Meat, fish, and eggs
Fresh anchovies
Fresh anchovies provide 20.4 g of protein for 131 kcal per 100 g (3.5 oz), or 15.6 g of protein for every 100 kcal.
Estimated satietyHow it is calculated
Estimated satiety: 5 out of 5
| Starting point | +1 |
|---|---|
| Low energy density: 131 kcal/100 g | +1 |
| Protein: 15.6 g/100 kcal | +2 |
| Fiber: 0.0 g/100 kcal | 0 |
| Solid food with 73.4 g of water | +1 |
Our own estimate from the values per 100 g: useful for comparing foods with each other, not a measurement in people. Holt index (1995): this food was not measured.
- Prepared by
- Alex Gonzalez
- Last updated
- Next review
- Sources
- 10 primary
- Data
- USDA FDC 174182
No clinical review. No advertising from drug companies and no affiliate links.How we work
Nutrition facts
- Calories
- 131 kcal per serving
- 131 kcal per 100 g (3.5 oz)
- Protein
- 20.4 g per serving
- 20.4 g per 100 g (3.5 oz)
- Carbohydrates
- 0 g per serving
- 0 g per 100 g (3.5 oz)
- of which sugars
- 0 g per serving
- 0 g per 100 g (3.5 oz)
- Fiber
- 0 g per serving
- 0 g per 100 g (3.5 oz)
- Fat
- 4.8 g per serving
- 4.8 g per 100 g (3.5 oz)
- of which saturated
- 1.3 g per serving
- 1.3 g per 100 g (3.5 oz)
- Water
- 73.4 g per serving
- 73.4 g per 100 g (3.5 oz)
Source: USDA FoodData Central: Fish, anchovy, european, raw (FDC ID 174182), accessed September 23, 2026.
A typical 100 g (3.5 oz) serving provides about 131 kcal, 20.4 g of protein, and 0 g of fiber.
What it is and how to eat it
According to the Dictionary of the Spanish Language, the boquerón (European anchovy) is a fish similar to the sardine but smaller, plentiful in the Mediterranean and part of the Atlantic, and anchoa is the boquerón cured in brine, although in Aragon, Burgos, Navarre, the Basque Country, La Rioja and Segovia the fresh fish is also called anchoa. They are eaten fried, grilled, marinated in vinegar or, once cured, as anchovies in oil. This page uses USDA's raw European anchovy, that is, fresh boquerón, with 131 kcal, 20.4 g of protein and 4.84 g of fat per 100 g.
A 100 g (3.5 oz) raw serving provides 20.4 g of protein and 131 kcal with 4.8 g of fat. The 2025 nutrition advisory on GLP-1 therapy lists fish among the proteins to prioritize and suggests avoiding fatty foods in the first few days of treatment, so in those days they usually sit better grilled or baked than floured and fried. Boquerones en vinagre (marinated in vinegar) are eaten cold and, well drained, may be easier to eat when the smell of hot fish makes you queasy. Anchovies in oil are a different thing: they pack a lot of salt into very little volume, so they work more as a seasoning than as the protein on the plate.
What the evidence says
Spain's Ministry of Social Rights, Consumer Affairs and 2030 Agenda lists boquerones en vinagre among the preparations that do not kill anisakis, a fish parasite, and asks for them to be frozen when made at home, at −20 °C (−4 °F) or below for five days, which only freezers rated three stars or more can reach; frying or grilling destroys it when the whole piece reaches 60 °C (140 °F) for at least one minute. In bars, restaurants and other establishments that serve food, Royal Decree 1021/2022 requires them to ensure that fish served raw, pickled, salted or with any other treatment that is not enough to kill the parasite has first been frozen at −20 °C or below for at least 24 hours, or at −35 °C for at least 15 hours. They have 1.45 g of EPA and DHA per 100 g, almost six times the 250 mg a day that EFSA considers an adequate intake for adults, and the FDA and EPA list anchovies among the "best choices" in their mercury advice. Anchovies in oil, however, have 3,670 mg of sodium per 100 g according to USDA, almost twice the 2,000 mg a day that WHO recommends not exceeding, so 10 g (0.35 oz) already provides 367 mg.
