Tinned fish like sardines and anchovies are a convenient, inexpensive way to add umami to meals and snacks. Both sardines and anchovies contain plenty of essential nutrients, but are one healthier than the other?

Anchovies vs. Sardines: What's the Difference?

Anchovies and sardines are both small, oily fish that can be eaten fresh or preserved.

“Sardines are slightly larger with white flesh and less intense flavor, and anchovies are long, skinny, and round with darker red-gray flesh and more intense flavor,” Shelly Wegman, RDN , a clinical dietitian at UNC Health Rex, told Verywell.

Sardines are usually steamed before being packed in oil or water, while anchovies are cured with salt. They both come as filets, but anchovies also come in paste form. Preserved anchovies are much saltier

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