Herring vs Sardines – What’s The Difference? Let’s Compare

Herring and sardines look similar and are from the same family. For this reason many people wonder about their differences. Let’s answer the question, what is the difference between herring and sardines?

Sardines tastes fishier, oilier and saltier than herring. Sardines have a meatier texture than herrings texture which is more tender. They are different species of fish although from the same family. Herring provides a higher percentage of B vitamins and omega-3 fatty acids.

This article will compare their tastes, textures, cooking methods, costs, mercury levels and whether one can substitute for the other in recipes. In addition, I’ll do a side-by-side comparison of their nutrients, habitats, size, weight and more.

For the comparison below I’ll be comparing Atlantic herring and the Atlantic sardine otherwise noon as the European pilchard.

Herring and Sardines Nutritional Value

As a Certified Health Coach I’m asked all the time about seafood and their nutrients. I’ve been researching the nutrients of food, including herring and sardines for over 20 years. I’ve purchased and consumed them also.

For the nutrient comparison, the table below compares 4 ounces of each. The sardines are canned, packed in water, boneless and skinless.

Sardines are extremely perishable, which is why it’s difficult to find them fresh. Almost everywhere, you’ll find them canned which is why I compare the canned ones first.

Nutrient	Sardines, raw Canned, water (4 Ounces)	Herring, raw Fresh, Atlantic (4 Ounces)
Calories	210	170
Fat	12 g	10 g
Saturated Fat	3.0 g	2.3 g
Cholesterol	69 mg	68 mg
Protein	24 g	20 g
Sodium	469 mg	102 mg
Omega-3	1.65 g	1.84 g
B-6	0.1 mg	0.3 mg
B-12	10.2 mcg	15.5 mcg
Thiamin	0.05 mg	0.10 mg
Riboflavin	0.26 mg	0.28 mg
B5	0.6 mg	0.7 mg
Iron	2.6 mg	1.2 mg
Niacin	4.7 mg	3.6 mg
Folate	27.2 mcg	11.3 mcg
Potassium	386 mg	370 mg
Magnesium	38 mg	36 mg
Phosphorus	415 mg	267 mg
Calcium	272.1 mg	64.6 mg
Zinc	1.5 mg	1.1 mg
Selenium	46.0 mcg	41.3 mcg

Nutrient Sources ((Nutrition Value: Sardines, packed in water, boneless, skinless))¹

Both fish contain a good number of minerals and vitamins. At first glance it’s difficult to determine which one provides more. Therefore, let’s examine which one is healthier.

Fresh herring is healthier than canned sardines due to its higher percentage of heart healthy omega-3 fatty acids and B vitamins. It contains less calories, total fat, saturated fat, cholesterol and sodium. Fresh herring provides more B6, B12, thiamin, riboflavin and B5.

Sardines offer many benefits and it’s difficult to argue against its healthy nutrients. They provide a higher percentage of niacin, folate, potassium, magnesium, phosphorus, calcium, zinc and selenium.

When both are available I prefer to eat herring. This is because of the nutrients and taste which is explained more further down in the article.

Both are good sources of vitamin D and zinc. Also, a high percentage of omega-3 fatty acids but herring contains a little more. To find out why they are important keep reading the next section below about health benefits.

Calories, Protein and Sodium

Sardines contain 23.5% more calories, 20% more protein and 360% more sodium per 4 ounces.

sardines and herring nutrient comparison

Herring Health Benefits

Both fish provide the same nutrients and therefore the same benefits. Although I broke down the benefits by which fish offers the higher percentage of each nutrient ((FDA: Seafood Nutrition Facts)).

Omega 3 Fatty Acids

Both fatty fish are a great source of omega-3s. Herring contains approximately 13 percent more which leads to the question, why does omega-3 fatty acids matter so much?

Omega-3 fatty acids are important because they are heart healthy and help keep arteries healthy. The omega-3s may help with the following:

Keeping bad cholesterol low.
Keeping good cholesterol high.
Reducing inflammation.
Reducing plaque build-up.
Lowering triglycerides
Help keep the heart rhythms more normal.

