Should you grab the no-salt-added tuna or the sea salt variety? The answer depends on what you're making and whether you're watching your sodium intake. No-salt-added tuna lets you control exactly how much salt ends up in your food, making it ideal for cooking and for people on low-sodium diets. Sea salt tuna comes ready to eat with flavor already built in, perfect for sandwiches and quick meals. Both options pack the same protein and omega-3s. The main difference is simply whether you want to add your own seasoning or let the can do the work. Most people benefit from keeping both in the pantry for different situations.
The Simple Difference Between These Two Options
The only ingredient difference is sea salt. No-salt-added tuna contains just albacore tuna. The sea salt variety contains albacore tuna and sea salt. That's it.
What This Means for Sodium
Tuna naturally contains a small amount of sodium from living in the ocean. The no-salt-added version has only this naturally occurring sodium. The sea salt version has more because salt was added during canning.
If you're not tracking sodium, this difference might not matter much to you. If you are watching your intake, the no-salt-added option keeps things low.
Why People Choose No-Salt-Added Tuna
Skipping the salt gives you options. You decide what goes into your meal.
Control Over Seasoning
Some recipes already have plenty of salty ingredients. Think soy sauce in a poke bowl, olives in a Niçoise salad, or capers in pasta. Starting with no-salt-added tuna keeps your finished dish from becoming too salty.
You might also prefer seasoning your tuna with other flavors entirely. Lemon, herbs, and spices can shine through when salt isn't competing for attention.
Why People Choose Sea Salt Tuna
Sometimes you want food that's ready to go. Sea salt tuna delivers flavor straight from the can.
Convenience Wins
Opening a can and having it taste good immediately saves time. The salt is already mixed throughout the fish, so every bite has consistent flavor.
This matters most when you're:
- Making a quick tuna salad for lunch
- Adding protein to a green salad
- Eating straight from the can as a snack
- Throwing together a tuna melt
- Short on time and hungry
No extra steps, no seasoning required.
Familiar Flavor
If you grew up eating tuna sandwiches, sea salt tuna tastes like what you remember. The salt brings out the savory quality of the fish that many people expect from canned tuna.
How They Taste Different
Salt changes flavor perception. This affects how each product tastes when you open the can.
Sea Salt Tuna
The flavor hits right away. Salt enhances savory notes and makes the tuna taste richer and more pronounced. Most people find it satisfying without any additions.
No-Salt-Added Tuna
The taste is lighter and lets the actual fish flavor come through. Some describe it as cleaner or more delicate. Quality albacore has a subtle sweetness that you notice more without salt.
Neither tastes better or worse. They simply taste different, and your preference might change depending on how you plan to use it.
What About Nutrition?
Both products offer the same benefits where it counts. You get high protein, omega-3 fatty acids, and zero carbohydrates regardless of which one you choose.
The Numbers
- Protein: 23-24 grams per serving in both varieties
- Carbs: Zero in both
- Omega-3s: Fully retained in both through single-cook processing
- Calories: Around 160-170 per serving
The sodium difference is the only notable nutritional distinction. Everything else stays consistent between the two products.
American Tuna's Approach to Both Products
American Tuna makes both no-salt-added and sea salt varieties using the same quality standards and sourcing practices.
How It's Made
Both products contain one-by-one caught albacore tuna from an MSC Certified Fishery. Each can traces back to an individual U.S. flagged vessel. The fish is hand packed by artisanal canners in Oregon and Washington State.
Neither variety contains water, oil, vegetable broth, or fillers. The tuna is cooked once, in the can, which keeps all the omega-3s and flavor inside. This is why you shouldn't drain the liquid—it's not water or oil, it's nutrients from the fish itself.
The no-salt-added tuna comes in 5oz cans while the sea salt version comes in 6oz cans. Both feature easy-open pop top lids and are available in packs of 3, 6, or 12.
Check out American Tuna to try both and see which fits your kitchen.
Tips for Using Each Type
Getting the best results means matching the product to your recipe.
With No-Salt-Added Tuna
Taste before you season. You might need less salt than you think, especially if other ingredients contribute flavor. This variety works well in recipes where you want precise control or where the tuna isn't the star of the show.
With Sea Salt Tuna
Cut back on any salt your recipe calls for. The tuna already brings sodium to the dish. This variety shines in simple preparations where you want the tuna to taste good on its own.
The Bottom Line
Neither option is universally better. No-salt-added tuna gives you control and works for low-sodium diets and recipes with salty ingredients. Sea salt tuna offers convenience and ready-to-eat flavor for sandwiches, salads, and snacking.
Many people keep both on hand. Use no-salt-added when you're cooking something complex or watching sodium. Grab the sea salt version when you want lunch on the table in five minutes.
Both deliver quality albacore protein with omega-3s. The only question is whether you want to season it yourself or let it come that way.