -4°F (-20°C) or below for 7 days (total time), or freezing at an ambient temperature of -31°F (-35°C) or below until solid and storing at an ambient temperature of -31°F (-35°C) or below for 15 hours, or freezing at an ambient temperature of -31°F (-35°C) or below until solid and storing at an ambient temperature of -4°F (-20°C) or below for 24 hours are sufficient to kill parasites. ... Brining and pickling may reduce the parasite hazard in a fish, but they do not eliminate it, nor do they minimize it to an acceptable level.
    FDA, Fish and Fishery Products Hazards and Controls Guidance, Chapter 5: Parasites · checked 2026-10-08
13. ev-sardpg-01 · Cochrane review
    Preterm birth < 37 weeks (13.4% versus 11.9%; risk ratio (RR) 0.89, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.81 to 0.97; 26 RCTs, 10,304 participants; high-quality evidence) and early preterm birth < 34 weeks (4.6% versus 2.7%; RR 0.58, 95% CI 0.44 to 0.77; 9 RCTs, 5204 participants; high-quality evidence) were both lower in women who received omega-3 LCPUFA compared with no omega-3.
    Cochrane Database Syst Rev, 2018 · checked 2026-10-07
14. ev-sardpg-02 · pooled cohort analysis
    Women who ate fish >1 time/wk during pregnancy had lower risk of preterm birth than did women who rarely ate fish (≤ 1 time/wk); the adjusted RR of fish intake >1 but <3 times/wk was 0.87 (95% CI: 0.82, 0.92), and for intake ≥ 3 times/wk, the adjusted RR was 0.89 (95% CI: 0.84, 0.96).
    Am J Clin Nutr, 2014 · checked 2026-10-07
15. ev-sardpg-05 · Non-randomized comparison
    Fifteen healthy pregnant women were enrolled to receive a 9-wk dietary supplementation of n-3 fatty acids from the 26th to the 35th wk of pregnancy. Sixteen pregnant women were not supplemented and served as controls. n-3 Fatty acid supplementation consisted of sardines and additional fish oil, which provided a total of 2.6 g of n-3 fatty acids per day (d) for the 9-wk period of supplementation. ... In n-3-supplemented infants, DHA concentrations were 35.2% higher than in control infants in red blood cells and 45.5% higher in plasma.
    Lipids, 1996 · checked 2026-10-07
16. ev-sardpg-06 · meta-analysis (observational)
    Greater maternal fish intake was associated with a reduced risk of wheeze (Pooled effect size: 0.97; 95% CI: 0.96-0.99) and food allergy (0.75; 95% CI: 0.64-0.88).
    Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr, 2022 · checked 2026-10-07
17. sard-r2-07 · Randomized controlled trial
    152 subjects with fasting glucose between 100-124 mg/dL aged ≥65 yo were recruited from three primary care centers in Barcelona and were randomly distributed among two interventional groups: control group (CG) and sardine group (SG). Both groups received same T2D-prevention nutritional during a year but only SG had to add 200 g of sardine per week... Subjects in SG, significantly compared to CG, decreased percentage classified-individuals in a very high risk group to develop T2D according to FINDRISC (p=0.035)... SG showed a lower HOMA-IR (p=0.032).
    Clin Nutr, 2021 · checked 2026-09-29
18. sard-r2-10 · Randomized controlled trial
    A parallel-randomized controlled trial with 94 postpartum women was conducted... Additionally, the IG received approximately 25 g of protein obtained from 125 g per week of sardine to increase daily dietary protein content and was advised to restrict carbohydrate intake... Body weight decreased in the IG compared with the CG (ß = -0.325; p = 0.049) among overweight and obese postpartum women.
    Matern Child Nutr, 2019 · checked 2026-09-29
19. sard-r2-11 · Randomized crossover trial
    The oily fish but not the white fish diet led to a modest clinical improvement (11% and 15%, P < 0.01) which was accompanied by a rise in plasma eicosapentaenoic acid (20:5n-3) concentrations... The fish that should be recommended include mackerel, sardine, salmon, pilchard, kipper and herring.
    Eur J Clin Nutr, 1993 · checked 2026-09-29
20. sard-r2-12 · Randomized crossover trial
    We evaluated the acute effects of individual fatty acids on apolipoprotein B (apo B)-containing lipoproteins in adults with type 2 diabetes (n = 15)... MUFA + 4.0 g both eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA; MUFA + EPA/DHA) from sardine oil... The postprandial change in LpB:C was 23% lower after MUFA + EPA/DHA than after MUFA (treatment x time interaction, P < 0.0001).
    Am J Clin Nutr, 2007 · checked 2026-09-29
21. sard-r2-19 · Quasi-experimental study
    The study comprised 63 patients receiving maintenance HD three times per week for at least 6 months and an initial CRP concentration of 5 mg/dL or less... The present investigation showed that a sardine sandwich supplement had no effect on CRP levels among patients on HD.