Satiety
The 1 to 5 score is our own estimate: it starts at 1 point, adds points for low energy density, for protein and fiber per 100 kcal, and for the water in solid foods, and subtracts points for drinks with calories. It is useful for comparing foods with each other; it is not a measurement in people.
What to keep in mind on a GLP-1 medication
Frequently asked questions about fresh anchovies
How much protein is in a 100 g (3.5 oz) serving of fresh anchovies?
100 g (3.5 oz) of fresh anchovies has 20.4 g of protein. A typical 100 g (3.5 oz) serving has about 20.4 g of protein. That is 15.6 g of protein per 100 kcal, which is why they carry our “High in protein” tag.
How many calories does a 100 g (3.5 oz) serving of fresh anchovies have?
100 g (3.5 oz) of fresh anchovies has 131 kcal. A typical 100 g (3.5 oz) serving has about 131 kcal. That is a low energy density.
Are fresh anchovies filling?
Yes, very filling for the calories they provide: our estimated satiety score is 5 out of 5. Calculation: 1 (base) + 1 (low energy density: 131 kcal/100 g) + 2 (protein: 15.6 g/100 kcal) + 0 (fiber: 0.0 g/100 kcal) + 1 (solid food with 73.4 g of water) = 5. It is an estimate based on its composition, not a measurement in people.
What should I know about fresh anchovies on a GLP-1 medication?
Based on our tags, this is what matters about fresh anchovies on a GLP-1 medication. “High in protein”: plenty of protein per calorie; protein helps preserve muscle mass when you eat less. These are general guidelines, not medical advice: everyone tolerates foods differently.
What counts as a normal serving of fresh anchovies?
We use 100 g (3.5 oz) as a typical serving. That amount provides about 131 kcal, 20.4 g of protein, and 0 g of fiber. It is a reference for calculations, not a recommendation of how much to eat.
Similar foods
Sources
Sources for the data on this page, with the access date.
- Official databaseU.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service.USDA FoodData Central: Fish, anchovy, european, raw (FDC ID 174182).accessed .
- InstitutionRoyal Spanish Academy and Association of Academies of the Spanish Language (RAE-ASALE).Diccionario de la lengua española (Dictionary of the Spanish Language, 23rd ed., online version): "boquerón" (in Spanish).accessed .
- InstitutionRoyal Spanish Academy and Association of Academies of the Spanish Language (RAE-ASALE).Diccionario de la lengua española (Dictionary of the Spanish Language, 23rd ed., online version): "anchoa" (in Spanish).accessed .
- Clinical guidelineObesity (Wiley).Mozaffarian D, et al. Nutritional priorities to support GLP-1 therapy for obesity: A joint Advisory from the American College of Lifestyle Medicine, the American Society for Nutrition, the Obesity Medicine Association, and The Obesity Society. Obesity. 2025;33(8):1475-1503. doi:10.1002/oby.24336.accessed .
- RegulatorMinistry of Social Rights, Consumer Affairs and 2030 Agenda (Spain).Anisakis (consumer advice; in Spanish).accessed .
- RegulatorOfficial State Gazette (BOE, Spain).Real Decreto 1021/2022, de 13 de diciembre (Royal Decree 1021/2022 on food hygiene requirements in retail and food-service establishments; consolidated text, article 8; in Spanish).accessed .
- RegulatorEuropean Food Safety Authority (EFSA).EFSA NDA Panel. Scientific Opinion on Dietary Reference Values for fats, including saturated fatty acids, polyunsaturated fatty acids, monounsaturated fatty acids, trans fatty acids, and cholesterol. EFSA Journal. 2010;8(3):1461.accessed .
- RegulatorU.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).Advice about Eating Fish: For Those Who Might Become or Are Pregnant or Breastfeeding and Children Ages 1-11 Years.accessed .
- Official databaseU.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service.USDA FoodData Central: Fish, anchovy, european, canned in oil, drained solids (FDC ID 174183).accessed .
- InstitutionWorld Health Organization.Sodium reduction.accessed .