Mackerel, raw
Checked by us One serving: 125 g (about 1 fillet) · 256 kcal
Protein, plus omega-3: EPA + DHA and vitamin B12. Rich in 5 more nutrients: see Good for.
A lot per serving: saturated fat. Worth knowing: dioxins and dioxin-like PCBs.
Good for
How we counted this
What one serving (125 g) gives you.
Your body needs enough of each of these. Past enough, more doesn’t help. Amounts are what the food databases list, not what your body absorbs, unless a row says it was measured.
The words: “A lot” means one serving gives 20% or more of Health Canada’s daily amount, “Some” 10% to 19%, “A little” 2% to 9%, “Almost none” under 2%. Strongest word first; within a word, protein and fibre lead, then the biggest share. ?
A milligram (mg) is a thousandth of a gram, and a microgram (µg) a thousandth of a milligram: 1,000 µg make 1 mg.
- A lot
Protein
Your muscles, and every other tissue, are built and repaired from it.
Learn more
23.3 g in one serving: 42% of the 56 g a day men need, 51% of the 46 g women need. The word follows the smaller share, which is the share of the higher amount. ?
Source: How much of it gets in hasn’t been measured for this food yet. Institute of Medicine 2005, Dietary Reference Intakes for Energy, Carbohydrate, Fiber, Fat, Fatty Acids, Cholesterol, Protein, and Amino Acids
- A lot
Omega-3: EPA + DHA
Long-chain omega-3s, built into your cell membranes. DHA is concentrated in your brain and retinas.
Learn more
2,874 mg in one serving: 1150% of the 250 mg a day.
Health Canada sets no daily amount for these fats, so the daily figure here is the European Food Safety Authority’s.
Source: How much of it gets in hasn’t been measured for this food yet. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, omega-3 fatty acids fact sheet for health professionals
- A lot
Vitamin B12
Your body needs it to make red blood cells and keep nerves working.
Learn more
10.9 µg in one serving: 454% of the 2.4 µg a day.
Source: How much of it gets in hasn’t been measured for this food yet. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, vitamin B12 fact sheet for health professionals
- A lot
Selenium
Your thyroid uses it to make its hormones.
Learn more
55.1 µg in one serving: 100% of the 55 µg a day.
Listed amount only. 1 absorption study of this nutrient is on file for this food, but none is quoted yet. Each one is in The numbers, with the reason. See the studies
Source: NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, selenium fact sheet for health professionals
- A lot
Niacin (B3, niacin equivalents)
More than 400 of your enzymes need it to work.
Learn more
15.7 mg in one serving: 98% of the 16 mg a day men need, 112% of the 14 mg women need. The word follows the smaller share, which is the share of the higher amount. ?
Source: How much of it gets in hasn’t been measured for this food yet. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, niacin fact sheet for health professionals
- A lot
Vitamin B6
Helps you use protein, and your brain needs it to make its chemical messengers.
Learn more
0.5 mg in one serving: 38% of the 1.3 mg a day.
Source: How much of it gets in hasn’t been measured for this food yet. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, vitamin B6 fact sheet for health professionals
- A lot
Riboflavin (B2)
Your cells use it to make energy and handle fats. It also helps turn tryptophan into niacin and activate vitamin B6.
Learn more
0.39 mg in one serving: 30% of the 1.3 mg a day men need, 35% of the 1.1 mg women need. The word follows the smaller share, which is the share of the higher amount. ?
Source: How much of it gets in hasn’t been measured for this food yet. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, riboflavin fact sheet for health professionals
- A lot
Magnesium
Your muscles and nerves need it to work.
Learn more
95 mg in one serving: 24% of the 400 mg a day men need, 31% of the 310 mg women need. The word follows the smaller share, which is the share of the higher amount. ?
Source: How much of it gets in hasn’t been measured for this food yet. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, magnesium fact sheet for health professionals
14 more nutrients below “a lot”
- Some
Thiamin (B1)
Your cells use it to get energy from food, and so to grow and work.
Learn more
0.22 mg in one serving: 18% of the 1.2 mg a day men need, 20% of the 1.1 mg women need. The word follows the smaller share, which is the share of the higher amount. ?
Source: How much of it gets in hasn’t been measured for this food yet. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, thiamin fact sheet for health professionals
- Some
Vitamin D
Your body needs it to absorb calcium and keep your bones hard.
Learn more
Your skin also makes it in sunlight, so food is only one of its sources.
2.54 µg in one serving: 17% of the 15 µg a day.
Source: How much of it gets in hasn’t been measured for this food yet. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, vitamin D fact sheet for health professionals
- Some
Choline
Your cells need it for their membranes, and to make acetylcholine, a messenger for memory, mood and muscle control.
Learn more
81.3 mg in one serving: 15% of the 550 mg a day men need, 19% of the 425 mg women need. The word follows the smaller share, which is the share of the higher amount. ?
Source: How much of it gets in hasn’t been measured for this food yet. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, choline fact sheet for health professionals
- Some
Vitamin E
Shields the fats in your cells from damage; your immune system uses it too.
Learn more
1.9 mg in one serving: 13% of the 15 mg a day.
Source: How much of it gets in hasn’t been measured for this food yet. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, vitamin E fact sheet for health professionals
- Some
Omega-3: ALA
The one omega-3 your body can’t make: it must come from food. Your cells build it into their membranes and burn it for energy.
Learn more
199 mg in one serving: 12% of the 1,600 mg a day men need, 18% of the 1,100 mg women need. The word follows the smaller share, which is the share of the higher amount. ?
