Fish is a must if you’re looking to pack on lean muscle, and two of the best (and most wallet-friendly) options are salmon and tuna. Each is a surefire way to get a heavy dose of protein, but to find out which is really the better option, we turned to Karen Ansel, R.D., spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Her take:
“Salmon may have more calories,” she says, “but for an active guy, that’s not so bad. For those extra 16 calories per serving, you get heart-healthy fats, nearly as much calcium as a glass of milk, and almost an entire daily dose of vitamin D, which is almost impossible to find in other foods—including tuna.”
| Tuna | Salmon | |
| Cost Per Can | $1-2 | $2-3 |
| Calories | 181 | 197 |
| Protein | 33g | 28g |
| Saturated Fat | > 1g | > 2g |
| Fat | 4g | 9g |
| Intangibles | Vitamins B12, B6, Selenium | Heart-Healthy Fats, Vitamin D, Calcium |
*** Winner: Salmon ***
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