StarKist Solid White Albacore Tuna in Water: Nutrition & Labelgrade B+ (80/100)
B+ 80 / 100 — About as lean a protein as packaged food gets: ~22g of protein per 100g, 1.5g of fat, zero carbs and sugar. The only thing keeping it out of A territory is sodium (240mg per small pouch) and a short, mostly clean ingredient deck that includes pyrophosphate. A genuinely strong, cheap, shelf-stable protein.
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StarKist Solid White Albacore Tuna in Water delivers 16 g of protein for about 80 calories in a single 2.6 oz (74 g) pouch — roughly 22 g of protein per 100 g, with just 1.5 g of fat and zero carbs or sugar (USDA FDC 2035415). On macros alone it is about as lean and calorie-efficient as packaged protein gets, and it earns a B+ (80/100). Two things keep it out of the A range: sodium (240 mg in a small pouch) and one non-fish additive, pyrophosphate. The asterisk that doesn’t show up on the nutrition panel is mercury — albacore is the higher-mercury end of canned tuna — which is a reason to enjoy it in rotation rather than daily.
Why the B+
| Dimension | Grade | Score | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Protein density | B+ | 82 / 100 | ~22 g per 100 g — strong for a ready-to-eat food; 16 g packed into 80 calories |
| Ingredient quality | B+ | 80 / 100 | Five ingredients, four of them whole-food; the lone additive is a common seafood stabilizer |
| Saturated fat | A+ | 97 / 100 | 0.5 g per pouch — negligible; albacore is exceptionally lean |
| Sugar | A+ | 100 / 100 | 0 g sugar, 0 g carbs — keto- and low-carb-clean |
| Sodium | C+ | 65 / 100 | 240 mg per pouch — the one real knock; a low-sodium version exists at ~70 mg |
| Fiber | F | 30 / 100 | 0 g — structural for any pure animal protein |
The fiber “F” is unavoidable — no fish has fiber, and the formula doesn’t pretend otherwise. The honest knock is sodium: at 240 mg the C+ is real, and it’s why a low-sodium albacore exists for people eating tuna several times a week. Worth flagging that this is one of the rare two-number stories on the site: the panel grades out cleanly, but the thing a label can’t score — mercury — is the actual reason to ration albacore.
The mercury trade-off the label can’t show you
This is the part of the albacore decision that nutrition facts simply don’t capture, so it’s worth being direct. Albacore (“white”) tuna is a larger, longer-lived species than the skipjack used in canned “light” tuna, and it accumulates correspondingly more methylmercury — averaging around 0.3+ ppm versus roughly 0.1 ppm for light tuna, about triple. That gap is precisely why the FDA and EPA tell pregnant people, nursing mothers, and young children to cap albacore at about one serving a week while treating light tuna as a more frequent option.
For most adults this is a moderation note, not a warning: a pouch now and then is a clean, lean protein with no downside. But it reframes the grade. The B+ here describes the macros and ingredients; it does not say “eat this every day.” If canned fish is your everyday protein, the species you reach for daily should be the lower-mercury one.
Albacore vs light tuna vs salmon
The fair comparison is the rest of the canned-fish aisle — the cheaper chunk light (skipjack) on one side, and canned pink salmon on the other. Sodium figures below are the verified panel values for each product, not estimates.
| Product | Protein / serving | Calories | Sodium | Species / note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| StarKist Albacore (this pouch) | 16 g (74 g) | 80 | 240 mg | Albacore — leaner, milder, higher mercury |
| Bumble Bee Solid White Albacore | 13 g (56 g) | 60 | 140 mg | Albacore — lower-sodium albacore option |
| StarKist Chunk Light | 13 g (56 g) | 60 | 250 mg | Skipjack — ~⅓ the mercury, cheaper |
| Bumble Bee Chunk Light | 11 g (56 g) | 50 | 180 mg | Skipjack — lowest-sodium light option |
Per gram of food these barely separate on macros — they are all excellent lean proteins. The real deciders are species and price, not protein. Two practical reads: among the albacores, Bumble Bee’s solid white runs notably lower in sodium (140 mg) than this StarKist pouch (240 mg), so a sodium-watcher who wants albacore has a cleaner pick; and stepping down to chunk light cuts mercury by roughly two-thirds for almost no nutritional loss. Salmon is the third lane: canned pink salmon (Wild Planet, 18 g protein for 90 calories) brings meaningfully more EPA/DHA omega-3 and far less mercury than any albacore, which is why a salmon-plus-light-tuna rotation covers omega-3, mercury, and budget better than albacore alone.
