QUICK ANSWER
How many calories are in canned light tuna?
The selected drained canned light tuna provides 86 kcal per 100 g. Scale from the edible portion and keep other states separate.
86 kcal / 100 gNutrition values describe a reference food state, not every individual item. Variety, water content, preparation and portion weight can change the estimate.
THE NUMBERS
Canned light tuna nutrition facts per 100 g
The values below use the reference state shown at the top of this page. Keeping one gram basis makes it easier to compare foods before translating the values to the portion you actually ate.
- Calories
- 86 kcal
- Protein
- 19.4 g
- Carbohydrate
- 0 g
- Fat
- 0.96 g
- Fibre
- 0 g
- Selenium
- 70.6 µg
- Niacin
- 10.1 mg
- Sodium
- 247 mg
Source: USDA FoodData Central SR Legacy record 173709. Values may be rounded for readability.
SERVING SIZE
Calories by portion and serving weight
Words such as “small,” “medium,” “half” and “one piece” are convenient but imprecise. Grams make the estimate reproducible, particularly when natural foods vary in size.
MACROS
Carbohydrate, protein and fat explained
Protein
19.4 g per 100 g. From Fish, tuna, light, canned in water, drained solids (Includes foods for USDA's Food Distribution Program).
Carbohydrate
0 g per 100 g. From Fish, tuna, light, canned in water, drained solids (Includes foods for USDA's Food Distribution Program).
Fat
0.96 g per 100 g. From Fish, tuna, light, canned in water, drained solids (Includes foods for USDA's Food Distribution Program).
MORE THAN CALORIES
Fibre, vitamins and minerals
One food does not need to provide every nutrient. These are the characteristics most useful for understanding where canned light tuna fits in a varied eating pattern.
Selenium
70.6 µg per 100 g in the selected USDA record.
Niacin
10.1 mg per 100 g in the selected USDA record.
Sodium
247 mg per 100 g in the selected USDA record.
Iron
1.63 mg per 100 g in the selected USDA record.
FOOD STATE MATTERS
How preparation changes the nutrition estimate
A reliable calorie entry should describe the food you actually ate—not merely a food with a similar name.
Light tuna in water, drained
Selected reference.
Packed in oil
Use the oil-packed drained record or package label.
Undrained
Use the package information for the amount actually eaten.
Tuna salad
Log mayonnaise, vegetables and other ingredients as a recipe.
PRACTICAL CONTEXT
How canned light tuna can fit different goals
There is no universal “good” or “bad” food. Portion, frequency, the rest of the meal, preferences and individual health needs all matter.
Portion math
At 86 kcal per 100 g, the 28.35 g example is 24.4 kcal.
Fibre check
The selected record lists 0 g fibre per 100 g.
Protein check
The selected record lists 19.4 g protein per 100 g.
Best logging move
Use drained weight with this record and add mayonnaise, oil or sandwich ingredients separately.
QUALITY & SAFETY
How to choose, store and prepare it
Store
Follow package directions before and after opening.
After opening or cooking
Transfer leftovers to a clean covered container and keep chilled.
Prepare
Use clean utensils and avoid seafood allergen cross-contact.
Safety boundary
The nutrient record does not establish storage duration or fish-consumption advice; follow current authoritative guidance.
PHOTO LOGGING
How to log canned light tuna more accurately
A food photo can suggest the ingredient, but it cannot always reveal exact weight, hidden oil or preparation details. These checks turn an image guess into a better estimate.
- 01
Match the exact reference state: Fish, tuna, light, canned in water, drained solids (Includes foods for USDA's Food Distribution Program).
- 02
Use edible grams. Calories are scaled from the selected per-100-g record; named portion weights come from the same local USDA record.
- 03
Log oil, sauce, sweetener, salt and recipe ingredients separately.
- 04
Use a separate record when preparation changes the food state.
COMMON QUESTIONS
Canned light tuna calorie and nutrition questions
How many calories are in 100 g of tuna?
86 kcal in the selected Fish, tuna, light, canned in water, drained solids (Includes foods for USDA's Food Distribution Program) record.
How much fibre is in tuna?
0 g per 100 g in the selected record.
Which tuna state does this page use?
Fish, tuna, light, canned in water, drained solids (Includes foods for USDA's Food Distribution Program). Preparation and edible state are part of the answer.
Can oil-packed tuna use these values?
No. This reference is light tuna in water, measured as drained solids.
How are the portion calories calculated?
Each portion is scaled from 86 kcal per 100 g. Named portion weights come from the selected source record.
KEEP EXPLORING
Related food guides
SOURCES & METHOD
Where these numbers come from
Fish, tuna, light, canned in water, drained solids (Includes foods for USDA's Food Distribution Program), per 100 g edible portion. Numeric nutrition and named-portion claims use the nutrition-reviewed local USDA record. Preparation notes cover the common USDA forms of this food. The nutrient record does not establish storage duration, clinical advice or food-safety limits; use package directions and current authoritative guidance where relevant.
Open USDA FoodData Central SR Legacy record 173709 ↗Page reviewed 26 August 2026. We show the food state, gram basis and source record so readers can check the estimate instead of treating one number as universally exact.