DHA and EPA, polyunsaturated fatty acids, are associated with lowering blood pressure and improving the health of blood vessels ((National Center for Biotechnology: Marine Omega-3 Supplementation and Cardiovascular Disease)).

Studies suggest omega-3s can help reduce joint pain and stiffness in people with rheumatoid arthritis. They may also boost the effectiveness of anti-inflammatory drugs.

B Vitamins

The B vitamins in the table include B6, B12, B5, B1 (thiamin), B2 (riboflavin), B3 (niacin) and B9 (folate). B vitamins help support the following:

Cardiovascular disease
Red blood cells
Digestion
Energy levels
Brain function
Nerve function

How does anchovies compare? I compare the two in my article.

Sardines Health Benefits

Magnesium

Adding magnesium to your diet could be instrumental in improving sleep related issues like insomnia. Magnesium relaxes and calms the whole body including the blood vessels ((National Institutes of Health: Magnesium)).

More so, it helps keep blood pressure levels balanced and stable. A recent study researched 22 studies and concluded magnesium supplementation decreased diastolic and systolic blood pressure².

Magnesium helps control muscle and nerve function, blood sugar and blood pressure. In the muscles and heart, magnesium competes with calcium to help the muscles relax after contracting.

When the body is low in magnesium, calcium can over stimulate the heart muscle’s cells causing a rapid or irregular heartbeat.

Phosphorus

Phosphorus has been shown in studies to may help the following:

Muscle contraction.
Muscle recovery after exercise.
Promoting healthy nerve conduction.
Promote bone and teeth strength.
Aids the kidneys in waste removal.
Help the body manage and store energy.

Potassium

Since the recommended dietary intake is 4,700 mg, they both provide an excellent number.

Potassium is beneficial for reducing sodium intake. It helps the body reduce fluids and rids excess sodium ((American Heart Association: How Potassium Can Help Control High Blood Pressure)). This process helps to reduce blood pressure.

The more potassium you consume, the more sodium your body will lose. Consuming too much sodium or not enough potassium throws off the delicate balance the kidneys need to remove the excess water³.

According to Harvard Health, a number of studies have shown a connection between low potassium levels and increased blood pressure⁴.

Selenium

Selenium is an underreported nutrient. I’m unsure why many don’t write about it more because studies⁵ show selenium may help to protect the following:

Heart disease
Thyroid
The immune system (Important for diseases like those who have a cancer risk)
Cognitive issues

Calcium

Calcium is important for blood pressure and the heart.

Harvard Health reports calcium helps maintain blood pressure because it helps to control the relaxing and tightening of blood vessels⁶. Calcium also helps the following:

Build and maintain strong bones.
Muscles need calcium to function properly.
Improve nerve function.

Mercury Levels

The EPA and The Food and Drug Administration have issued warnings and suggestions regarding mercury levels in fish and how often they should be consumed⁷. This is especially important for pregnant women, young infants and developing children.

They established a list of best fish, good choices and ones to avoid based on their mercury levels. Let’s examine which fish has more mercury.

Herring and sardines have similar levels of mercury. They are both listed on the FDA’s best choices of fish to consume regarding their mercury levels.

Always check with a physician prior to eating new foods or changing your dietary habits.

Find out how sprats compared in my article. Are they better?

Herring and Sardines: Tastes and Textures

One of the most important things people takes into consideration when choosing a fish is its taste. When comparing the two fish, herring vs sardines, let’s take a closer look at which one may taste better.

Sardines have a stronger and fishier flavor than herring. The fish herring is more mild to fishy. Sardines taste salty although herring is also salty but not as much. If a fishy taste is desired sardines is better. If a less fishy flavor is desirable, then herring is better. Sardines are meatier to chew while herring is softer.

I wanted to get the opinion of real people like you by conducting some original research. Therefore, I reached out to some clients, members of food groups and readers. I asked, which one tastes better?

51% said they preferred the taste of herring.
38% said they preferred the taste of sardines.
11% said they had no preference.

