Mussels vs tuna: which is healthier?

They are about equally nutrient-dense: mussels scores 64/100 and tuna 62/100, so pick by your goal. Both can be part of a healthy diet; the table below shows where each one is stronger. Source: USDA FoodData Central.

Mussels

64/100High nutrient density

172 kcal per 100 g. 3 oz cooked: 85 g

Tuna

62/100High nutrient density

86 kcal per 100 g. 1 can, drained: 142 g

Which to pick for your goal

Fewer caloriesTuna172 vs 86 kcal per 100 g
More proteinMussels24 vs 19 g per 100 g
More fiberAbout even0 vs 0 g per 100 g
Less sugarAbout even0 vs 0 g per 100 g
More potassiumMussels268 vs 179 mg per 100 g
Less saturated fatTuna0.8 vs 0.2 g per 100 g

Nutrition side by side

Per 100 g and per typical portion. Bold marks the better value for each row.
Nutrient	Mussels, 100 g	Tuna, 100 g	Mussels, 85 g	Tuna, 142 g
Calories	172 kcal	86 kcal	146 kcal	122 kcal
Protein	24 g	19 g	20 g	28 g
Carbohydrates	7.4 g	0 g	6.3 g	0 g
Sugars	0 g	0 g	0 g	0 g
Fiber	0 g	0 g	0 g	0 g
Fat	4.5 g	1 g	3.8 g	1.4 g
Saturated fat	0.8 g	0.2 g	0.7 g	0.3 g
Vitamin C	14 mg	0 mg	12 mg	0 mg
Vitamin A	91 µg	17 µg	77 µg	24 µg
Potassium	268 mg	179 mg	228 mg	254 mg
Iron	6.7 mg	1.6 mg	5.7 mg	2.3 mg
Calcium	33 mg	17 mg	28 mg	24 mg
Magnesium	37 mg	23 mg	31 mg	33 mg
Sodium	369 mg	247 mg	314 mg	351 mg

Last updated October 8, 2026. Scores use the HowHealthyIs Score method.

All about mussels All about tuna Open in compare tool