Is Salmon Healthier Than Tuna?

Short answer: This compares cooked farmed Atlantic salmon with drained canned light tuna in water. Salmon provides more EPA+DHA; light tuna is leaner. Light tuna and albacore have different mercury guidance; see the FDA advice below.

Selected foods: Atlantic farmed salmon, cooked and Light tuna, canned in water, drained. These specific preparations are compared below.

Which to pick for your goal

If you want	Better pick	The numbers
Fewer calories	Tuna	86 kcal vs 206 kcal per 100 g
More protein	Salmon	22 g vs 19 g per 100 g
Most protein per calorie	Tuna	23 g vs 11 g protein per 100 kcal
Less saturated fat	Tuna	0.2 g vs 2.4 g per 100 g
Less salt	Salmon	0.2 g vs 0.6 g per 100 g
More omega-3	Salmon	about 2,150 mg EPA+DHA per 100 g
Overall (Nutri-Score)	About the same	both A

Small differences count as a tie: a few calories or a few tenths of a gram won't change your day.

Nutrition side by side, per 100 g

Per 100 g	Salmon	Tuna
Calories	206 kcal	86 kcal
Protein	22 g	19 g
Fat	12 g	1 g
incl. saturated	2.4 g	0.2 g
Total carbohydrates	0 g	0 g
incl. sugars	0 g	0 g
incl. fiber	0 g	0 g
Salt	0.2 g	0.6 g
Omega-3	2150 mg EPA+DHA	224 mg EPA+DHA
Nutri-Score	A	A

Rounded values from exact USDA records (see * Data and sources below). Different brands, cuts and recipes can have different values. Diary food cards and the alternative versions below retain their own typical recipes.

For the same amount: 50 g

Equal amount	Salmon	Tuna
Calories	103 kcal	43 kcal
Protein	11 g	9.7 g
incl. saturated	1.2 g	0.1 g
incl. sugars	0 g	0 g
incl. fiber	0 g	0 g

In a typical serving

One serving	Salmon	Tuna
Serving	fillet, 150 g (5.3 oz)	can, 150 g (5.3 oz)
Calories	309 kcal	129 kcal
Protein	33 g	29 g
Saturated fat	3.6 g	0.3 g
Easy walking to burn it*	1 h 41 min	42 min

* For a 70 kg (154 lb) person; the app works it out for your weight and your activities.

Portion size usually moves the numbers more than the choice between two similar foods: a heaping serving of the “healthier” one can easily outweigh a modest serving of the other.

Other versions: typical diary estimates

The first two rows repeat the selected USDA records; other rows are typical diary estimates, without an exact source-record match. The cut, fat level or recipe can change the result. Per 100 g:

Per 100 g	Calories	Protein	Sat. fat	Nutri-Score
Salmon	206	22 g	2.4 g	A
Tuna	86	19 g	0.2 g	A
Canned pink salmon	136	21 g	1.5 g	A
Tuna steak, grilled	139	29 g	0.6 g	A
Tuna in oil	198	24 g	2 g	B

*Data and sources

Fish, salmon, Atlantic, farmed, cooked, dry heat — USDA FDC 175168 (SR Legacy; published 4/1/2019).
Fish, tuna, light, canned in water, drained solids (Includes foods for USDA's Food Distribution Program) — USDA FDC 173709 (SR Legacy; published 4/1/2019).

Retrieved 2 October 2026. USDA composition is per 100 g; drink values per 100 ml use the record’s measured household weight, with the USDA customary cup of 236.6 ml. Displayed cup servings remain 240 ml. Carbohydrate includes fiber on this US site; salt is sodium × 2.5. The food records are historical reference values, not current brand guarantees.

WHO guideline on free sugars: honey, syrups and fruit-juice sugars count as free sugars. WHO guideline on saturated and trans fats: consider replacing saturated fat with unsaturated fat.

FDA advice about eating fish distinguishes canned light tuna, albacore and other species, including advice for pregnancy and children.

FAQ

Which has fewer calories, salmon or tuna?

Tuna: 86 kcal vs 206 kcal per 100 g. In a typical serving that's 309 kcal for salmon (fillet, 150 g) and 129 kcal for tuna (can, 150 g).

Is salmon or tuna better for weight loss?

No single food makes you gain or lose weight — the day's total does. Gram for gram, tuna is the lighter pick (86 kcal vs 206 kcal per 100 g), though salmon has more protein, which helps you stay full. The portion usually matters more: a typical serving of salmon (fillet, 150 g) is 309 kcal, of tuna (can, 150 g) 129 kcal.

Which has more protein, salmon or tuna?

Salmon: 22 g vs 19 g per 100 g. Per typical serving: 33 g for salmon (fillet, 150 g) and 29 g for tuna (can, 150 g). Per calorie, tuna gives more protein: 23 g vs 11 g protein per 100 kcal.

Which is better for your heart, salmon or tuna?

On saturated fat, the nutrient heart-health guidelines ask us to limit, tuna comes out ahead: 0.2 g vs 2.4 g per 100 g. It's also worth watching salt: salmon has less (0.2 g vs 0.6 g per 100 g).

Does this comparison apply to every brand or recipe?

No. The main table uses the two specific USDA foods named and linked on this page. Fat level, ingredients, trimming, cooking and water content can change the result. Use the same amount for a fair comparison and check the label for the product you actually eat.

Log it and see your day

In Calories Not Count every food gets a Nutri-Score grade, a sugar–salt–fat–fiber traffic light, fair same-calorie swaps and the minutes of movement it costs for your weight and your activities — no scale needed. Goals like lower sugar, more protein or more omega-3 can be set in the diary, and swaps there are ranked for that goal.