Fish and seafood · IFCT 2017
Sardine: nutrition per 100 g
Per 100 g, oil sardine gives 152 kcal, 17.9 g protein and 9.0 g fat, according to the Indian Food Composition Tables 2017. That fat carries 317 mg of DHA and 297 mg of EPA, placing sardine fifth among the fish and seafood for EPA. It is one of the cheapest fish in India and ranks 4th in its group for fat.
About sardine
The oil sardine, Sardinella longiceps, is the backbone of the west coast fishery and of Kerala's kitchens. Malayalis call it mathi or chaala, Kannada speakers buthai or boothai, Marathi speakers tarli or haid, Gujaratis tarali and Telugu speakers noona kavallu; IFCT 2017 records names in six languages. In good years, boats land it by the tonne, and it is sold for less than almost any other fish.
Kerala homes cook mathi curry in a red kudampuli gravy, fry it crisp with chilli and pepper, steam it with coconut as mathi peera, or wrap it in banana leaf as pollichathu. In Mangaluru, buthai gassi and rava-fried buthai are everyday food, and Goans fry tarle with recheado. Catches swing widely from year to year with sea temperature, which is when prices jump.
What sardine brings to a meal
- 01
Affordable omega-3
Oil sardine carries 297 mg of EPA and 317 mg of DHA per 100 g, the fifth and sixth highest among the fish and seafood. Few foods anywhere in the tables give so much long-chain omega-3 for so little money.
- 02
An oily fish
At 152 kcal and 9.0 g fat per 100 g, sardine ranks 4th of 41 in its group for both energy and fat. Saturated fat is modest at 1.25 g.
- 03
Protein and selenium
It supplies 17.9 g of protein per 100 g, meeting 33 per cent of a sedentary man's daily requirement, and 50.2 micrograms of selenium.
- 04
Calcium when eaten whole
The IFCT figure is 42 mg of calcium per 100 g, 13th of 41 in its group. When small sardines are cooked until the soft bones can be eaten, the meal delivers much more.
Sardine nutrition facts per 100 g
Every value IFCT 2017 reports for the edible portion, with the share of an adult's daily need that 100 g covers where ICMR-NIN sets a requirement.
| Nutrient | Per 100 g | Adult man | Adult woman |
|---|---|---|---|
| Energy and macronutrients | |||
| Energy | 152 kcal | 7% | 9% |
| Protein | 17.9 g | 33% | 39% |
| Carbohydrate (available) | 0 g | ||
| Dietary fibre | 0 g | ||
| Total fat | 9 g | ||
| Water | 72.3 g | ||
| Fats | |||
| Saturated fat | 1.25 g | ||
| Monounsaturated fat | 0.63 g | ||
| Polyunsaturated fat | 0.77 g | ||
| Omega-3 (EPA) | 297 mg | ||
| Omega-3 (DHA) | 317 mg | ||
| Cholesterol | 49 mg | ||
| Minerals | |||
| Calcium | 42 mg | 4% | 4% |
| Iron | 0.83 mg | 4% | 3% |
| Zinc | 0.89 mg | 5% | 7% |
| Magnesium | 24 mg | 5% | 6% |
| Phosphorus | 191 mg | ||
| Potassium | 228 mg | ||
| Sodium | 38 mg | ||
| Copper | 0.07 mg | ||
| Selenium | 50.2 µg | ||
| Vitamins | |||
| Retinol | 13 µg | ||
| Thiamine (B1) | 0.01 mg | 1% | 1% |
| Riboflavin (B2) | 0.06 mg | 2% | 3% |
| Niacin (B3) | 0.91 mg | 5% | 7% |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.14 mg | 6% | 7% |
| Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) | 0.38 mg | ||
Values per 100 g of the edible portion. Source: Longvah T, Ananthan R, Bhaskarachary K, Venkaiah K. Indian Food Composition Tables 2017. National Institute of Nutrition, Indian Council of Medical Research, Hyderabad. Daily-need shares use the ICMR-NIN 2020 recommended dietary allowances for a 65 kg man and a 55 kg woman doing sedentary work (ICMR-NIN brief note). Nutrients IFCT did not analyse for this food are left out rather than shown as zero.
Cite this page
NNWA Nutrition and Wellness Academy. Sardine: nutrition per 100 g. Data: Indian Food Composition Tables 2017, ICMR-National Institute of Nutrition. https://nnwa.in/foods/fish-and-seafood/sardine/
Where sardine sits among Indian foods
Ranked per 100 g against the other 40 fish and seafood and every food in the tables.
| Nutrient | Per 100 g | In fish and seafood | Among all foods |
|---|---|---|---|
| Protein | 17.9 g | 29th of 41 | 68th of 243 |
| Energy | 152 kcal | 4th of 41 | 88th of 257 |
| Zinc | 0.89 mg | 12th of 41 | 97th of 243 |
| Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) | 0.38 mg | 36th of 41 | 106th of 242 |
| Calcium | 42 mg | 13th of 41 | 107th of 242 |
How sardine is eaten
- Mathi curry: Kerala red curry with kudampuli, shallots and coconut oil, often better the next day.
- Mathi fry: whole cleaned sardines rubbed with chilli, pepper, turmeric and ginger-garlic, fried crisp.
- Mathi peera: sardines steamed with grated coconut, shallots, green chilli and kudampuli.
- Buthai gassi: Mangalorean coconut and red chilli curry with tamarind.
- Pressure-cook small sardines in curry so the bones soften and can be eaten.
Before you plan around it
Sardines are rich in purines, so people with gout should keep portions small. They spoil quickly and, if not kept on ice, can build up histamine, which causes a flushing reaction that cooking does not prevent; buy them stiff and shining, with red gills. Canned sardines in brine or sauce carry far more salt than fresh fish. The many small bones are softened by long cooking but need care with young children.
Food composition is general information, not a diet plan. Anyone managing a medical condition should plan their diet with a doctor or a registered dietitian.
What people ask about sardine
Is mathi fish good for health?
Yes. Oil sardine gives 17.9 g protein, 297 mg EPA and 317 mg DHA per 100 g in IFCT 2017, along with selenium and calcium from its soft bones. It is one of the best value omega-3 foods in India.
What is chaala fish in English?
Chaala and mathi are Malayalam names for the oil sardine, Sardinella longiceps. It is buthai in Mangaluru, tarli or tarle on the Konkan coast and tarali in Gujarat.
Is sardine high in fat?
For a fish, yes: 9.0 g fat and 152 kcal per 100 g, 4th of 41 fish and seafood. Much of that fat is omega-3, which is why sardine is called an oily fish.
Are sardines good for calcium?
The flesh has 42 mg of calcium per 100 g in IFCT 2017. Eating small sardines bones and all, after pressure cooking or frying, raises the calcium of the meal considerably.
Related foods and tables
Mackerel
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Anchovy
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Seer fish (vanjaram)
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Hilsa (ilish)
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Rani
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Mackerel vs Sardine
Side by side, per 100 g.
Protein content of Indian foods
Every food in the tables, ranked by protein per 100 g.
Calories (energy) content of Indian foods
Every food in the tables, ranked by calories (energy) per 100 g.
Zinc content of Indian foods
Every food in the tables, ranked by zinc per 100 g.
All fish and seafood
41 foods in this group, compared.
Learn to use this data
Certification in Nutrition
Reading food composition tables and turning them into meal plans is taught in this NNWA course.