StarKist Chunk Light Tuna in Water: 13g Protein, Labelgrade B (79/100)
B 79 / 100 — Among the most calorie-efficient whole-food protein sources in our database — 13 g of protein for 60 calories per 2 oz serving. Four-ingredient list (light tuna, water, vegetable broth, salt) is genuinely clean. The only soft spot is sodium (250 mg per 2 oz, 446 mg per 100 g) added during canning. 'No salt added' tuna variants are available with sodium under 50 mg per serving.
🛒 Buy on Amazon →The short answer
StarKist Chunk Light Tuna in Water delivers 13 g of protein for 60 calories in a 2 oz (56 g) serving — about as close to pure protein as a shelf-stable food gets, at 4.6 calories per gram of protein (USDA FDC 2035496). That’s 23 g per 100 g, zero carbs, zero sugar, four ingredients. It earns a B (79/100): protein density and ingredient quality are strong and the sugar/saturated-fat marks are perfect. One thing holds it back from an A-range score, and it’s sodium.
Why the B
| Dimension | Grade | Score | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Protein density | A- | 85 / 100 | 23 g per 100 g, and 4.6 cal per gram of protein — more calorie-efficient than chicken breast (5.3) |
| Ingredient quality | B+ | 80 / 100 | Four ingredients (tuna, water, vegetable broth, salt); nothing engineered, but the broth keeps it from a clean two-ingredient A |
| Sugar load | A+ | 100 / 100 | 0 g — structural for plain fish |
| Saturated fat | A+ | 100 / 100 | 0 g — naturally lean white fish |
| Sodium load | D | 51 / 100 | 250 mg per serving / 446 mg per 100 g, added at canning — the lowest mark on the card and the reason this isn’t an A- |
| Fiber | F | 30 / 100 | 0 g, 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 knock is sodium: a D, not a rounding error. At 446 mg per 100 g this tuna is saltier per gram than the canning adds to most plain canned salmon, and it’s the single dimension dragging an otherwise A-grade protein down to a B. For an occasional lunch it’s a non-issue; as a daily staple it’s the number to watch, and the “No Salt Added” can exists precisely for that shopper.
The mercury angle — why “chunk light” is the one to buy
This is the detail that actually separates the StarKist varieties, and it’s bigger than the price gap. “Chunk light” is made from skipjack, a small, fast-growing tuna that accumulates far less mercury than the older, larger albacore used in “white” tuna. The numbers: chunk light averages 0.13 ppm mercury vs 0.32 ppm for albacore — roughly a third of the load. That’s why the FDA/EPA put chunk light on the “Best Choices” list at 2–3 servings a week, while advising people to limit albacore. If you eat canned tuna regularly, the species on the label matters more than the brand: chunk light is the eat-more-often tuna, and it happens to be the cheaper one too.
The cheap-protein math
Tuna’s reputation as a budget protein staple is earned, and it’s worth seeing why. A drained 5 oz can carries roughly 30+ g of protein for around 150 calories — the protein of a small chicken breast, shelf-stable, no cooking, often under a couple of dollars. Per calorie it beats chicken breast (4.6 vs 5.3 cal/g of protein); per dollar it usually beats it too, especially by the multipack. The trade-off is the one above: chicken has no mercury ceiling, tuna does. For a high-protein, low-calorie pantry, the practical move is to lean on chunk light tuna for everyday lunches and cap it around the FDA’s 2–3 servings a week — which, conveniently, is also where the sodium stays comfortably in check.
How it compares
| Product | Protein per 100 g | Calories per 100 g | Cal per g protein | Sodium per 100 g |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| StarKist Chunk Light Tuna (this product) | 23 g | 107 | 4.6 | 446 mg |
| Plain cooked chicken breast | 31 g | 165 | 5.3 | ~75 mg |
| Eggland’s Best Liquid Egg Whites | 11 g | 54 | 5.0 | 163 mg |
| Fage Total 0% Greek Yogurt | 18 g | 90 | 5.0 | 65 mg |
| Premier Protein Vanilla Shake | 8.7 g per 100 mL | 46 | 5.3 | 67 mg |
Per calorie, this tuna is one of the most efficient whole-food proteins in the database — the lowest cal-per-gram figure in the table. The one column where it loses badly is sodium: every alternative here is far lower. That’s the whole product in one row: best-in-class protein efficiency, worst-in-class salt.
Ingredients
Light tuna, water, vegetable broth, salt. The vegetable broth is a canning flavor base; the salt is the entire source of that D sodium grade. (Verbatim from the USDA Branded Foods entry, FDC 2035496.)
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Quick Facts
Per serving · 2 oz (56 g)
See how this fits your day — protein calculator · macro calculator
Full nutrition facts
| Nutrient | Per Serving (2 oz (56 g)) |
|---|---|
| Calories | 60 |
| Protein | 13g |
| Total Fat | 0.5g |
| Saturated Fat | 0g |
| Trans Fat | 0g |
| Total Carbohydrates | 0g |
| Dietary Fiber | 0g |
| Total Sugars | 0g |
| Added Sugars | 0g |
| Sodium | 250mg |
| Cholesterol | 25mg |
| Iron | 0.7mg |
| Potassium | 150mg |
Scope: This page applies specifically to StarKist Chunk Light Tuna In Water · UPC 080000221209. 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 a 2 oz serving of StarKist Chunk Light Tuna?
13 grams per 2 oz (56 g) serving — 23 g per 100 g (USDA FDC 2035496). A drained 5 oz can works out to roughly 30+ g, about the protein of a small chicken breast for around 150 calories.
How many calories per serving, and why does that matter?
60 calories per 2 oz, which is 4.6 calories per gram of protein — more calorie-efficient than chicken breast (5.3). That ratio is the whole reason tuna shows up in cutting and physique diets: it's almost pure protein with the fat and water removed.
What does 'chunk light' mean, and why is it the eat-more-often tuna?
'Chunk' = broken pieces rather than a solid loin (cosmetic, and usually cheaper). 'Light' = lower-mercury species, mainly skipjack. That's the part that matters: chunk light averages 0.13 ppm mercury vs 0.32 ppm for albacore/white tuna, so the FDA lists it as a 'Best Choice' you can eat 2–3 times a week instead of rationing.
What's in it besides tuna?
Four ingredients: light tuna, water, vegetable broth, salt. The vegetable broth is a flavor base added during canning; the salt is what drives the sodium. There's no soy protein, no MSG additive listed, and nothing you wouldn't recognize — which is why ingredient quality grades B+.
How much sodium does it have, and is that a real problem?
250 mg per 2 oz — 446 mg per 100 g, which is where the D sodium grade comes from. It's the single weakest point on the card and the reason this lands at B instead of A-. For one serving it's about 11% of the daily limit; eat tuna daily and it adds up fast. StarKist's 'No Salt Added' can drops it under 50 mg if sodium is your constraint.
How does it compare to canned salmon or chicken breast?
Versus chicken breast: tuna has less protein per 100 g (23 g vs 31 g) but wins per calorie and usually per dollar. Versus canned pink salmon: tuna is a touch leaner and cheaper, but salmon brings more omega-3 and even less mercury. Rotating chunk light tuna with pink salmon covers budget, omega-3, and the mercury cap at once.
Is it keto, Whole30, and 'high in protein' under FDA rules?
Yes on all three. Zero carbs and zero sugar clear keto and Whole30 (it's just fish, water, broth, and salt), and 13 g is 26% of the 50 g Daily Value — above the 20% bar to label a food 'high in protein.'