Whole-food equivalent
One pouch (16 g protein) ≈ 52 g of cooked chicken breast (about 1.8 oz), and unlike most “convenient protein” there is almost no nutritional penalty for the convenience: it’s real fish whose only processing is cooking, water-packing, salting, and one stabilizer. The trade versus searing your own tuna steak is the 240 mg of sodium (you’d add maybe 50 mg yourself), the pyrophosphate, and — for albacore specifically — the mercury that comes with the species. Otherwise this eats like, because it essentially is, plain cooked tuna in a pouch you can open at a desk.
Scope
This page covers StarKist Solid White Albacore Tuna in Water in the 2.6 oz (74 g) pouch (UPC 080000517203, USDA FDC 2035415). StarKist sells this albacore in cans too, plus a low-sodium albacore (~70 mg) and a separate chunk light line (skipjack — lower mercury, cheaper). Macros track closely across the water-packed versions; sodium and species are what move. Oil-packed versions add fat and calories. Always check the specific can or pouch — especially the sodium line.
Ingredients
White tuna, water, vegetable broth, salt, pyrophosphate. (Verbatim from the USDA Branded Foods entry, FDC 2035415. The lone non-fish additive, sodium pyrophosphate, is a texture and color stabilizer.)
Where to buy
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Quick Facts
Per serving · 1 pouch (74 g)
See how this fits your day — protein calculator · macro calculator
Full nutrition facts
| Nutrient | Per Serving (1 pouch (74 g)) |
|---|---|
| Calories | 79.9 |
| Protein | 16g |
| Total Fat | 1.5g |
| Saturated Fat | 0.503g |
| Trans Fat | 0g |
| Total Carbohydrates | 0g |
| Dietary Fiber | 0g |
| Sodium | 240mg |
| Cholesterol | 25.2mg |
| Iron | 0.363mg |
| Potassium | 220mg |
Scope: This page applies specifically to StarKist Solid White Albacore Tuna in Water (2.6 oz (74 g) pouch) · UPC 080000517203. 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 StarKist Solid White Albacore Tuna in Water?
16 g per 2.6 oz (74 g) pouch — about 22 g per 100 g (USDA FDC 2035415). At ~80 calories, almost every one of those calories is protein, which is the entire appeal of water-packed albacore.
Why is albacore graded the same B+ as cheaper chunk light tuna?
Because Labelgrade scores the nutrition panel, not the species. Albacore's macros (16 g protein, 1.5 g fat, 0 carbs per pouch) and chunk light's are nearly identical, so both land at B+. What the panel can't show is mercury — albacore runs about three times higher than chunk light — which is a safety distinction, not a macro one.
How much mercury does albacore have, and who should limit it?
Albacore ('white') tuna averages roughly 0.3+ ppm methylmercury versus about 0.1 ppm for canned light (skipjack) tuna — about triple. The FDA/EPA advice: most adults can have albacore in moderation, but pregnant or nursing people and young children should cap albacore at roughly one serving a week and lean on light tuna instead. The nutrition is great; the mercury is the reason to rotate it.
How does it compare to canned pink salmon for omega-3s?
Pink salmon (e.g. Wild Planet, 18 g protein / 90 cal) carries meaningfully more EPA/DHA omega-3 than water-packed albacore and far less mercury, so you can eat salmon more often. Albacore is leaner and usually cheaper. Rotating the two gives you the omega-3 of salmon and the price of tuna.
How much sodium does the pouch have?
240 mg per pouch — about 10% of the 2,300 mg daily limit, and the one number holding the grade to B+. It's added during processing; StarKist also sells a low-sodium albacore at roughly 70 mg per pouch if tuna is a daily habit.
What is pyrophosphate doing in the ingredients?
Sodium pyrophosphate is a texture and color stabilizer that keeps the tuna from turning metallic or 'struvite'-gritty over a long shelf life. It's a common, FDA-approved seafood additive, adds a little to the sodium total, and is the only thing in the pouch that isn't tuna, water, broth, or salt.
Is it 'high in protein' under FDA rules?
Yes. 16 g is 32% of the FDA's 50 g Daily Value, comfortably above the 20% threshold for a 'high in protein' claim — strong for a snack-sized pouch you can eat with no prep.