Source: How much of it gets in hasn’t been measured for this food yet. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, omega-3 fatty acids fact sheet for health professionals
- Some
Potassium
Your nerves, muscles and kidneys need it to work.
Learn more
393 mg in one serving: 12% of the 3,400 mg a day men need, 15% of the 2,600 mg women need. The word follows the smaller share, which is the share of the higher amount. ?
Source: How much of it gets in hasn’t been measured for this food yet. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, potassium fact sheet for health professionals
- Some
Iron
Carries oxygen in your blood.
Learn more
2.04 mg in one serving: 26% of the 8 mg a day men need, 11% of the 18 mg women need. The word follows the smaller share, which is the share of the higher amount. ?
Source: How much of it gets in hasn’t been measured for this food yet. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, iron fact sheet for health professionals
- A little
Zinc
Your immune system and healing wounds depend on it.
Learn more
0.79 mg in one serving: 7% of the 11 mg a day men need, 10% of the 8 mg women need. The word follows the smaller share, which is the share of the higher amount. ?
Source: How much of it gets in hasn’t been measured for this food yet. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, zinc fact sheet for health professionals
- A little
Vitamin A
Your eyes need it to see in dim light.
Learn more
Getting enough matters; more than enough doesn’t sharpen your sight.
62.5 µg in one serving: 7% of the 900 µg a day men need, 9% of the 700 µg women need. The word follows the smaller share, which is the share of the higher amount. ?
Source: How much of it gets in hasn’t been measured for this food yet. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, vitamin A fact sheet for health professionals
- A little
Vitamin K1
Your blood needs it to clot.
Learn more
6.25 µg in one serving: 5% of the 120 µg a day men need, 7% of the 90 µg women need. The word follows the smaller share, which is the share of the higher amount. ?
Source: How much of it gets in hasn’t been measured for this food yet. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, vitamin K fact sheet for health professionals
- A little
Calcium
Builds your bones and teeth.
Learn more
15 mg in one serving: 2% of the 1,000 mg a day.
Source: How much of it gets in hasn’t been measured for this food yet. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, calcium fact sheet for health professionals
- Almost none
Vitamin C
Your body makes collagen with it, which wounds need to heal. It also helps you absorb iron from plants.
Learn more
0.5 mg in one serving: 1% of the 90 mg a day men need, 1% of the 75 mg women need. The word follows the smaller share, which is the share of the higher amount. ?
Source: How much of it gets in hasn’t been measured for this food yet. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, vitamin C fact sheet for health professionals
- Almost none
Folate
Your body needs it to make DNA and to divide new cells.
Learn more
1.25 µg in one serving: under 1% of the 400 µg a day.
Source: How much of it gets in hasn’t been measured for this food yet. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, folate fact sheet for health professionals
- Almost none
Fibre
Keeps your gut moving.
Learn more
0 g in one serving: under 1% of the 38 g a day men need, under 1% of the 25 g women need. The word follows the smaller share, which is the share of the higher amount. ?
Source: How much of it gets in hasn’t been measured for this food yet. Institute of Medicine 2005, Dietary Reference Intakes for Energy, Carbohydrate, Fiber, Fat, Fatty Acids, Cholesterol, Protein, and Amino Acids
Watch out
How we counted this
Dioxins and dioxin-like PCBs
Worth knowingAn average adult is already at or past the limit from other food.
Learn more
Flagged for women who are or may become pregnant and for breastfeeding; no cap for other adults. The CFIA 2014-2019 figures are for "Mackerel" (11 samples, species and form not given), so this is a life-stage flag, not an Atlantic-mackerel rating. A daily serving is 200% of EFSA's 2026 tolerable weekly intake (0.6 pg/kg body weight/week) on the lower-bound mean and 383% on the upper; one serving a week 29-55%. The one Canadian sample (26.4% fat, probably Atlantic) gives 61-317% a day. One Chinese sample (upper bound 0.51 pg/g) drives the mean.
Methylmercury
Nothing to watchYou’d need about 1.8 servings a day, every day, of this food alone to use up what an average adult’s intake leaves under the limit.
Learn more
One serving carries 5.62 µg (total Hg)
How we got this
An average adult already takes in about 18% of the limit. One serving a day fits in the room left.
Counted from zero, with no allowance for what adults already take in from other food, 2,000 g a week would reach the limit.
Why this rating: Eating it daily comes to 875 g a week, which stays within the 1,600 g of room left before the limit.
Women who are or may become pregnant, and children: 310 g a day.
The dataset’s rating: Nothing to watch: under the limit
No cap, on agency advice for this fish: Health Canada names Atlantic mackerel among fish 'very low' in mercury and sets no limit for it, and the FDA and EPA list it as a Best Choice. For information, a daily serving is 43% of EFSA's tolerable weekly intake of 1.3 µg/kg body weight/week (37-50% across lower and upper bounds); one serving a week is 6.2%. King mackerel is a different fish with its own mercury (CFIA edible mean 0.268 ppm, 7 of 54 samples above Health Canada's 0.5 ppm standard; FDA mean 0.730): not this food.
CFIA, Mercury and Metals in Fish Products 2000-2021 (tuna rows: 7,072; canned 2,388) · grade A
Inorganic arsenic
Nothing to watchYou’d need about 3 servings a day, every day, of this food alone to double the inorganic arsenic an average adult already gets. No dose is known to be safe, so doubling is where we flag.
Learn more
A serving a day adds 7.1–36% to what an average adult already takes in. There is no limit to take a share of.
