Thanks a lot for your comment and for taking the time to run the numbers. :)
A few thoughts in response to your points:
The 0.9 g EPA/DHA per 100 g you used is on the lower end, and many sources put sardines higher. We used ~1.4 g as an average in the table, which changes the calculation somewhat. But more importantly, sardines don’t just replace EPA/DHA supplements. They also replace the protein source of a meal (often the most expensive component) and provide several other nutrients, that would otherwise have to be supplemented (e.g. B12) or that are not essential but beneficial (e.g. carninutrients).
I agree that incorporating half a tin of sardines per day wouldn’t be very practical for most people. If you look at it weekly though it’s 315 g, which corresponds to about three meals where sardines are the main protein source. Whether that’s easy to manage will differ a lot between individuals and probably depend heavily on how pleasant or unpleasant one finds the taste. It can be quite strong (mostly true for canned sardines, not fresh ones), but it also varies by brand (I’d recommend e.g. “Fish Tales”), and people can also aquire the taste over time. I agree that for some people taking supplements is behaviourally easier than having about 3 sardine (or mussel) meals per week.
One important point here is that sardine prices vary quite a lot by country. In Germany they’re relatively expensive, whereas in countries like France or the UK they’re often noticeably cheaper. Beyond that, I think again it’s important to consider that sardines don’t just provide protein, but also EPA/DHA and several other micronutrients, which might otherwise need to be supplemented. That effectively reduces their price compared to looking at protein alone.
Thanks a lot for your comment and for taking the time to run the numbers. :)
A few thoughts in response to your points:
The 0.9 g EPA/DHA per 100 g you used is on the lower end, and many sources put sardines higher. We used ~1.4 g as an average in the table, which changes the calculation somewhat. But more importantly, sardines don’t just replace EPA/DHA supplements. They also replace the protein source of a meal (often the most expensive component) and provide several other nutrients, that would otherwise have to be supplemented (e.g. B12) or that are not essential but beneficial (e.g. carninutrients).
I agree that incorporating half a tin of sardines per day wouldn’t be very practical for most people. If you look at it weekly though it’s 315 g, which corresponds to about three meals where sardines are the main protein source. Whether that’s easy to manage will differ a lot between individuals and probably depend heavily on how pleasant or unpleasant one finds the taste. It can be quite strong (mostly true for canned sardines, not fresh ones), but it also varies by brand (I’d recommend e.g. “Fish Tales”), and people can also aquire the taste over time. I agree that for some people taking supplements is behaviourally easier than having about 3 sardine (or mussel) meals per week.
One important point here is that sardine prices vary quite a lot by country. In Germany they’re relatively expensive, whereas in countries like France or the UK they’re often noticeably cheaper. Beyond that, I think again it’s important to consider that sardines don’t just provide protein, but also EPA/DHA and several other micronutrients, which might otherwise need to be supplemented. That effectively reduces their price compared to looking at protein alone.
Hope this is helpful!