Healthiest Seafood, Ranked by Nutrition
Fish and shellfish are some of the most nutrient-dense foods on earth. We ranked them all.
Whole-category ranking instead of cherry-picked favorites
Nutrient density scoring that accounts for calories
Clear standout nutrients for each recommended food
Created By
EatAndAchieve Editorial System
AI-assisted editorial system
This content is assembled from USDA FoodData Central data, in-house ranking logic, and reusable editorial templates to make nutrition information easier to understand.
Reviewed By
Jordan Vale
Founder, editor, and product builder
Jordan reviews pages for clarity, methodology, and product accuracy before they go live. He also maintains the code, data pipeline, and editorial standards for the site.
How This Page Is Made
Pages on EatAndAchieve combine USDA source data, site-specific scoring logic, and AI-assisted drafting, then receive human review for clarity and methodology. They are educational tools, not medical advice. Read more on the About page.
We analyzed all 266 finfish and shellfish products in the USDA database and ranked them by overall nutritional density — factoring in protein, fiber, vitamins, and minerals relative to calories. All values are per 100g from USDA FoodData Central.
What is being ranked
These are category-specific foods scored for overall nutrient density, not just one headline vitamin or mineral.
Why calories matter
Foods score better when they deliver more useful nutrition for the calories they cost.
How to read it
Use the top of the list for reliable staples, then scan the tradeoffs before making a food a daily default.
What makes this category strong
Category spotlights are broader than nutrient posts. They reward foods that do several jobs well at once instead of winning one narrow metric.
Best for
Finding reliable staples inside one aisle of the grocery store.
Read the list this way
Higher-ranked foods usually combine better micronutrients, better fiber or protein, and a more reasonable calorie tradeoff.
Mollusks, oyster, eastern, wild, raw
Mollusks, oyster, eastern, wild, raw takes the top spot because the overall nutrient return for its calories is better than anything else we screened in this category. Its clearest standout is iron (26% DV).
Mollusks, octopus, common, raw
Mollusks, octopus, common, raw ranks #2 and lands roughly in the top 1% of foods we screened in this category. Its main nutritional strengths are protein (30% DV), iron (29% DV).
Mollusks, mussel, blue, raw
Mollusks, mussel, blue, raw makes the list because its overall nutrient density holds up well against the rest of this category. The biggest contributors to its score are protein (24% DV), iron (22% DV).
Fish, catfish, channel, wild, raw
Fish, catfish, channel, wild, raw makes the list because its overall nutrient density holds up well against the rest of this category. Its clearest standout is protein (33% DV).
Mollusks, conch, baked or broiled
Mollusks, conch, baked or broiled ranks #5 and lands roughly in the top 2% of foods we screened in this category. Where it really pulls ahead is protein (53% DV), magnesium (57% DV), folate (45% DV). The protein content also makes it more filling and more useful in complete meals.
Worth knowing
Relatively high in cholesterol at 65mg per 100g.
Fish, salmon, chinook, smoked
Fish, salmon, chinook, smoked makes the list because its overall nutrient density holds up well against the rest of this category. Its clearest standout is protein (37% DV).
Worth knowing
High in sodium at 672mg per 100g, so it may not be the best fit for a low-sodium diet.
Fish, pollock, Atlantic, raw
Fish, pollock, Atlantic, raw ranks #7 and lands roughly in the top 3% of foods we screened in this category. The easiest thing to notice here is the protein (39% DV).
Worth knowing
Relatively high in cholesterol at 71mg per 100g.
Fish, pike, northern, raw
Fish, pike, northern, raw makes the list because its overall nutrient density holds up well against the rest of this category. The easiest thing to notice here is the protein (39% DV).
Fish, tuna, fresh, bluefin, raw
Fish, tuna, fresh, bluefin, raw makes the list because its overall nutrient density holds up well against the rest of this category. Its main nutritional strengths are protein (47% DV), vitamin A (73% DV). It is also easier to use as a real meal anchor because the protein is doing meaningful work.
Fish, carp, raw
Fish, carp, raw earns this spot by delivering a strong mix of nutrients without wasting too many calories. The easiest thing to notice here is the protein (36% DV).
Worth knowing
Relatively high in cholesterol at 66mg per 100g.
Fish, sunfish, pumpkin seed, raw
Fish, sunfish, pumpkin seed, raw earns this spot by delivering a strong mix of nutrients without wasting too many calories. Its clearest standout is protein (39% DV).
Worth knowing
Relatively high in cholesterol at 67mg per 100g.
Fish, lingcod, raw
Fish, lingcod, raw ranks #12 and lands roughly in the top 5% of foods we screened in this category. Its clearest standout is protein (35% DV).
Fish, smelt, rainbow, raw
Fish, smelt, rainbow, raw ranks #13 and lands roughly in the top 5% of foods we screened in this category. The easiest thing to notice here is the protein (35% DV).
Worth knowing
Relatively high in cholesterol at 70mg per 100g.
Fish, cod, Pacific, cooked, dry heat (may contain additives to retain moisture) makes the list because its overall nutrient density holds up well against the rest of this category. Its clearest standout is protein (37% DV).
Crustaceans, lobster, northern, raw
Crustaceans, lobster, northern, raw ranks #15 and lands roughly in the top 6% of foods we screened in this category. The easiest thing to notice here is the protein (33% DV).
Worth knowing
High in sodium at 423mg per 100g, so it may not be the best fit for a low-sodium diet.
How We Ranked
Each food was scored by adding up its contribution to 12 key daily values (protein, fiber, iron, calcium, potassium, vitamin A, C, D, magnesium, zinc, folate, and B12), capped at 100% each, then normalized by calories. This rewards foods that pack the most nutrition per calorie — true nutrient density.