Sardines: The Unexpected Beauty Food of 2026

These days though, sardines have gotten a huge makeover. They’ve been upgraded from being a mere breakfast food to being categorized as a superfood. You see sardines being touted as one of the best health foods like extra virgin olive oil, Mediterranean-style beans, and berries. 

Why the sudden fuss about sardines, though? Aren’t they just regular tiny canned or jarred fish? Yes, in fact, sardines are tiny fish—very tiny that you can even eat them with the bones intact. Before you squirm at the thought of *bones* being in your spoon, allow us to present the case for sardines. 

I, personally, have been a sardines fan ever since I tasted a delicious pasta bowl in a now defunct restaurant in Quezon City many, many years ago. I have since then started making my own sardine pasta at home—often with angel hair pasta, a drizzle of olive oil, tomatoes, capers, and lots of lemon juice. I just knew they were tasty, but I never really gave the health aspect of it much thought. 

Years went by and I’d occasionally order sardines pasta at Mary Grace—theirs mixed with tons of sliced mushrooms (yum!) or the sardines sandwich at UCC Cafe. Both my mom and sister make a great version of the pasta, so the ingredient never really left our kitchen.

This year was the year that sardines took a whole new leap for me. Being a woman in her 40s, I know that there are certain types of foods I should be eating more of for my health. Dark chocolate, green tea, lean beef, lean chicken, beans, and dark, leafy greens are high up on the list, but so are sardines. 

Thanks in part to aesthetically-pleasing food reels that beautifully present sardines atop sourdough toast with some extra virgin olive oil, a squeeze of lemon juice, some fresh dill, and thanks in part to wellness content creators all over TikTok-verse, sardines are now the it girls of the wellness scene. And for good reason. 

Let’s admit—sardines aren’t the prettiest fish on the planet. You often get them in pretty tin cans, yes, (especially if you get them in Europe), but for the most part, they’re just stuck in a jar filled with oil. Tiny, headless fish that still have their skin on. What’s all the fuss about?

It’s a whole different story when they’re styled for the ‘gram though. Get yourself a vintage silver plate, a perfectly sliced piece of sourdough bread, some smashed avocado or Greek yogurt, line the sardines on top (or what I like doing—I mash them until they look like flakes), drizzle some imported extra virgin olive oil and a squeeze of lemon juice, your herbs of choice (basil and dill work best for me), and you’re set for a pretty IG-worthy meal. Your body will thank you, too.

Sardines are now approved as a “girl dinner” ingredient, because of all its skin-loving, hormone-balancing properties. Did you know that consuming sardines regularly gives you the following body-loving benefits: heart health, bone strength, better brain function, repair of muscles, and metabolism support? 

Sardines are packed with nutrients that love your heart—they’re filled with Omega 3 fatty acids that help lower bad cholesterol, lower cholesterol, increase good cholesterol, and act as an antioxidant, too. The next time you take a bite of the sardines toast, thank the fish!

And did you know that the best part is the sardine’s bones? They’re very soft and edible, and you won’t really feel the typical sharp bones from other fish, so go ahead and munch away! Sardine bones are great for bone support as they contain the calcium our bones need, especially as we age. 

A lot of content creators on line have claimed that when they’re having a bad skin day, they usually rely on sardines to help get them looking glowing again. How, you ask? Sardines’ anti-inflammatory effect lowers redness, acne growth, and supports the skin’s barrier, acting like an additional protector against aggressors. 

Now that we’ve got the squirmy feeling out of the way, the next time you do your grocery run, do yourself a favor and stock up on sardines, and make sure they’re packed in olive oil (not corn) to give you the best heart-healthy benefits. Watch out for sodium content as well, as some cans or jars can get packed with too much salt. As much as possible, eat the fish on its own, with a little olive oil for good measure. Your skin, and your skincare kit, will thank you!