Eating more sardines instead of fish oil supplementation: Beyond omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, a matrix of nutrients with cardiovascular benefits

Summary

This review compares the cardiovascular benefits of eating whole sardines against taking isolated fish-oil supplements. The authors argue that whole sardines provide a "matrix" of nutrients that fish-oil capsules lack: not just EPA and DHA, but calcium, vitamin D, B12, selenium, high-quality protein, and minor compounds (taurine, coenzyme Q10) absent from purified oils. Per 100 grams of cooked sardines, the USDA database reports 24.6 g of protein, 11.5 g of total fat, 473 mg of EPA, 509 mg of DHA, 382 mg of calcium, 4.8 µg of vitamin D, 8.9 µg of B12, and 52.7 µg of selenium. The review surveys randomized trials of sardine consumption versus control diets and concludes that whole-sardine intake produces favourable changes in lipid profile, inflammation markers, and insulin sensitivity, with the additional minerals and protein doing work that omega-3 supplements alone cannot. The framing throughout is that sardines outperform fish-oil supplementation as a delivery vehicle for cardiovascular benefit.