Can you eat sardines in olive oil everyday?

Americans buy food based on three factors: price, taste, and convenience. But there are newer essentials we’re tracking, including health and sustainability. To find items that hit every metric is a tall order, but sardines surely top the list.

First, let’s meet the sardine. Sardine is the general term used for a number of species of small, oily fish in the herring family. You can buy them fresh, but they’re easier to find in cans packed in oil (usually olive oil), water, or tomato sauce, with about three to five fish per can. Though you may have memories of cans containing whole fish, in most instances the heads and tails are removed these days. (Less to get stuck in your teeth.) You can also buy boneless, skinless sardine filets.

Now that you’ve met them, know that sardines are wonderfully nutritious.

“Sardines can be a good source of nutrients including protein, calcium, and healthy fats such as omega-3s,” says Lona Sandon, a registered dietician and an associate professor in the department of clinical nutrition at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center.

Sardines’ soft bones are edible, and it’s where much of their calcium comes from. For instance, 3 ounces (one tin, drained) of King Oscar Wild Caught Sardines in Extra Virgin Olive Oil has about 20 percent of the daily value for calcium, which is 1,300 mg. The company’s boneless, skinless sardines in olive oil have only 6 percent of the daily value in that same amount.

Vitamin D, another nutrient many of us are lacking, is plentiful in sardines. You get anywhere from 15 to 70 percent of the 20-microgram daily value in 3 ounces, depending on the species of fish. 

Perhaps sardines’ biggest nutritional contribution, though, is their omega-3 fatty acid content. Sardines are among the fish with the highest amounts of these essential fats, which have been shown to protect against blood clots that can cause a heart attack or stroke. They may also lower blood pressure, triglycerides, and inflammation. Three ounces will give you about 1 to 2 grams of omega-3 fatty acids. Experts suggest that adult women get 1.1 grams per day and men 1.6 grams. (There’s no upper limit, Sandon says.) Omega-3s from fish and algae are better absorbed than omega-3s from plant sources like chia or flaxseed, and they’re preferred over fish oil supplements.

Sardines are a win-win for Sandon. “The benefit of getting omega-3s from food sources is the other healthy nutrients that come with it, such as protein and B vitamins,” she says.

She also points out that “smaller fish [like sardines] tend to have lower levels of pollutants such as mercury,” which we need to be mindful of in our big fish consumption—namely when it comes to tuna, swordfish, and sea bass. High levels of mercury can lead to fatigue, muscle weakness, and organ damage. Even low levels of the element in the body are tied to impaired brain function.

Currently, the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch lists sardines as an underutilized resource for fish consumption, and many brands are given a resounding recommendation to buy.

Seafood Watch develops its ratings based on four areas. The health and quantity of the fish itself; how fishing methods affect other surrounding species; whether catch limits are imposed and enforced to maintain a healthy population size; and whether fishing methods cause pollution to coral reefs or damage habitats on the seafloor.

Sardines score well in many of these areas. They’re solely wild caught (vs. being farmed) and generally reproduce a few times per season, which helps keep their numbers steady. In a recent study published in the journal Environmental Research Letters, researchers compared the nutritional quality of various foods (fish, beef, poultry, grains, vegetables, etc.) with the amount of greenhouse gasses created in their production. They found that small fish like sardines were the most nutritious and among the most environmentally efficient, with small fish having an environmental impact as low as root vegetables and grains.

One reason may be that sardines are mostly caught using purse seines, which are nets that are thrown close to the surface of the water encircling a single-species school of fish. Purse seines are one of the most fuel-efficient methods of harvesting fish. Additionally, nets like these have low levels of bycatch (the capture of unwanted species) and don’t damage the ocean floor.

Later this year, Seafood Watch will be releasing updated sustainability reports on sardines and other canned fish. “I believe the U.S. consumer is increasingly interested in sustainability of seafood and other food,” says Santi Roberts, senior science manager of Seafood Watch. “Businesses do too; that’s a big reason they come to us for advice.”

