Sardines are small, silvery fishes of several species related to herring and native to the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. The species were once so abundant in the Mediterranean Sea that locals named them after the Italian island of Sardinia. Sardines are most often sold canned in the United States, but fresh sardines are commonly fried, grilled or cooked with olive oil and lemon in Europe and the Middle East. However they're prepared, the fish are naturally high in nutrients such as magnesium, omega-3 fatty acids and calcium.
Magnesium Benefits
A mineral found in sardines as well as leafy vegetables, fruits, nuts, legumes and whole grains, magnesium is essential for physiological function. It helps contraction and relaxation of muscles, assists the roles of enzymes and contributes to the production of protein and energy. If you consume too much magnesium, your body will excrete the excess. Magnesium deficiency rarely occurs in the American population.
Recommended Daily Intakes
The US Department of Agriculture recommends daily magnesium intakes according to gender and age, with women generally needing less than men. Toddlers should consume 80 mg per day and gradually increase that amount to 240 mg by age 13. Adolescents need between 360 mg and 410 mg. Healthy adult men require 400 to 420 mg, while adult women should consume 310 to 320 mg a day.
Magnesium Content in Sardines
According to the US Department of Agriculture, 1 cup of drained canned Atlantic sardines packed in oil contains 58 mg of magnesium, while the same amount of canned Pacific sardines packed in tomato sauce has 30 mg. In the United States, manufacturers commonly pack sardines in 3.5 oz. cans, so you're most likely to consume about 14 mg to 36 mg of magnesium per sitting.
Additional Nutrients
Magnesium is not the only nutritional benefit sardines offer. As a particularly oily species, sardines are very high in the omega-3 fatty acids known as eicosapentaenoic acid, or EPA, and docosahexaenoic acid, or DHA. The USDA reports that consuming about 8 oz. of seafood a week provides a daily average of 250 mg of EPA and DHA, which may reduce your chance of developing heart disease and your risk of death from cardiac arrest. Canned sardines are high in protein and have soft, edible bones that add a dose of calcium to your diet. They're also low in methylmercury, an environmental contaminant linked to developmental problems in children.
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