Chicken of the Sea Pink Salmon: 10g Protein, Labelgrade B (79/100)
B 79 / 100 — Strong protein density (17.9g per 100g), very low saturated fat, and effectively zero sugar.
🛒 Buy on Amazon →The short answer
Chicken of the Sea Pink Salmon delivers 10g of protein for 60 calories in a 56g serving (USDA FDC 2678597) — about 17.9g of protein per 100g, or 5.1g per ounce. It’s the affordable, grocery-shelf canned salmon: lean protein, the omega-3s that come with the fish, and the soft, edible bones that are an easy source of calcium most people throw away when they buy fillets. It earns a B (79/100) — saturated fat and sugar are perfect, and the only real drag is sodium.
Why the B
| Dimension | Grade | Score | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Protein density | B | 77 / 100 | 17.9g per 100g — strong, but trails water-light packs because some serving weight is broth |
| Ingredient quality | B+ | 80 / 100 | Four ingredients, no additive flags; the broth carries a soy allergen |
| Saturated fat load | A+ | 100 / 100 | 0g — naturally lean fish |
| Sodium load | C+ | 66 / 100 | 180mg per serving (91mg per oz) — the one real knock |
| Sugar load | A+ | 100 / 100 | 0g — as expected for plain fish |
| Fiber | F | 30 / 100 | 0g — unavoidable for any pure animal protein |
The fiber “F” is structural: no animal protein has fiber, and the grade doesn’t pretend otherwise. The honest weak spot is sodium — 180mg is fine occasionally, but a full can roughly triples that, and salt is added during canning. Draining the can recovers some of the gap. Protein density lands a notch lower than the leanest canned fish for a specific, non-damning reason covered next.
The value pick vs. Wild Planet — what the price buys
This is the comparison most shoppers are actually weighing, so it’s worth being precise. Chicken of the Sea and Wild Planet sell the same species — Pacific pink salmon — but pack it differently, and that single choice explains both the price gap and the nutrition gap.
Chicken of the Sea lists water and vegetable broth as the second and third ingredients. Wild Planet’s pink salmon is two ingredients — salmon and sea salt — packed without added water. The consequence shows up on the label: per 100g of product, Wild Planet reads 21.2g protein to Chicken of the Sea’s 17.9g, because here you’re paying for (and eating) some packing liquid. Drain Wild Planet and the protein-per-can is higher; drain this can and you’ve poured off some of what you bought.
That is not a knock on quality — it’s the entire trade. You’re buying convenience and price, not a worse fish. If you want the most drained protein per can and the cleanest two-word label, Wild Planet is the premium pick. If you want shelf-stable salmon at grocery-staple pricing for patties, salads, and quick lunches, this is the sensible value buy — and the bones-and-omega-3 advantages of canned pink salmon are identical in both cans.
Salmon or tuna?
If you’re standing in the canned-fish aisle deciding between this and a can of tuna, the deciders aren’t the macros — they’re close. Pink salmon carries meaningfully more omega-3 (EPA/DHA) and far less mercury than albacore (white) tuna, so it’s the better choice for anyone eating canned fish several times a week. Albacore is marginally leaner and chunk-light tuna is usually a bit cheaper. The practical move: rotate pink salmon with chunk-light (not albacore) tuna, and you cover the omega-3, the mercury, and the budget all at once.
Who it’s for
Cheap, shelf-stable protein you can build quick meals around — salmon patties, salads, a fast high-protein lunch with crackers and mustard. The bones make it a quiet calcium source, and salmon beats tuna on omega-3 and mercury for frequent eaters. Two shoppers should look elsewhere: anyone avoiding soy (it’s in the broth), and anyone chasing maximum drained protein per can or a strict two-ingredient label, who should step up to Wild Planet’s water-free pack.
Ingredients
Pink salmon, water, vegetable broth (contains soy), and salt. The water and broth are the packing liquid; the soy lives in the vegetable broth, which is the one allergen to flag. (Verbatim from the USDA Branded Foods entry, FDC 2678597.)
Where to buy
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Quick Facts
Per serving · 56GRM
Full nutrition facts
| Nutrient | Per Serving (56GRM) |
|---|---|
| Calories | 59.9 |
| Protein | 10g |
| Total Fat | 1.5g |
| Saturated Fat | 0g |
| Trans Fat | 0g |
| Total Carbohydrates | 0g |
| Dietary Fiber | 0g |
| Total Sugars | 0g |
| Sodium | 180mg |
| Cholesterol | 20.2mg |
| Calcium | 0mg |
| Iron | 0.358mg |
Scope: This page applies specifically to Chicken Of The Sea, Pink Salmon (142 g/5 oz) · UPC 048000011978. Other sizes, flavors, or formulations may differ.
How this fits each diet
Each score is computed from the same USDA nutrition + ingredient data, against the published rules of each diet. They tell you "does this food fit this diet" — not whether the diet is right for you.
contains animal-derived ingredients
contains meat, fish, or gelatin
no wheat, barley, rye, or malt detected in USDA ingredient list
Frequently Asked Questions
How much protein is in Chicken of the Sea Pink Salmon?
10 grams per 56g serving (USDA FDC 2678597) — about 17.9g per 100g, or 5.1g per ounce. The 142g/5oz can holds roughly 2.5 label servings, so a whole can is in the neighborhood of 25g of protein.
Why is its protein per 100g lower than Wild Planet pink salmon?
Because it's packed differently. Chicken of the Sea lists water and vegetable broth as the second and third ingredients, so some of every serving's weight is the packing liquid. Wild Planet packs its pink salmon without added water, which is why the same fish reads 21.2g protein per 100g there versus 17.9g here. It's a packing difference, not a quality difference — and it's the main reason Chicken of the Sea costs less.
Are the bones in canned pink salmon safe to eat?
Yes, and you usually want to. The canning process softens the small backbones until they crush with a fork, and they're the main reason canned salmon is associated with calcium that fillets don't give you. Mashed into a patty or salad you won't notice them. (Note: this specific USDA entry lists calcium as 0mg, which is common when a manufacturer doesn't submit the value — the bones are still in the can.)
Salmon or canned tuna — which should I buy?
For frequent eaters, pink salmon has the edge: more omega-3 (EPA/DHA) and lower mercury than albacore (white) tuna, so you can eat it more often without worrying about accumulation. Light tuna is a touch leaner and often cheaper. Rotating pink salmon with chunk-light tuna covers both the omega-3 and the budget angle.
How much sodium per serving?
180mg per 56g serving — about 8% of the FDA's 2,300mg daily limit, or 91mg per ounce. That's the one number holding the grade down (sodium load scores C+). Draining the can before you eat rinses off some of the surface salt.
Does it contain any allergens?
Yes — soy. The vegetable broth used in the pack contains soy, so this isn't a fit if you avoid soy. The fish itself is also a finned-fish allergen. There's no gluten or dairy in the four-ingredient panel.
Is Chicken of the Sea Pink Salmon keto-friendly?
Yes. 0g total carbs, 0g sugar, 1.5g fat, 10g protein per 56g serving — net carbs are 0g, which fits ketogenic and low-carb protocols cleanly.
When was this data last verified?
2026-06-03, against USDA FoodData Central FDC 2678597. We re-verify top-traffic pages monthly and update within 7 days when a manufacturer reformulates.