One serving carries 0.75 µg (upper bound)
How we got this
The dataset’s rating: Nothing to watch: doesn’t double average intake
At the bound: 0.0107 µg/kg body weight/day = 18% of the EFSA benchmark dose lower limit (BMDL05) 0.06 µg/kg body weight/day, adding 7-36% to the adult background 0.03-0.15 (EFSA 2021, as held in the seeds); below the doubling line even at the bound. Total arsenic in CFIA Atlantic mackerel muscle is 1.23 mg/kg (n = 5), not rated: 154 µg total As per serving.
Checked for cadmium, histamine and lead: fine at normal amounts.
Cadmium
Nothing to watchYou’d need about 14 servings a day, every day, of this food alone to use up what an average adult’s intake leaves under the limit.
Learn more
One serving carries 0.51 µg
How we got this
A serving a day adds 2.9% to what an average adult already takes in: a share of that intake, not of the limit. With that serving every day, an average adult would be at about 73% of the limit.
An average adult already takes in about 71% of the limit. One serving a day fits in the room left.
Counted from zero, with no allowance for what adults already take in from other food, 43,000 g a week would reach the limit.
Why this rating: Eating it daily comes to 875 g a week, which stays within the 12,000 g of room left before the limit.
The dataset’s rating: Nothing to watch: under the limit
A daily serving adds 2.9% to an average adult's cadmium intake (EFSA 2012 adult median, 1.77 µg/kg body weight/week; Canadian adults in 2007: 1.2-1.75), far from doubling it, so no cap.
CFIA, Mercury and Metals in Fish Products 2000-2021 (tuna rows: 7,072; canned 2,388) · grade A
Histamine
Nothing to watchWe have no measurement of this in this food, so there is no gram figure.
Learn more
One serving carries 0.26 mg (upper bound at the detection limit)
How we got this
The dataset’s rating: Nothing to watch: under the limit
At the detection limit a 125 g serving carries at most 0.26 mg, 0.5% of EFSA's 50 mg per meal: fish kept cold does not approach the dose, so no flag for healthy adults. Poor handling changes that: whole mackerel held 24 h at 22 °C reached 1,090 mg/kg, 136 mg per 125 g, 273% of 50 mg. Health Canada's maximum level is 100 mg/kg (12.5 mg per serving, 25%); the FDA (Nov 2024) uses 35 ppm for decomposition and 200 ppm for health, quality thresholds rather than doses. People with histamine intolerance, and people taking isoniazid, whose label says to avoid histamine-containing foods such as tuna, keep a separate flag.
Lead
Nothing to watchYou’d need more than 100 servings a day, every day, of this food alone to double the lead an average adult already gets. No dose is known to be safe, so doubling is where we flag.
Learn more
A serving a day adds 0.5–0.6% to what an average adult already takes in. There is no limit to take a share of.
One serving carries 0.18 µg
How we got this
The dataset’s rating: Nothing to watch: doesn’t double average intake
Adds 0.50-0.61% (lower bound-upper bound) to the average adult intake of 35 µg/day (EFSA, 0.50 µg/kg body weight/day at 70 kg). No safe threshold exists (benchmark dose lower limit (BMDL01) is the level of concern); far below the doubling line.
CFIA, Mercury and Metals in Fish Products 2000-2021 (tuna rows: 7,072; canned 2,388) · grade A
For some people
Measured, not rated: 152.6 mg purines (taken from a similar food)
Learn more
If you have gout: avoiding organ meats such as liver, which are higher in purines, is one of the diet changes that help lower uric acid in the blood and the number of flares, according to the US National Institutes of Health (NIH).
Source: NIAMS (NIH), Gout: diagnosis, treatment, and steps to take
How we got this
Not rated for people with gout or hyperuricemia: the only reference is a Japanese dietary recommendation of 400 mg purines a day, seen through Kaneko 2014 rather than an agency document, so no reference is established. Kaneko 2014 has no Atlantic mackerel; its raw chub mackerel measures 122.1 mg purines per 100 g (HPLC, four purine bases), beside jack mackerel 165.3 and Spanish mackerel 139.3. A 125 g serving carries about 153 mg. For scale only, 400 mg would be reached at about 328 g.
Worth knowing
No limit applies, so none is rated.
Sodium and saturated fat
One 125 g serving, as a share of the label’s daily value: sodium 113 mg (5%) · saturated fat 4.1 g (20%)
Learn more
We name one of these whenever a serving gives 20% or more of its daily value on Health Canada’s Table of Daily Values (sodium 2,300 mg, saturated and trans fat together 20 g), the same 20% that reads “a lot” under Good for. The same rule applies to every food. Daily values are what labels count against, not limits. No trans fat figure is held for this food, so its saturated fat is counted alone.
Source: Health Canada, Table of Daily Values (nutrition labelling)
Cholesterol
88 mg in a 125 g serving.
Learn more
Shown, not rated: the current US and Canadian dietary guidelines set no daily limit for cholesterol from food, and put the weight on saturated fat and the overall diet. The Canadian Nutrition Facts table gives it no percent daily value.
Source: Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2025–2030 · Health Canada, Canada’s Dietary Guidelines, Section 1
Sugar
0 g of sugar in a 125 g serving, natural and added together.
Learn more
Shown, not rated. The food tables we read give total sugar, and few give added sugar, so the site can’t yet tell sugar added in making a food from the sugar in fruit or milk.
Also checked (nothing to act on) · 1
Noted for context, or not measured in this food yet.
Raw or lightly cured mackerel is a parasite route. EFSA: freezing (core) at -15 C for at least 96 h, -20 C for at least 24 h or -35 C for at least 15 h, or heating to a core of at least 60 C for at least 1 min, are the most effective treatments (they may not inactivate allergens). No prevalence number is asserted: the Part 2 tables list S. scombrus studies, counts not extracted. No Canadian agency page on Anisakis was found.
