Sardines

Are Sardines Good For You?

Nutritionally dense, these delectable little fish are packed full of goodness! Bursting with high levels of calcium, protein, healthy fatty acids, and vitamins, they’re one of the healthiest fish in the sea! Eating a simple diet of plankton and small crustaceans: there’s no need to worry about the high levels of Mercury that other, larger fish boast and should be enjoyed with abandon. With a long list of health benefits, a versatility in the kitchen that’s hard to match, and a singularly delicious taste, if sardines aren’t already in your regular rotation, consider introducing them now.

Anchovies vs. Sardines

While both are small oily fish, the Sardine is the larger of the two. A member of the ray-finned Clupeidae family, which also includes the Herring. Sardines are known as Pilchards when they have fully matured. The anchovy is part of the Engraulidae family, but both fish are considered Clupeiforms. Confused yet? Allow us to break it down for you.

Though the Anchovy and the Sardine are commonly mistaken for one another, they are, in truth, worlds apart, and the differences are made more apparent by their methods of preservation. Sardines are smoked or cooked before being dried then canned, while the pungent anchovy is cured in salt for months before being packed in oil and tinned. Anchovies are typically smaller than Sardines, and their flesh is significantly darker, generally taking on a reddish-brown color by the time they’re ready to be consumed. Sardines, in contrast, have a more subtle flavor profile, and their flesh is a whitish/silvery color. Similar yet decidedly different, there's a place for both in any well-stocked kitchen.