SardinesSardines vs. Herring: Which Tinned Fish Wins?
Here's the honest answer before the details: they're close cousins from the same family, and the fight is closer than you'd think — herring actually edges out sardines on raw omega-3s, vitamin D and B12, while sardines answer back with more calcium, more protein, and less saturated fat. Sardines also win on name-brand safety: FDA rates both "Best Choice" for mercury, but herring is traditionally eaten pickled, smoked or salted — which changes the sodium math a lot more than the fish itself does.
The scorecard
Figures are per 100g of canned Atlantic herring vs. canned Atlantic sardines in oil, drained. Winner of each row in red.
| Per 100g | Sardines | Herring |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 208 kcal | 203 kcal |
| Protein | 24.6 g | 23.0 g |
| Omega-3 (EPA+DHA) | ~980 mg | ~2,010 mg |
| Saturated fat | 1.5 g | 2.6 g |
| Calcium | 382 mg | 74 mg |
| Vitamin D | 4.8 mcg | 5.4 mcg |
| Vitamin B12 | 8.9 mcg | 13.1 mcg |
| Sodium | 307 mg | 115 mg |
| Mercury (FDA rating) | Best Choice | Best Choice |
Round 1 — Nutrition: herring is the richer fish, sardines are the sturdier one
Gram for gram, herring is the more concentrated oily fish. It carries roughly double the omega-3 EPA+DHA of sardines, plus more vitamin D and nearly 50% more B12 — enough on its own to cover more than a day's requirement in a single 100g serving. That's the payoff of herring's naturally higher oil content, which is also why smoked and pickled herring taste so rich.
Sardines answer with the same trick they play against mackerel: calcium. A tin of bone-in sardines delivers roughly five times the calcium of herring — 382mg versus 74mg per 100g — because the canning process softens sardine bones completely edible, while most herring preparations (kippers, rollmops, soused fillets) are typically boned. Sardines also edge ahead on protein and come in noticeably lower in saturated fat.
Round 2 — Sodium: this is where preparation matters more than species
On paper, plain canned herring in oil is actually the lower-sodium fish — about 115mg per 100g against roughly 307mg for canned sardines. But that comparison only holds for plain oil-packed tins. Herring is traditionally cured, and much of what's sold as "herring" — pickled herring, rollmops, kippers, soused herring, salt herring — carries far more sodium than either fish does in its plain canned form, sometimes several times over. If sodium is a genuine concern, check the label of the specific product in front of you rather than assuming either fish wins by default.
What about sprats and kippers? Two names that get tangled up with sardines and herring: a sprat (Sprattus sprattus) is a separate, smaller clupeid fish, commonly Baltic- or North Sea-caught, and often sold as "brisling sardines" — it isn't a true sardine under EU labelling rules any more than herring is (see our Species & Seas guide for the full breakdown). A kipper isn't a species at all — it's a herring that's been split, salted and cold-smoked, a British breakfast staple since the 1840s. If a tin says "brisling," you're almost certainly eating sprat, not sardine or herring.
Round 3 — Mercury: essentially tied, and both genuinely excellent
Both fish are small, short-lived, plankton-feeders low on the food chain, and the FDA's official fish-mercury guidance rates both sardines and herring as "Best Choice" — its lowest-mercury tier, safe for frequent consumption including during pregnancy. Some nutrition databases show herring carrying somewhat more trace mercury than sardines in raw numbers, but that difference doesn't move either fish out of the FDA's top safety tier — treat them as equally safe rather than reading too much into small database-to-database variation.
Round 4 — Sustainability: depends entirely on which stock you're buying
This is the round where "herring" stops being one answer. North Sea herring, fished by the Scottish Pelagic Sustainability Group fleet, has held MSC certification since 2008 and remains a genuinely well-managed stock. Baltic herring is the opposite story — researchers and fisheries bodies have flagged Baltic and eastern North Sea herring stocks as under real, current pressure, to the point some conservation voices recommend skipping it. Sardines carry the same stock-by-stock caveat, as covered in our sardine sustainability guide. The practical rule for either fish: look for the MSC blue label on the tin rather than trusting the species name alone.
Round 5 — Taste & kitchen
Herring's higher oil content makes it the bolder, more assertive fish — it's the backbone of pickled herring, rollmops, soused herring and smoked kippers, all built around strong, cured flavors that pair with rye bread, onion, and vinegar. Sardines are milder and more adaptable: happy straight from the tin, on toast, tossed through pasta, or mashed into fishcakes. If you grew up on herring's cured, briny profile, sardines will taste gentle by comparison; if you're new to oily fish, sardines are the easier on-ramp.
The verdict
Choose herring for the bigger omega-3, vitamin D and B12 payload, and if you already enjoy cured, smoked or pickled fish. Choose sardines for more calcium, more protein, less saturated fat, and a milder flavor that's easier to build a weekly habit around. Both rate as FDA "Best Choice" for mercury, so neither is the safety-driven pick — this one genuinely comes down to taste and what preparation you enjoy eating regularly. See where the best tins land in our full sardine ranking.
Sources
- FDA/EPA — Advice About Eating Fish (sardines and herring both rated "Best Choice" for mercury)
- USDA-sourced nutrition comparison via Foodstruct — herring vs. canned Atlantic sardines in oil, per 100g
- Marine Stewardship Council — Sustainable North Sea herring (MSC-certified since 2008)
- NordForsk / fisheries reporting — concerns over Baltic Sea and eastern North Sea herring stock health
- Sardines.World — Species & Seas guide (sprat / sardine / herring species distinctions)
Frequently asked questions
Is herring the same fish as sardines?
No. Herring (genus Clupea) and true sardines (Sardina pilchardus and several Sardinella species) are different genera within the same fish family, Clupeidae — related, but not the same species. "Sardine" is also partly a marketing term: in the EU, only Sardina pilchardus may be sold unqualified as "sardines."
Which has more omega-3, sardines or herring?
Herring, by a wide margin — roughly double the combined EPA and DHA of sardines per 100g, thanks to its naturally higher oil content.
Are sardines or herring lower in mercury?
Both are FDA "Best Choice," its lowest-mercury tier. Treat them as equally safe for regular consumption.
Is a sprat the same as a sardine or a herring?
No — a sprat is a separate, smaller clupeid species (Sprattus sprattus), often sold as "brisling sardines" even though it isn't a true sardine under EU rules, and it isn't herring either.
Are kippers herring or sardines?
Kippers are herring — specifically herring that's been split, salted and cold-smoked. The name refers to the preparation, not a different fish.