Fish, sunfish, pumpkin seed, cooked, dry heat
Whole food · Finfish and Shellfish Products
Photo: Wikipedia
Sunfish, specifically the pumpkinseed variety, is a small, freshwater panfish known for its mild, sweet, and delicate white flesh. When cooked with dry heat, the texture becomes flaky and tender, offering a clean, non-fishy flavor. It's a nutritional powerhouse, delivering an impressive 24.87g of protein per 100g with virtually no fat or carbohydrates.
Calorie split: 92% protein · 0% carbs · 8% fat
↓ Full nutrition💚 Why it's loved
People love it for its sweet, mild flavor that appeals even to those who are typically wary of stronger-tasting fish. Its small size and firm texture make it incredibly versatile for quick cooking methods like pan-frying, broiling, or grilling.
⚠️ Watch-outs & how to enjoy it better
Its primary downside is the high number of small, fine bones, which can be a choking hazard, especially for children. To counteract this, the fish should be cooked thoroughly until the bones become soft and edible, or carefully deboned before serving. As with any fish, individuals with specific allergies should exercise caution.
Key benefits
- Extremely high in lean protein for muscle maintenance.
- Very low in fat and calories, ideal for weight management.
- Carbohydrate-free, suitable for low-carb and ketogenic diets.
- A good source of essential nutrients like selenium and B vitamins.
🍽️ Popular dishes
🌍 Where it's eaten
💡 Did you know?
Male pumpkinseed sunfish develop a brilliant, jewel-like coloration during spawning season, with vibrant orange and blue spots on their gill covers to attract mates.
Full nutrition (USDA data · scales with serving)
| Water | 73.7 g |
| Energy | 114 kcal |
| Energy | 477 kj |
| Protein | 24.9 g |
| Total lipid (fat) | 0.90 g |
| Ash | 1.4 g |
| Carbohydrate, by difference | 0.00 g |
| Fiber, total dietary | 0.00 g |
| Calcium, Ca | 103 mg |
| Iron, Fe | 1.5 mg |
| Magnesium, Mg | 38.0 mg |
| Phosphorus, P | 231 mg |
| Potassium, K | 449 mg |
| Sodium, Na | 103 mg |
| Zinc, Zn | 2.0 mg |
| Copper, Cu | 0.39 mg |
| Manganese, Mn | 0.90 mg |
| Selenium, Se | 16.2 ug |
| Vitamin C, total ascorbic acid | 1.0 mg |
| Thiamin | 0.09 mg |
| Riboflavin | 0.09 mg |
| Niacin | 1.5 mg |
| Pantothenic acid | 0.86 mg |
| Vitamin B-6 | 0.14 mg |
| Folate, total | 17.0 ug |
| Folic acid | 0.00 ug |
| Folate, food | 17.0 ug |
| Folate, DFE | 17.0 ug |
| Vitamin B-12 | 2.3 ug |
| Vitamin A, RAE | 17.0 ug |
| Retinol | 17.0 ug |
| Vitamin A, IU | 58.0 iu |
Fat & fatty acid profile (per 100g)
| Fatty acids, total saturated | 0.18 g |
| SFA 14:0 | 0.01 g |
| SFA 16:0 | 0.13 g |
| SFA 18:0 | 0.04 g |
| Fatty acids, total monounsaturated | 0.15 g |
| MUFA 16:1 | 0.05 g |
| MUFA 18:1 | 0.09 g |
| MUFA 20:1 | 0.01 g |
| Fatty acids, total polyunsaturated | 0.32 g |
| PUFA 18:2 | 0.02 g |
| PUFA 18:3 | 0.01 g |
| PUFA 20:4 | 0.10 g |
| PUFA 20:5 n-3 (EPA) | 0.05 g |
| PUFA 22:5 n-3 (DPA) | 0.04 g |
| PUFA 22:6 n-3 (DHA) | 0.09 g |
| Cholesterol | 86.0 mg |
Amino acid profile (per 100g)
| Tryptophan | 0.28 g |
| Threonine | 1.1 g |
| Isoleucine | 1.1 g |
| Leucine | 2.0 g |
| Lysine | 2.3 g |
| Methionine | 0.74 g |
| Cystine | 0.27 g |
| Phenylalanine | 0.97 g |
| Tyrosine | 0.84 g |
| Valine | 1.3 g |
| Arginine | 1.5 g |
| Histidine | 0.73 g |
| Alanine | 1.5 g |
| Aspartic acid | 2.5 g |
| Glutamic acid | 3.7 g |
| Glycine | 1.2 g |
| Proline | 0.88 g |
| Serine | 1.0 g |
FAQ
How do I remove the bones from sunfish?
After cooking, use a fork to gently flake the meat away from the central bone structure. For very small fish, the fine bones often soften enough to eat. For larger specimens, you can carefully pull out the main spine and rib bones with tweezers.
What's the best way to cook pumpkinseed sunfish?
Dry-heat methods are ideal. Pan-frying in a little oil or butter until golden, or broiling with a simple seasoning of salt, pepper, and herbs, best highlights its delicate flavor and flaky texture.
Is sunfish the same as ocean sunfish (Mola mola)?
No, they are entirely different. Pumpkinseed sunfish are small freshwater fish in the sunfish family (Centrarchidae). The ocean sunfish (Mola mola) is a gigantic, open-ocean fish that can weigh over a ton.
Nutrient density (calculated · NRF9.3)
Nutrient Rich Foods index: beneficial nutrients (protein, fiber, vitamins, minerals) minus saturated fat, added sugar & sodium, per 100 kcal.
NRF9.3 index — Fulgoni, Keast & Drewnowski, 2009. Computed from USDA nutrients.
Weight-loss friendliness (composite index)
Energy density 1.14 kcal/g · 87% calories from protein · 0.0 g fiber · 0.0 g sugar per 100 g.
Composite of energy density (Rolls et al., 1999), protein & fiber satiety, minus sugar. A calculated heuristic — ranks satiety-per-calorie, not a clinical measure.
Dietary load (calculated from USDA values)
Potential renal acid load. Positive = acid-forming, negative = alkaline-forming.
Sodium-to-potassium ratio: 0.23 (lower is better — aim for ≤ 1)
Sodium:potassium per WHO potassium guidance. Computed from USDA nutrients.