Better options
How we counted this
“Better” here always means better at something the row names: more of one nutrient, more nutrients per serving, or the goal you pick. It never means better in every way.
Every amount below is for the same weight, 125 g, the size of one serving of this food, so a swap compares like with like. A serving of another food can be bigger or smaller.
A food is listed only if it gives clearly more: at least a fifth more than this food, and at least 10% of the daily amount more.
More of what it’s good for
More protein
Chicken breast, roasted38.8 g in 125 g (this food: 23.3 g) · but less omega-3: EPA + DHA and vitamin B12
Pork chop, pan-fried34.5 g in 125 g (this food: 23.3 g) · but less omega-3: EPA + DHA and vitamin B12Worth knowing: dioxins and dioxin-like PCBs · this food has it tooNeeds care in handling: see its page
More vitamin B12
Mackerel, cooked23.8 µg in 125 g (this food: 10.9 µg) · but less omega-3: EPA + DHAWorth knowing: dioxins and dioxin-like PCBs · this food has it too
Sardines, canned in water13.5 µg in 125 g (this food: 10.9 µg)Worth knowing: dioxins and dioxin-like PCBs · this food has it too
Amounts as listed, not adjusted for how much gets in.
For omega-3: EPA + DHA: no other main-dish proteins we’ve checked give clearly more, in the same 125 g.
More nutrients per serving, counted together
The other main-dish proteins we’ve checked with more nutrients per serving than this one, counting at most 100 kcal. One score ranks them all, so the same few often lead.
Shrimp, cooked- More choline (169 mg vs 81.3 mg)
- More zinc (2.04 mg vs 0.79 mg)
- Less omega-3: EPA + DHA (345 mg vs 2,874 mg)
- Less vitamin B12 (2.08 µg vs 10.9 µg)
Sardines, canned in oil- More calcium (478 mg vs 15 mg)
- More omega-3: ALA (623 mg vs 199 mg)
- More vitamin D (6 µg vs 2.54 µg)
- Less omega-3: EPA + DHA (1,228 mg vs 2,874 mg)
- Less vitamin B6 (0.21 mg vs 0.5 mg)
- Mackerel, cooked
- More vitamin B12 (23.8 µg vs 10.9 µg)
- More protein (29.8 g vs 23.3 g)
- More riboflavin (0.52 mg vs 0.39 mg)
- Less omega-3: EPA + DHA (1,504 mg vs 2,874 mg)
Where the calcium card measured that less calcium gets in than from milk, calcium counts for less; everything else is as listed.
Your goal
Your goal changes only this list, not what the food gives you or what to watch.
Losing weight: fewer calories, and more nutrients, protein and fibre for each calorie.
Light tuna, canned in water- 113 kcal in 125 g (this food: 256)
- More selenium (84.8 µg vs 55.1 µg)
- Less omega-3: EPA + DHA (278 mg vs 2,874 mg)
- Less vitamin B12 (3.21 µg vs 10.9 µg)
- Shrimp, cooked
- 149 kcal in 125 g (this food: 256)
- More choline (169 mg vs 81.3 mg)
- More zinc (2.04 mg vs 0.79 mg)
- Less omega-3: EPA + DHA (345 mg vs 2,874 mg)
- Less vitamin B12 (2.08 µg vs 10.9 µg)
Cod, baked- 131 kcal in 125 g (this food: 256)
- Less omega-3: EPA + DHA (198 mg vs 2,874 mg)
- Less vitamin B12 (1.31 µg vs 10.9 µg)
Building muscle: more protein and more calories, per 100 g.
Bacon, pan-fried33.9 g protein · 468 kcal per 100 gWorth knowing: dioxins and dioxin-like PCBs · this food has it too- Pork chop, pan-fried27.6 g protein · 238 kcal per 100 gWorth knowing: dioxins and dioxin-like PCBs · this food has it tooNeeds care in handling: see its page
Ground turkey, 93% lean, cooked27.1 g protein · 213 kcal per 100 gWorth knowing: dioxins and dioxin-like PCBs · this food has it tooNeeds care in handling: see its page
Why some foods aren’t suggested
Left out: Clams, cooked (Cadmium: limit it).
Left out: Chicken liver, simmered (Preformed vitamin A (retinol): limit it).
Bring a tracker export or describe your usual week. The same rules check all of it.
The numbers
Open every value
Name in the database: Mackerel, Atlantic, raw
How the serving was set: 125 g raw (Health Canada TRA I.3, fish without sauce)
Listed nutrients, per 100 g
For each nutrient, the value this page uses is marked “used”. A row marked “second database” is another database’s figure for a matching food, kept so you can see how far databases disagree (they can differ in the samples analysed, lab methods and rounding). Its own cells are worked out from it, but none of the page’s words or scores are.