    J Ren Nutr, 2007 · checked 2026-09-29
22. ev-sardpg-03 · systematic review (observational)
    No net adverse neurocognitive outcomes were reported among offspring at the highest ranges of seafood intakes despite associated increases in mercury exposures.
    Prostaglandins Leukot Essent Fatty Acids, 2019 · checked 2026-10-07
23. ev-sardpg-09 · agency guidance
    The Dietary Guidelines for Americans and FDA recommend that those who are pregnant and children should only eat foods with fish, meat, poultry, or eggs that have been cooked to safe internal temperatures to protect against microbes that might be in those foods.
    FDA/EPA, Questions and Answers on Advice about Eating Fish, content current as of 02/17/2022 · checked 2026-10-07
24. sard-r2-15 · Nested case-control
    We randomly selected 147 of the 288 cases diagnosed with cardiovascular disease during follow-up and matched them on age and sex to 267 controls... The fully-adjusted relative risks for the highest versus lowest quartile of mercury concentration were 0.71 (95% Confidence Interval [CI], 0.34, 1.14; ptrend = 0.37) for the nested case-control study
    BMC Cardiovasc Disord, 2017 · checked 2026-09-29
25. sard-r2-16 · Case report
    We present a case of a 45-year-old Caucasian male who had headaches and peripheral neuropathy for more than two months. He suspected arsenic poisoning as he has a regular heavy consumption of seafood and canned sardines. Analysis of urinary arsenic concentration confirmed his intoxication with arsenic.
    Cureus, 2021 · checked 2026-09-29
26. sard-r2-17 · Retrospective cohort
    The study population comprised 81 patients (68% male)... 42% of patients experienced anaphylaxis. At T0, the average sIgE values were as follows: cod, 32.2 kUA/L; sardine, 18.4 kUA/L; hake, 17.5 kUA/L; salmon, 13.9 kUA/L; tuna, 4.5 kUA/L; and rGad c 1, 22.9 kUA/L.
    J Investig Allergol Clin Immunol, 2020 · checked 2026-09-29
27. ev-sardpg-08 · agency guidance
    As an adult who is or might become pregnant or is breastfeeding, you should eat 2 to 3 servings a week of fish in the "Best Choices" category, based on a serving size of four ounces, in the context of a total healthy diet.
    FDA/EPA, Questions and Answers on Advice about Eating Fish, content current as of 02/17/2022 · checked 2026-10-07
28. ev-sardpg-11 · agency position
    For toddlers, children and women of childbearing age, the benefits of eating fish should be met by increasing the consumption of species low in methylmercury.
    EFSA, Fish: scenarios indicate benefits versus risks, news 22 January 2015 · checked 2026-10-07
29. sard-r2-21 · EU claims register
    POL-HC-6314 Catalgine® bouffées de chaleur, containing concentrated wild fish oil from sardines and anchovies Contributes to the reduction in the number of hot flushes -/- Non-authorised
    EU Register on nutrition and health claims, claim POL-HC-6314, snapshot 2026-09-21 · checked 2026-09-29
30. sard-r2-09 · Randomized controlled trial
    The Pilchardus Study was a multicenter randomized, nutritional pilot trial conducted between October 2012 and November 2013 in free-living men and women who were overweight or obese [body mass index (BMI) between 26 and 35 kg/m2].
    Lipids Health Dis, 2016 · checked 2026-09-29
31. sard-r2-14 · Non-randomized comparison
    Fifteen healthy pregnant women were enrolled to receive a 9-wk dietary supplementation of n-3 fatty acids from the 26th to the 35th wk of pregnancy. Sixteen pregnant women were not supplemented and served as controls. n-3 Fatty acid supplementation consisted of sardines and additional fish oil, which provided a total of 2.6 g of n-3 fatty acids per day (d) for the 9-wk period of supplementation... In n-3-supplemented infants, DHA concentrations were 35.2% higher than in control infants in red blood cells and 45.5% higher in plasma.
    Lipids, 1996 · checked 2026-09-29
32. ev-sardpg-04 · systematic review (observational)
    The certainty of the evidence was very low to moderate due to the lack of RCTs.
    Adv Nutr, 2025 · checked 2026-10-07
33. sard-r2-08 · Randomized controlled trial
    35 drug-naïve patients with type 2 diabetes were randomized to follow either a type 2 diabetes standard diet (control group: CG), or a standard diet enriched with 100 g of sardines 5 days a week (sardine group: SG) for 6 months... There were no significant differences in glycemic control between groups at the end of the study... The omega-3 index increased 2.6% in the SG compared to 0.6% in the CG (P = 0.001).
    Lipids Health Dis, 2016 · checked 2026-09-29