Know2eat

Anchovies

Engraulis encrasicolus

Also known as Salt-cured anchovies, Boquerones (vinegar-cured), Anchovy fillets

SaveCompare

Tiny oily fish usually sold salt-cured and packed in oil, where months of curing dissolves the flesh into an intensely savoury paste-like fillet. Used mostly as a seasoning rather than as a portion of fish.

Heart Health

Potential health benefits

Best supported: Insufficient

Ordered by how well the human research supports them — strongest first. A rating describes the state of the evidence, not how impressive the food is. How we rate evidence.

Blood lipid profile

Heart Health
Insufficient evidence

Research suggests oily fish intake lowers blood triglycerides. For anchovies the practical caveat is portion size: they are eaten by the gram as a seasoning, so a typical serving supplies far less omega-3 than a fillet of oily fish.

Insufficient evidence. Not enough human research to say anything useful yet.

No source is attached to this association yet, so it is rated insufficient by default. It is listed because people commonly ask about it — not because there is evidence for it.

Cardiovascular risk markers

Heart Health
Insufficient evidence

Observational data links small oily fish intake with lower cardiovascular risk, but anchovies are almost never analysed separately, and their sodium content pulls in the opposite direction.

Insufficient evidence. Not enough human research to say anything useful yet.

No source is attached to this association yet, so it is rated insufficient by default. It is listed because people commonly ask about it — not because there is evidence for it.

Ask about Anchovies

Ask about Anchovies

Answers are written only from the entries on this page — the same nutrients, compounds, claims and citations you can read above. Nothing is added from outside the database, and every answer lists what it was built from.

AI explanations are not switched on for this site, so there is nothing to ask here. Everything above is read straight from the database and does not need them.

Key nutrients

Nutrient content per 100 grams
NutrientAmount% DV
Macronutrients
Calories210 kcal11%
Protein28.9 g58%
Total fat9.71 g12%
Carbohydrate0 g0%
Fibre0 g0%
Total sugars0 g—
Water50.3 g—
Fats
Saturated fat2.2 g11%
Monounsaturated fat3.77 g—
Polyunsaturated fat2.56 g—
Cholesterol85 mg28%
EPA (omega-3)0.763 g—
DHA (omega-3)1.29 g—
DPA (omega-3)0.041 g—
Linoleic acid (omega-6)0.362 g—
Vitamins
Vitamin A12 µg1%
Vitamin C0 mg0%
Vitamin D1.7 µg9%
Vitamin E3.33 mg22%
Vitamin K12.1 µg10%
Thiamin (B1)0.078 mg7%
Riboflavin (B2)0.363 mg28%
Niacin (B3)19.9 mg124%
Pantothenic acid (B5)0.909 mg18%
Vitamin B60.203 mg12%
Folate13 µg3%
Vitamin B120.88 µg37%
Choline85 mg15%
Minerals
Calcium232 mg18%
Iron4.63 mg26%
Magnesium69 mg16%
Phosphorus252 mg20%
Potassium544 mg12%
Sodium3668 mg159%
Zinc2.44 mg22%
Copper0.339 mg38%
Manganese0.1 mg4%
Selenium68.1 µg124%
Other measured compounds
Beta-carotene0 µg—
Alpha-carotene0 µg—
Lycopene0 µg—
Lutein + zeaxanthin0 µg—
Caffeine0 mg—
Ash11.1 g—

Nutrient values are per 100 g of the USDA reference entry named on this page and vary with variety, growing conditions, storage and preparation.

Source record: Fish, anchovy, european, canned in oil, drained solids (USDA FoodData Central, FDC ID 174183).

% DV uses the FDA Daily Values for adults and children aged 4 and over. A dash means no Daily Value has been established for that nutrient.

Bioactive compounds

Compounds present in meaningful amounts. Presence is banded rather than quantified, because whole-food levels vary enormously with variety, growing conditions, storage and preparation.

How preparation changes things

Only effects with real support are listed. If a preparation method is missing, it is because nothing dependable is documented — not because it makes no difference.

  • fermentedChanges sodium and free amino acids

    Salt curing breaks down muscle protein into free amino acids including glutamate, which is where the savoury intensity comes from, while raising sodium content dramatically.

Things to know

Allergies, interactions and intake concerns. Every food gets this section — a reference where everything is uniformly good is not a reference.

  • Too much

    Very high sodium

    Salt-cured anchovies are among the saltiest foods in common use. Because they are eaten in small amounts this is manageable, but per gram the sodium load is extreme.

  • Too much

    Purines and gout

    Anchovies are named alongside sardines in gout dietary advice as a high-purine food to limit during and between flares.

  • Allergy

    Hidden fish allergen

    Anchovy is a frequent invisible ingredient in Worcestershire sauce, Caesar dressing, puttanesca and many fish sauces, which makes it a recurring source of accidental exposure for people with fish allergy.

  • Worth knowing

    Histamine in cured fish

    Curing and long storage favour histamine accumulation, which can provoke symptoms in people who react to dietary histamine.