| Nutrient | Per serving | Per 100 calories | How | Source | Grade | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Omega-3: ALA | 0.159 g | 0.2 g | 0.08 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #175119 | C |
| Calcium | 12 mg | 15 mg | 5.85 mg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #175119 | C |
| 20 mg | 25 mg | 9.76 mg | second database · not used | UK food tables (CoFID 2021) #16-393 | C | |
| 12 mg | 15 mg | 5.85 mg | copy of USDA · not used | Canadian Nutrient File 2026 #3021 | C | |
| Carbohydrate | 0 g | 0 g | 0 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #175119 | C |
| Choline | 65 mg | 81.25 mg | 31.71 mg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #175119 | C |
| Energy | 205 kcal | 256.25 kcal | – | FDC Energy (kcal) used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) | – |
| Omega-3: EPA + DHA | 2.299 g | 2.87 g | 1.12 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #175119 | C |
| Fat | 13.89 g | 17.36 g | 6.78 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #175119 | C |
| 17.9 g | 22.38 g | 8.73 g | second database · not used | UK food tables (CoFID 2021) #16-393 | C | |
| Cholesterol | 70 mg | 87.5 mg | 34.15 mg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #175119 | C |
| Fatty acids, total saturated | 3.257 g | 4.07 g | 1.59 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #175119 | C |
| Fibre | 0 g | 0 g | 0 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #175119 | C |
| 0 g | 0 g | 0 g | second database · not used | UK food tables (CoFID 2021) #16-393 | C | |
| Folate | 1 µg | 1.25 µg | 0.49 µg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #175119 | C |
| 1 µg | 1.25 µg | 0.49 µg | second database · not used | UK food tables (CoFID 2021) #16-393 | C | |
| Iron | 1.63 mg | 2.04 mg | 0.8 mg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #175119 | C |
| 0.98 mg | 1.23 mg | 0.48 mg | second database · not used | UK food tables (CoFID 2021) #16-393 | C | |
| Magnesium | 76 mg | 95 mg | 37.07 mg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #175119 | C |
| 37 mg | 46.25 mg | 18.05 mg | second database · not used · 2.1× | UK food tables (CoFID 2021) #16-393 | C | |
| Niacin (B3, niacin equivalents) | 12.547 mg | 15.68 mg | 6.12 mg | listed used | Canadian Nutrient File 2026 #3021 | C |
| Phosphorus | 217 mg | 271.25 mg | 105.85 mg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #175119 | C |
| 220 mg | 275 mg | 107.32 mg | second database · not used | UK food tables (CoFID 2021) #16-393 | C | |
| Potassium | 314 mg | 392.5 mg | 153.17 mg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #175119 | C |
| 335 mg | 418.75 mg | 163.41 mg | second database · not used | UK food tables (CoFID 2021) #16-393 | C | |
| Protein | 18.6 g | 23.25 g | 9.07 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #175119 | C |
| 18 g | 22.5 g | 8.78 g | second database · not used | UK food tables (CoFID 2021) #16-393 | C | |
| Riboflavin (B2) | 0.312 mg | 0.39 mg | 0.15 mg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #175119 | C |
| 0.3 mg | 0.38 mg | 0.15 mg | second database · not used | UK food tables (CoFID 2021) #16-393 | C | |
| Selenium | 44.1 µg | 55.13 µg | 21.51 µg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #175119 | C |
| 42 µg | 52.5 µg | 20.49 µg | second database · not used | UK food tables (CoFID 2021) #16-393 | C | |
| Sodium | 90 mg | 112.5 mg | 43.9 mg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #175119 | C |
| 153 mg | 191.25 mg | 74.63 mg | second database · not used | UK food tables (CoFID 2021) #16-393 | C | |
| Sugars | 0 g | 0 g | 0 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #175119 | C |
| 0 g | 0 g | 0 g | second database · not used | UK food tables (CoFID 2021) #16-393 | C | |
| Thiamin (B1) | 0.176 mg | 0.22 mg | 0.09 mg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #175119 | C |
| 0.17 mg | 0.21 mg | 0.08 mg | second database · not used | UK food tables (CoFID 2021) #16-393 | C | |
| Vitamin A | 50 µg | 62.5 µg | 24.39 µg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #175119 | C |
| Vitamin B12 | 8.71 µg | 10.89 µg | 4.25 µg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #175119 | C |
| 8.8 µg | 11 µg | 4.29 µg | second database · not used | UK food tables (CoFID 2021) #16-393 | C | |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.399 mg | 0.5 mg | 0.19 mg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #175119 | C |
| 0.4 mg | 0.5 mg | 0.2 mg | second database · not used | UK food tables (CoFID 2021) #16-393 | C | |
| Vitamin C | 0.4 mg | 0.5 mg | 0.2 mg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #175119 | C |
| Vitamin D | 2.03 µg | 2.54 µg | 0.99 µg | listed used | Canadian Nutrient File 2026 #3021 | C |
| 8 µg | 10 µg | 3.9 µg | second database · not used · 3.9× | UK food tables (CoFID 2021) #16-393 | C | |
| 16.1 µg | 20.13 µg | 7.85 µg | second database · not used · 7.9× | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #175119 | C | |
| Vitamin E | 1.52 mg | 1.9 mg | 0.74 mg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #175119 | C |
| 0.43 mg | 0.54 mg | 0.21 mg | second database · not used · 3.5× | UK food tables (CoFID 2021) #16-393 | C | |
| Vitamin K1 | 5 µg | 6.25 µg | 2.44 µg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #175119 | C |
| Water | 63.55 g | 79.44 g | 31 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #175119 | C |
| 61.9 g | 77.38 g | 30.2 g | second database · not used | UK food tables (CoFID 2021) #16-393 | C | |
| Zinc | 0.63 mg | 0.79 mg | 0.31 mg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #175119 | C |
| 0.5 mg | 0.63 mg | 0.24 mg | second database · not used | UK food tables (CoFID 2021) #16-393 | C |
| Nutrient | Per 100 g | Per serving | Per 100 calories | How | Source | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beta-carotene | 0 µg | 0 µg | 0 µg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #175119 | C |
| Copper | 0.073 mg | 0.09 mg | 0.04 mg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #175119 | C |
| 0.08 mg | 0.1 mg | 0.04 mg | second database · not used | UK food tables (CoFID 2021) #16-393 | C | |
| Ash | 1.35 g | 1.69 g | 0.66 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #175119 | C |
| Alcohol, ethyl | 0 g | 0 g | 0 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #175119 | C |
| Caffeine | 0 mg | 0 mg | 0 mg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #175119 | C |
| Theobromine | 0 mg | 0 mg | 0 mg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #175119 | C |
