Because the body converts all dietary sources of vitamin A into retinol, 1 mcg of physiologically available retinol is equivalent to the following amounts from dietary sources: 1 mcg of retinol, 12 mcg of beta-carotene, and 24 mcg of alpha-carotene or beta-cryptoxanthin.
The body needs more omega-3 than omega-6 to reduce the risk of heart disease and inflammation. Since olive oil is higher in omega-3 than other oils, sardines in olive oil contain more omega-3 than sardines in water; however, the sardines in water are still the better option with lower amounts of cholesterol and fat.
Sardines are also a good source of omega-3 fats, and they are low in saturated fat. They contain as much calcium as a glass of milk, the B vitamin niacin, protein and iron. They are a convenient fish choice, since you can buy them fresh or canned and packed in oil. Sardines are also low in mercury.