Calories in Salmon UK: Fresh, Smoked and Tinned Compared (2026)

Fancy a salmon fillet tonight? A standard 140g one packs around 290 calories, but here’s the brilliant news for us Slimming Worlders: it's completely free when baked, poached, or grilled without added fat! Surprisingly, even with its higher fat content (hello, healthy omega-3s!), plain salmon is always a go-to zero-syn choice.

This handy guide covers calories for just about every salmon format you can think of – fresh fillets, smoked salmon, tinned salmon, and even fish fingers – with all the Slimming World syn values and WW SmartPoints you need.

So, exactly how many calories are we talking for salmon?

Right, let's get down to the nitty-gritty. Generally, fresh salmon comes in at around 208 kcal per 100g. That standard 140g fillet you grab from the supermarket? That's about 291 kcal. Smoked salmon is a bit lower at 142 kcal per 100g – mainly because we tend to eat it in much smaller, delicate portions. And if you're a fan of tinned salmon, the brine-packed stuff is roughly 128 kcal per 100g once drained.

Just a heads-up, salmon en croute is definitely the one to watch if you're counting every calorie – coming in at a whopping 480 kcal per serving. That's because the delicious pastry case adds around 200 kcal on top of the salmon! But remember, all plain salmon, cooked without any extra fat or pastry, is totally free on Slimming World.

So, is salmon actually free on Slimming World?

Absolutely! And this is brilliant news for anyone on plan. Fresh, smoked, tinned, and even frozen salmon fillets are all completely free on Slimming World, as long as you cook them without any added fat. That includes salmon packed in brine, spring water, or even tomato sauce. Oh, and here's a handy one: salmon in oil is free too! The oil is just for keeping it lovely and fresh, and we only count the fish itself, not the packing liquid.

Now, the usual caveat applies to anything with added bits. Processed salmon products – think fishcakes, those tasty fish fingers, a luxurious salmon en croute, or smoked salmon pâté – aren't going to be free because of all the extra ingredients like breadcrumbs, pastry, or cream cheese. But any plain salmon, in its simplest form, is fair game!

What's the lowdown on calories in smoked salmon?

Right, let's talk about my go-to for a quick, fancy-feeling lunch: smoked salmon! It's around 142 kcal per 100g, so a standard 50g serving you might pop on your plate is roughly 71 kcal. A typical packet from the supermarket, usually 100–120g, will be about 142–170 kcal for the whole thing – and, importantly, still completely free on Slimming World! Honestly, I always keep a packet of this in the fridge.

I find smoked salmon such a brilliant value food on plan, especially for a light but satisfying meal. Imagine this: a 100g pack with a couple of scrambled eggs (those are about 156 kcal for two large ones) and a toasted wholemeal muffin (your HEB, so also free). That's a complete 450 kcal breakfast for absolutely 0 syns! You’d be hard-pressed to find a ready-made smoked salmon lunch from a supermarket meal deal that's this filling, for fewer calories and syns, let alone the price.

What about tinned salmon – how many calories are in that?

Now, for the budget-friendly option – tinned salmon! If you go for the one in brine, it’s roughly 128 kcal per 100g once it's drained. That's pretty similar to tinned tuna, which is about 116 kcal per 100g in brine. So, a standard 105g tin, drained, will be around 134 kcal and, you guessed it, free on Slimming World. If you pick the one in sunflower oil, once drained, it's closer to 167 kcal per 100g.

I find tinned salmon an absolute lifesaver for cheaper, speedy midweek meals. It works a treat in things like salmon pasta, homemade salmon fishcakes (much better than the shop-bought synful ones!), and those comforting salmon and potato bakes. And here’s a fantastic fact: the healthy omega-3 content in tinned salmon is actually comparable to fresh. So you’re getting all those brilliant nutrients at a fraction of the price – win-win!

Is salmon a good choice if I'm trying to lose weight?

Absolutely, salmon is a fantastic ally when you're on a weight loss journey. It's packed with high protein and those amazing omega-3s, both of which are brilliant for curbing your appetite and helping you feel full and satisfied for longer. I was honestly surprised when I looked this up, but research published in 'Appetite' back in 2008 actually showed that meals with fish left people feeling much more satisfied than beef meals of the same calorie count, leading them to eat 11% fewer calories at their next meal! How good is that?

Practically speaking, a 140g salmon fillet, coming in at 291 kcal, gives you a solid 28g of protein. That’s similar to a chicken breast, but with way more of those beneficial omega-3s. That winning combo of protein and healthy fats in salmon really does a number on satiety, keeping those hunger pangs at bay. I've heard so many members on plan say that if they swap out chicken for salmon two or three times a week, they find themselves snacking much less between meals.

Salmon vs. Tuna: which one has fewer calories?

Right, the classic fishy face-off! If you're purely looking at calorie numbers, tuna generally comes out on top as the lower-calorie option. Tinned tuna in brine, for instance, is about 116 kcal per 100g, whereas tinned salmon is a bit higher at 128 kcal per 100g. And for fresh fish, a tuna steak is around 103 kcal per 100g, compared to fresh salmon at 208 kcal per 100g. So yes, tuna wins on the calorie front for both fresh and tinned.

The good news is that both are totally free on Slimming World, so you can enjoy either! While the calorie difference is pretty clear if you're meticulously counting – a 140g tuna steak is roughly 144 kcal compared to a 291 kcal salmon fillet – both are fantastic for weight loss. Tuna might win on fewer calories, but salmon definitely takes the crown for its incredible omega-3 content. Honestly, when it comes to choosing between them, I'd say just go with what you fancy the taste of more, or what's on offer, rather than stressing too much about optimising every single calorie. Both are brilliant healthy choices!