| Energy | 858 kj | 1,072.5 kj | 418.54 kj | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #175119 | C |
| Vitamin A, IU | 167 iu | 208.75 iu | 81.46 iu | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #175119 | C |
| Carotene, alpha | 0 µg | 0 µg | 0 µg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #175119 | C |
| Vitamin D (D2 + D3), International Units | 643 iu | 803.75 iu | 313.66 iu | second database · not used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #175119 | C |
| Vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) | 16.1 µg | 20.13 µg | 7.85 µg | second database · not used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #175119 | C |
| Cryptoxanthin, beta | 0 µg | 0 µg | 0 µg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #175119 | C |
| Lycopene | 0 µg | 0 µg | 0 µg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #175119 | C |
| Folic acid | 0 µg | 0 µg | 0 µg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #175119 | C |
| Folate, food | 1 µg | 1.25 µg | 0.49 µg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #175119 | C |
| Folate, DFE | 1 µg | 1.25 µg | 0.49 µg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #175119 | C |
| Tryptophan | 0.208 g | 0.26 g | 0.1 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #175119 | C |
| Threonine | 0.815 g | 1.02 g | 0.4 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #175119 | C |
| Isoleucine | 0.857 g | 1.07 g | 0.42 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #175119 | C |
| Leucine | 1.512 g | 1.89 g | 0.74 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #175119 | C |
| Lysine | 1.708 g | 2.14 g | 0.83 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #175119 | C |
| Methionine | 0.551 g | 0.69 g | 0.27 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #175119 | C |
| Cystine | 0.199 g | 0.25 g | 0.1 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #175119 | C |
| Phenylalanine | 0.726 g | 0.91 g | 0.35 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #175119 | C |
| Tyrosine | 0.628 g | 0.79 g | 0.31 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #175119 | C |
| Valine | 0.958 g | 1.2 g | 0.47 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #175119 | C |
| Arginine | 1.113 g | 1.39 g | 0.54 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #175119 | C |
| Histidine | 0.548 g | 0.69 g | 0.27 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #175119 | C |
| Alanine | 1.125 g | 1.41 g | 0.55 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #175119 | C |
| Aspartic acid | 1.905 g | 2.38 g | 0.93 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #175119 | C |
| Glutamic acid | 2.777 g | 3.47 g | 1.35 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #175119 | C |
| Glycine | 0.893 g | 1.12 g | 0.44 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #175119 | C |
| Proline | 0.658 g | 0.82 g | 0.32 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #175119 | C |
| Serine | 0.759 g | 0.95 g | 0.37 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #175119 | C |
| Vitamin E, added | 0 mg | 0 mg | 0 mg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #175119 | C |
| Vitamin B-12, added | 0 µg | 0 µg | 0 µg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #175119 | C |
| SFA 4:0 | 0 g | 0 g | 0 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #175119 | C |
| SFA 6:0 | 0 g | 0 g | 0 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #175119 | C |
| SFA 8:0 | 0 g | 0 g | 0 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #175119 | C |
| SFA 10:0 | 0 g | 0 g | 0 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #175119 | C |
| SFA 12:0 | 0.017 g | 0.02 g | 0.01 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #175119 | C |
| SFA 14:0 | 0.674 g | 0.84 g | 0.33 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #175119 | C |
| SFA 16:0 | 2.125 g | 2.66 g | 1.04 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #175119 | C |
| SFA 18:0 | 0.423 g | 0.53 g | 0.21 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #175119 | C |
| MUFA 18:1 | 2.283 g | 2.85 g | 1.11 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #175119 | C |
| PUFA 18:2 | 0.219 g | 0.27 g | 0.11 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #175119 | C |
| PUFA 18:3 | 0.159 g | 0.2 g | 0.08 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #175119 | C |
| PUFA 20:4 | 0.183 g | 0.23 g | 0.09 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #175119 | C |
| PUFA 22:6 n-3 (DHA) | 1.401 g | 1.75 g | 0.68 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #175119 | C |
| MUFA 16:1 | 0.727 g | 0.91 g | 0.35 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #175119 | C |
| PUFA 18:4 | 0.278 g | 0.35 g | 0.14 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #175119 | C |
| MUFA 20:1 | 1.039 g | 1.3 g | 0.51 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #175119 | C |
| PUFA 20:5 n-3 (EPA) | 0.898 g | 1.12 g | 0.44 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #175119 | C |
| MUFA 22:1 | 1.407 g | 1.76 g | 0.69 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #175119 | C |
| PUFA 22:5 n-3 (DPA) | 0.212 g | 0.27 g | 0.1 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #175119 | C |
| Fatty acids, total monounsaturated | 5.456 g | 6.82 g | 2.66 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #175119 | C |
| Fatty acids, total polyunsaturated | 3.35 g | 4.19 g | 1.63 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #175119 | C |
| Lutein + zeaxanthin | 0 µg | 0 µg | 0 µg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #175119 | C |
| Manganese | 0.015 mg | 0.02 mg | 0.01 mg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #175119 | C |
| 0.01 mg | 0.01 mg | 0 mg | second database · not used | UK food tables (CoFID 2021) #16-393 | C | |
| Niacin (B3, preformed) | 9.08 mg | 11.35 mg | 4.43 mg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #175119 | C |
| 11.3 mg | 14.13 mg | 5.51 mg | second database · not used | UK food tables (CoFID 2021) #16-393 | C | |
| Pantothenic acid (B5) | 0.856 mg | 1.07 mg | 0.42 mg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #175119 | C |
| 0.63 mg | 0.79 mg | 0.31 mg | second database · not used | UK food tables (CoFID 2021) #16-393 | C | |
| Retinol | 50 µg | 62.5 µg | 24.39 µg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #175119 | C |
| 54 µg | 67.5 µg | 26.34 µg | second database · not used | UK food tables (CoFID 2021) #16-393 | C |
Change the amount to rescale the first column. Nutrients a database doesn't list are missing, not zero.