Canned fish have come and gone in favor through the ages, and today they’re back at a high point with a wonderful selection of size, type, and flavors. That plus an increased focus on health has led to increased demand. In the early days of the pandemic, shelf-stable anchovy and sardine sales surged by 126.7 percent. In comparison, canned salmon sales increased by 119.3 percent, according to Seafood Source.

People who haven’t tried sardines tend to think of them as a bit off-putting. It’s true that sardines have a fishy smell and flavor, but they’re milder than their reputation would suggest. And some companies have made an effort to find sardines that have a wider appeal.

For example, when Bill Carvalho, founder and president of Wild Planet Foods, began canning sardines, he wondered if he could find a sardine that was “more pleasant to eat without scales.” He found it at a fishery in Japan that catches a light sardine with scales that come off easily.

When you use sardines as an ingredient in cooking, say, in pasta dishes, they add a rich umami flavor. Because the flesh is soft it flakes easily, while the oily meat delivers big on flavor. Sardines don’t need to be cooked; eat them straight out of the can or add them directly to dishes. 

Inspired by a snack he ate at a pintxo bar in Spain’s Basque country, Ryan Pollnow, co-chef at the San Francisco restaurant Flour + Water, will grab a single sardine from a can, add a drizzle of olive oil, a squeeze of lemon juice, a swipe of aioli, and whatever fresh herbs he has in the house–such as parsley, chive, basil, or chervil. Pile that all atop a toasted baguette slice and you’re done.

One of Pollnow’s favorite home recipes is pasta alla puttanesca. “I’ll do a version with tinned sardines,” he says. The recipe calls for anchovies, but sardines are much meatier. “I’ll build the sauce, and instead of the anchovies in the beginning, once the pasta is in the sauce I’ll flake sardines on top and it’s more like a seafood pasta,” he says.

During tomato season, try half-inch-thick slices topped with coarse sea salt, black pepper, and flaked sardines. Then pour cooked white beans doused in extra virgin olive oil, a finely chopped garlic clove, and red wine vinegar over the tomatoes. Add garlic breadcrumbs if you like.

Another idea: You can make a sardine tostada with avocado and lime and cabbage slaw spread on tostada rounds, topped with canned sardine filets. Make the slaw with green cabbage and jalapeño dressed in chipotle mayo and lime juice. Garnish with fresh cilantro.

Canned sardines can also become a quick dip for cut vegetables. If you eat dairy, blend 8 ounces of cream cheese, a 4-ounce can of sardines (drained), minced onions, lemon, Italian flat parsley, salt, and pepper. For a nondairy option, whip 1 cup of cooked potatoes, a 4-ounce can of sardines (drained), olive oil, garlic, salt, and lemon juice. Both are wonderfully rich and creamy.

Delicious, nutritious, planet-friendly. Sardines really do tick all the boxes.

Are canned sardines in olive oil good for you?

Whether in oil or in water, they also are laden with omega-3 fatty acids (61 percent), which are good for lowering cholesterol levels and preventing blood clotting, and vitamin B12 (338 percent), known for assisting in red blood cell formation.

How many times a week can I eat sardines?

The FDA recommends a weekly intake of two to three servings of sardines, or 8 to 12 ounces for adults and 4 to 6 ounces for children age 4 to 7. The FDA recognizes the health benefits of eating fish, especially for pregnant people and young children. Pregnant people can eat up to 12 ounces per week.

What is the healthiest way to eat sardines?

Ways to Eat Sardines (Without Gagging).
Straight out of the can with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice..
On healthier crackers with a little bit of cheese..
On a Caesar salad with homemade or avocado oil Caesar dressing..
Mashed into half of an avocado with a squeeze of fresh lemon..

Is it better to eat sardines from oil or water?

The Best Sardines Are Packed in Olive Oil There are a whole lot of options when it comes to sardines, but the best are packed in olive oil. Water-packed sardines just won't have the same rich flavor and can taste a bit water-logged. Oil, however, locks in the fish's flavor and keeps each sardine super-moist.