How many calories are in tuna?

Tuna varieties

Tuna ranks among the most protein-dense foods there are. Canned in water (or its own juices), the fat content is minimal; canned in oil, tuna picks up a significant calorie load from the oil. Fresh or frozen tuna falls into a similar calorie range across species, from albacore (white tuna) to yellowfin.

Why tuna is so protein-dense

At 24 g of protein per 100 g, tuna is one of the richest natural animal protein sources around — comparable to chicken breast, but with considerably more omega-3 when fresh. A can yielding 130 g of drained fish delivers roughly 31 g of protein for just 140 kcal, which makes tuna especially effective in a calorie deficit.

Mercury exposure

As a predator at the top of the marine food chain, tuna accumulates methylmercury. Germany’s Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) advises pregnant and breastfeeding women as well as young children to limit their intake. For healthy adults, one to two servings of tuna per week are considered safe. According to the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), canned tuna from smaller species like skipjack contains markedly less mercury than larger species such as yellowfin or bluefin.

Tuna salad: a calorie trap

Classic tuna salad made with mayonnaise lands at around 220 kcal per 100 g despite its tuna base — roughly double the figure for tuna in water. The culprit is the mayonnaise, which packs around 700 kcal/100 g. Yogurt-based versions bring the count down to under 150 kcal/100 g.