Absorption studies
Studies of how much of a nutrient gets in; those done in animals are marked. This page quotes a figure only from a study that passes our screen: adults, graded A, of this food in this preparation, with a test dose on record and a source that has passed our evidence check. The exception is calcium on our calcium card: its figure comes from the card’s own study, checked with the card, and is marked “used” even where that study misses a step of this screen. The others are listed so nothing is hidden, each with the first check it fails.
No study of this food passes the screen yet, so no absorption figure is quoted.
| Study | Nutrient | Absorbed | Test dose | People | Grade | On this page |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Robinson 1978: selenium from mackerel (Scomber japonicus), 65 µg Se/day, 4 weeks Scomber japonicus (chub mackerel), not Atlantic · not stated (mackerel as the fish-Se supplement) abstract only | Selenium | 66 % | 0 mg | 3 | B | Not used: we haven’t confirmed how the food was prepared in this study. |
Hazard rows as the dataset rates them
- Cadmium · Nothing to watch: under the limit · A daily serving adds 2.9% to an average adult's cadmium intake (EFSA 2012 adult median, 1.77 µg/kg body weight/week; Canadian adults in 2007: 1.2-1.75), far from doubling it, so no cap. · CFIA mercury and metals in fish (2000–2021) · A
- Dioxins and dioxin-like PCBs · Worth knowing · Flagged for women who are or may become pregnant and for breastfeeding; no cap for other adults. The CFIA 2014-2019 figures are for "Mackerel" (11 samples, species and form not given), so this is a life-stage flag, not an Atlantic-mackerel rating. A daily serving is 200% of EFSA's 2026 tolerable weekly intake (0.6 pg/kg body weight/week) on the lower-bound mean and 383% on the upper; one serving a week 29-55%. The one Canadian sample (26.4% fat, probably Atlantic) gives 61-317% a day. One Chinese sample (upper bound 0.51 pg/g) drives the mean. · CFIA dioxins survey (2014–2019) · B
- Fish allergy · Worth knowing · Person-specific (fish allergy); the Health Canada list of priority allergens includes Fish. Cooking or canning does not remove it (general fact, not sourced here). · Health Canada, priority allergens · A
- Histamine · Nothing to watch: under the limit · At the detection limit a 125 g serving carries at most 0.26 mg, 0.5% of EFSA's 50 mg per meal: fish kept cold does not approach the dose, so no flag for healthy adults. Poor handling changes that: whole mackerel held 24 h at 22 °C reached 1,090 mg/kg, 136 mg per 125 g, 273% of 50 mg. Health Canada's maximum level is 100 mg/kg (12.5 mg per serving, 25%); the FDA (Nov 2024) uses 35 ppm for decomposition and 200 ppm for health, quality thresholds rather than doses. People with histamine intolerance, and people taking isoniazid, whose label says to avoid histamine-containing foods such as tuna, keep a separate flag. · PubMed 35112003 · A
- Inorganic arsenic · Nothing to watch: doesn’t double average intake · At the bound: 0.0107 µg/kg body weight/day = 18% of the EFSA benchmark dose lower limit (BMDL05) 0.06 µg/kg body weight/day, adding 7-36% to the adult background 0.03-0.15 (EFSA 2021, as held in the seeds); below the doubling line even at the bound. Total arsenic in CFIA Atlantic mackerel muscle is 1.23 mg/kg (n = 5), not rated: 154 µg total As per serving. · Julshamn 2012 · B
- Lead · Nothing to watch: doesn’t double average intake · Adds 0.50-0.61% (lower bound-upper bound) to the average adult intake of 35 µg/day (EFSA, 0.50 µg/kg body weight/day at 70 kg). No safe threshold exists (benchmark dose lower limit (BMDL01) is the level of concern); far below the doubling line. · CFIA mercury and metals in fish (2000–2021) · A
- Methylmercury · Nothing to watch: under the limit · No cap, on agency advice for this fish: Health Canada names Atlantic mackerel among fish 'very low' in mercury and sets no limit for it, and the FDA and EPA list it as a Best Choice. For information, a daily serving is 43% of EFSA's tolerable weekly intake of 1.3 µg/kg body weight/week (37-50% across lower and upper bounds); one serving a week is 6.2%. King mackerel is a different fish with its own mercury (CFIA edible mean 0.268 ppm, 7 of 54 samples above Health Canada's 0.5 ppm standard; FDA mean 0.730): not this food. · CFIA mercury and metals in fish (2000–2021) · A
- Parasites in raw fish · Context · Raw or lightly cured mackerel is a parasite route. EFSA: freezing (core) at -15 C for at least 96 h, -20 C for at least 24 h or -35 C for at least 15 h, or heating to a core of at least 60 C for at least 1 min, are the most effective treatments (they may not inactivate allergens). No prevalence number is asserted: the Part 2 tables list S. scombrus studies, counts not extracted. No Canadian agency page on Anisakis was found. · EFSA 2024 · B
- Purines and gout · Not rated yet · Not rated for people with gout or hyperuricemia: the only reference is a Japanese dietary recommendation of 400 mg purines a day, seen through Kaneko 2014 rather than an agency document, so no reference is established. Kaneko 2014 has no Atlantic mackerel; its raw chub mackerel measures 122.1 mg purines per 100 g (HPLC, four purine bases), beside jack mackerel 165.3 and Spanish mackerel 139.3. A 125 g serving carries about 153 mg. For scale only, 400 mg would be reached at about 328 g. · Kaneko 2014 · C
