Calories in a can of tuna
A can of tuna in water has 191 calories
A drained can of light tuna in water has 191 calories. That's for 165 g of fish, the can size USDA uses.
Cans come in different sizes. If yours is smaller or bigger, drain it, weigh the fish and use the calculator further down.
USDA FoodData Central. Fish, tuna, light, canned in water, without salt, drained solids. Source checked September 29, 2026.
Half a can, 3 oz or a cup
A 3 oz serving is 85 g of drained tuna and 99 calories, just over half a can. USDA doesn't list a cup of tuna in water, so the cup here is drained tuna packed in oil, 146 g and 289 calories.
| Portion | Weight | Calories kcal | Protein g | Carbs g | Fat g | Fiber g | Sugar g | Sodium mg | Caffeine mg | Portion source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 oz drained tuna | 85 g | 99 | 21.7 | 0 | 0.7 | 0 | 0 | 42.5 | Not reported | USDA portion, 3 oz |
| 1 can drained tuna | 165 g | 191 | 42.1 | 0 | 1.4 | 0 | 0 | 82.5 | Not reported | USDA portion, 1 can |
| Half a can drained tuna | 82.5 g | 96 | 21 | 0 | 0.7 | 0 | 0 | 41.3 | Not reported | Half a can, computed from USDA's 1 can |
| 1 cup oil-packed tuna drained | 146 g | 289 | 42.5 | 0 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 607.4 | 0 | USDA portion, 1 cup, solid or chunks |
USDA FoodData Central. Fish, tuna, light, canned in water, without salt, drained solids. USDA FoodData Central. Fish, tuna, light, canned in oil, drained solids. Source checked September 29, 2026.
Macros for canned tuna
Tuna in water has no carbs, fiber or sugar and very little fat, so nearly all of its calories come from protein.
It has 25.5 g of protein per 100 g. To compare it with other protein foods, see chicken breast, salmon, cod, eggs and ground beef, or browse all the calorie references.
| Nutrient | 3 oz drained tuna | Per 100 g |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 99 kcal | 116 kcal |
| Protein | 21.7 g | 25.5 g |
| Carbs | 0 g | 0 g |
| Fat | 0.7 g | 0.8 g |
| Fiber | 0 g | 0 g |
| Sugar | 0 g | 0 g |
| Sodium | 42.5 mg | 50 mg |
- Calories in chicken breast
- Calories in salmon
- Calories in cooked cod
- Calories in eggs
- Calories in ground beef
- Calories in shrimp
- All calorie references
USDA FoodData Central. Fish, tuna, light, canned in water, without salt, drained solids. Source checked September 29, 2026.
Tuna in water, tuna in oil and albacore
Light tuna packed in oil has 198 calories per 100 g, compared with 116 for light tuna in water. The difference is fat, 8.2 g against 0.8 g, even after the oil is drained. White albacore in water falls in between at 128 calories.
The light tuna in water here is the no-salt-added kind, so its sodium is far lower than the other two.
| Preparation | Weight | Calories kcal | Protein g | Carbs g | Fat g | Fiber g | Sugar g | Sodium mg | Caffeine mg |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Light tuna in water without salt | 100 g | 116 | 25.5 | 0 | 0.8 | 0 | 0 | 50 | Not reported |
| Light tuna in oil | 100 g | 198 | 29.1 | 0 | 8.2 | 0 | 0 | 416 | 0 |
| White tuna in water | 100 g | 128 | 23.6 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 377 | 0 |
USDA FoodData Central. Fish, tuna, light, canned in water, without salt, drained solids. USDA FoodData Central. Fish, tuna, light, canned in oil, drained solids. USDA FoodData Central. Fish, tuna, white, canned in water, drained solids. Source checked September 29, 2026.
Weigh drained tuna from any can
Drain the can, weigh the fish and enter the grams. The calculator uses light tuna in water, so for oil-packed or albacore use the comparison above. Mayo, bread and anything else in a tuna sandwich count on their own.
Skipping the scale? Tell TrueCal it was half a can of tuna in water and review what it estimates.
85 g has about 99 calories.
USDA FoodData Central. Fish, tuna, light, canned in water, without salt, drained solids. Source checked September 29, 2026.
How much protein is in a can of tuna?
A drained can of light tuna in water has 42.1 g of protein. Half a can has 21 g.
USDA FoodData Central. Fish, tuna, light, canned in water, without salt, drained solids. Source checked September 29, 2026.
How many calories are in a small can of tuna?
Small cans vary, so go by the weight of the drained fish. Light tuna in water has 116 calories per 100 g, and the calculator above works it out for any weight.
USDA FoodData Central. Fish, tuna, light, canned in water, without salt, drained solids. Source checked September 29, 2026.
Log the portion you ate
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USDA FoodData Central. Fish, tuna, light, canned in water, without salt, drained solids. USDA FoodData Central. Fish, tuna, light, canned in oil, drained solids. USDA FoodData Central. Fish, tuna, white, canned in water, drained solids. Source checked September 29, 2026.