Whiting is one of the healthiest fish you can eat. It delivers 17 grams of protein per 100-gram serving with just 84 calories and barely over 1 gram of fat. It’s also extremely low in mercury, making it safe for frequent consumption, including for pregnant women and children.
Nutritional Profile
A 100-gram cooked serving of whiting (roughly the size of a deck of cards plus a little extra) provides about 84 calories, 17 grams of protein, 1.2 grams of fat, and 60 milligrams of cholesterol. That protein-to-calorie ratio is excellent. You’re getting a meaningful portion of your daily protein needs for fewer calories than a single banana.
Whiting contains zero carbohydrates, which makes it a natural fit for low-carb and keto diets. It also aligns well with Mediterranean-style eating, which recommends seafood two to three times a week. If you’re watching your fat intake or trying to lose weight, whiting is one of the leanest options at the fish counter.
Omega-3 Content Compared to Other Fish
Whiting is a white fish, so it doesn’t pack the omega-3 punch of fatty fish like salmon or mackerel. Its omega-3 levels are comparable to other white fish: cod provides about 0.3 grams of combined EPA and DHA per 100 grams, pollock about 0.5 grams, and haddock about 0.2 grams. Whiting falls in this same range.
That’s enough to contribute to heart health over time, especially if you eat fish twice a week. Omega-3 fatty acids help lower triglycerides, slightly reduce blood pressure, and lower the risk of dying from heart disease. You won’t get the concentrated omega-3 dose of a salmon fillet, but whiting still counts toward the two-servings-per-week target recommended by the American Heart Association.
Mercury Levels Are Very Low
Whiting has a mean mercury concentration of just 0.051 parts per million, according to FDA testing conducted between 1991 and 2008. To put that in perspective, the FDA considers anything under 0.15 ppm to be in the lowest mercury category. Swordfish, by comparison, averages close to 1.0 ppm.
This low mercury level means whiting is one of the fish you can eat several times a week without concern. For people who worry about mercury exposure, particularly parents feeding young children, whiting is a solid choice that delivers the benefits of seafood without the contamination risk associated with larger predatory fish like tuna, shark, or king mackerel.
What Species Are Sold as Whiting
The name “whiting” covers several different species depending on where you live. In the United States, Pacific whiting (also called Pacific hake) is the most common commercial species, caught off the coasts of Washington, Oregon, and California. Related species include silver hake, white hake, and red hake, all sold under the whiting label at various times. In the UK, whiting typically refers to a different species from the cod family found in the North Atlantic.
The nutritional profiles across these species are similar: lean, mild white fish with high protein and low fat. If you’re buying whiting in the U.S., you’re most likely getting Pacific whiting or silver hake.
Sustainability
U.S. wild-caught Pacific whiting is considered a sustainable seafood choice. The coastal stock is not overfished, according to the 2024 stock assessment from NOAA Fisheries. The fishery uses mid-water trawls, which have minimal impact on ocean floor habitat and produce low levels of bycatch (unintended catch of other species).
The Pacific Whiting Conservation Cooperative, established in 1997, allocates catch quotas among fishing companies to reduce waste and improve product quality. This cooperative structure has made the fishery more environmentally responsible than many others. If you’re trying to make ocean-friendly choices at the grocery store, domestically caught whiting is a reliable option.
How Whiting Fits Into a Healthy Diet
Whiting works best as a regular rotation protein rather than an occasional indulgence. Its mild flavor and flaky texture make it versatile enough to bake, pan-sear, or use in fish tacos. Because it’s so lean, it can dry out quickly with high-heat cooking, so shorter cook times or a light coating of olive oil helps.
Where whiting really shines is accessibility. It’s typically cheaper than cod, halibut, or snapper, which removes one of the biggest barriers to eating fish regularly. If cost has kept you from hitting that twice-a-week fish target, whiting gets you there. Pair it with vegetables and whole grains, and you have a meal that checks most of the boxes nutritionists care about: high protein, low saturated fat, minimal mercury, and a modest but meaningful dose of omega-3s.