Oxalate, phytate and gut-tolerance measurements
- histamine: 0 of 23 samples positive (not detected; detection limit 2.1 mg/kg) mg/kg · fresh weight, raw fish · raw, bought from manufacturers and retail markets in the Pulawy region, delivered chilled · grade A · PubMed 35112003
- histamine: none of the mackerel samples had detectable histamine (n not in the abstract); all scombroid samples below 25 ppm mg/kg · fresh weight · retail markets, Barcelona area (preparation not stated) · grade B · PubMed 8652349
Sources
- CFIA, Food Safety Action Plan Targeted Survey: Dioxins and Dioxin-like Compounds in Selected Foods 2014-2019 (data and 2-page overview PDF; report page inspection.canada.ca)
cfia-dioxins-2014-2019· dataset · Open Government Licence – Canada 2.0 - CFIA, Mercury and Metals in Fish Products 2000-2021 (tuna rows: 7,072; canned 2,388)
cfia-fish-metals-2000-2021· dataset · Open Government Licence – Canada 2.0 - Health Canada, Canadian Nutrient File 2026 (14th edition)
cnf-2026· dataset · Open Government Licence – Canada 2.0 - Public Health England, Composition of Foods Integrated Dataset (CoFID) 2021
cofid-2021· dataset · Open Government Licence v3.0 - EFSA BIOHAZ Panel. Re-evaluation of certain aspects of the EFSA Scientific Opinion of April 2010 on risk assessment of parasites in fishery products, based on new scientific data. Part 1: ToRs 1-3. EFSA J 2024 · doi:10.2903/j.efsa.2024.8719
efsa-2024-parasites-1· full text read · EFSA Journal open access (CC BY-ND) - USDA FoodData Central, SR Legacy, 2018-04
fdc-sr-legacy-2018-04· dataset · CC0 1.0 (public domain) - Health Canada, Common food allergens (priority allergens list)
hc-priority-allergens· page · Government of Canada terms (Crown copyright; not OGL) - Julshamn K, Nilsen BM, Frantzen S, Valdersnes S, Maage A, Nedreaas K, Sloth JJ. Total and inorganic arsenic in fish samples from Norwegian waters. Food Addit Contam B 2012 · doi:10.1080/19393210.2012.698312 · PMID 24786400
julshamn2012· abstract only · not checked - Kaneko K, et al. (2014) Total purine and purine base content of common foodstuffs for facilitating nutritional therapy for gout and hyperuricemia. Biol Pharm Bull 37(5):709-721 · doi:10.1248/bpb.b13-00967 · PMID 24553148
kaneko-2014-purines· secondary source · J-STAGE open access - Pawul-Gruba M, Osek J. Identification of Histamine in Fish and Fish Products in Poland During 2014-2018. J Vet Res 2021;65(4):483-486 · doi:10.2478/jvetres-2021-0066 · PMID 35112003
pmid:35112003· full text read · CC BY-NC-ND 3.0 - Robinson MF, Rea HM, Friend GM, Stewart RD, Snow PC, Thomson CD. On supplementing the selenium intake of New Zealanders. 2. Prolonged metabolic experiments with daily supplements of selenomethionine, selenite and fish. Br J Nutr 1978;39:589-600 · doi:10.1079/BJN19780074 · PMID 565216
pmid:565216· abstract only · not checked - Lopez-Sabater EI, Rodriguez-Jerez JJ, Hernandez-Herrero M, et al. Incidence of histamine-forming bacteria and histamine content in scombroid fish species from retail markets in the Barcelona area. Int J Food Microbiol 1996 · PMID 8652349
pmid:8652349· abstract only · not checked
Body map 2026-10-25.1: each nutrient’s job comes from an agency fact sheet, linked beside it under Good for.
The plain words: “a lot” means one serving (100 g when the food has no serving size) gives at least 20% of the daily amount (the reference intake), “some” at least 10%, “a little” at least 2% (the cut-offs are ours, one set for every page: 20% and 10% are borrowed from the US labelling terms “high” and “good source” and applied to Health Canada’s daily amount, whereas Health Canada’s own shopper rule says 15%; provisional: they may change in a later method version). The daily amount is Health Canada’s Dietary Reference Intake for adults 19–30; where men and women need different amounts we use the higher one (protein: 56 g for men, 46 g for women). The percentage printed under each nutrient is the printed amount as a share of that daily amount, rounded to the nearest whole number, and the word is read from that percentage, so the amount, the percentage and the word always agree. Calcium with a measured absorption is scaled by how well it gets in compared with milk.
The scale: “Nothing to watch” means a serving a day stays under the limit at ordinary amounts; “Go easy” means a serving a day can push past the limit for adults who already take in the most, or fewer than 2 servings reach it; “Limit it” means once a week or less. The dataset’s own rating is under “How we got this”. Provisional: the scale may change in a later method version.
Measured absorption under Good for: grade-A studies in adults that tested this preparation of this food, as a share of the listed amount (the share digested, for protein), quoted once each source has passed our evidence check; animal studies and other variants stay in the table above. Provisional: this screen may change in a later method version.