I conducted my own taste test between the two. I picked herring because I prefer less fishy when it comes to seafood.

If you’re wondering how salmon may differ, check out my article.

Canned herring recipes.

Food Substitutions

When preparing recipes for dinner it’s not always possible to locate the type of fish called for. If you have only one type on hand, you may wonder if you can substitute them.

Sardines can substitute for herring due to their similar oily, salty and fishy tastes. Herring can substitute for sardines also although their textures are different. They can be cooked using the same cooking methods like grilling, frying or baking.

The best sardine substitutes include the following:

Herring
Anchovies
Mackerel
Smelts

The best herring substitutes are:

Sardines
Anchovies
Smelts
Mackerel

When substituting try to stick to the following:

Same size and weight.
Stick with similar fillets, whole fillet or cross section.
Stick with skinless or skin when the recipe calls for one.
Texture is more important for certain cooking methods. Like using a firmer texture when grilling⁸.

How to eat sardines and their benefits.

Costs of Tinned Fish

When purchasing either fish, be sure to check the label to see if it is wild-caught, farm raised, smoked or marinated. Let’s take a close look at the prices of each one.

Canned wild herring is more expensive than canned wild sardines. The average cost for wild canned sardines is 0.52¢ per ounce while the average cost for wild canned herring is 0.64¢ per ounce. Fresh fillets of both are a similar price.

To conduct some original research on costs I visited various different stores and checked their prices.

Kevin Garce checking prices of catfish and seafood in his local supermarket. — Checking prices of catfish bass and seafood in my local market

First, I visited my local Shoprite supermarket and found the following prices for tinned fish:

Canned sardines in olive oil (skinless and boneless)
- 0.38¢ per ounce
Wild canned sardines in olive oil (skinless and boneless)
- 0.66¢ per ounce
Wild canned smoked herring fillets (ready to eat)
- 0.46¢ per ounce
Wild canned smoked herring fillets (ready to eat)
- 0.83 per ounce

I checked online at Freshdirect and found the following prices:

Fresh marinated herring fillets
- $12.99 per pound
Fresh sardines
- $11.99 per pound

Herring vs Sardines: Habitats, Size, Weight, Appearance

Herring and sardines are not the same, they are two different species of fish. The average herring is longer and weighs more than a sardine. Herring have a blueish green back while sardines have an olive to greenish color back. Herring lives longer.

For the comparison below I’ll be comparing Atlantic herring and the Atlantic sardine otherwise noon as the European pilchard.

Scientific Classifications, Families, Species

Herring is the species C. harangus and sardines are S. pilchardus although both members of the herring family – clupeidae.

Habitats

Herring are found on both sides of the North Atlantic. Near the United States they are found from Labrador to Cape Hatteras, North Carolina.
Sardines are found in the northeastern Atlantic Ocean, Mediterranean Sea and the Black Sea.

Herring in their habitats and facts about them.

Colors

Herring are silvery in color with a bluish or greenish-blue back.
Sardines are silvery in color with a greenish to olive colored back.

Appearance

Herring are small schooling fish. Their bodies are long and narrow with one dorsal fin.
Sardines are an elongated, small fish like the herring. They have one dorsal fin.

Size and Weight

Herring are longer than sardines. They can grow up to 14″ long and weigh up to 2 pounds.
Sardines grow up to 8-10″ long and weight from 0.33 to half a pound. They are the smaller fish.

Maybe one of the biggest differences is the size of the two.

Age

Herring lives up to 12-16 years.
Sardines live up to 10-12 years.

Diets

Herring consumes the following diet:

Zooplankton
Copepods
Arrow worms
Krill
Fish larvae

Sardines consume the following diet:

Zooplankton
Phytoplankton
Fish larvae
Copepods
Baby barnacles

Species Resources ((NOAA Fisheries: Atlantic Herring))⁹

As a Certified Health Coach, many of my clients ask me about seafood. In addition to coaching clients about herring and sardines, I’ve purchased, researched and consumed both fish for over 20 years.

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