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Arctic char is a cold-water fish in the salmon family, sold as fillets with pink to red flesh and a flavor that many cooks place between salmon and trout. The FDA Seafood List names it Salvelinus alpinus, with “char” as its official market name. One thing to know up front: the USDA SR Legacy database that our food guides rely on has no entry for Arctic char, so this guide uses a clearly labeled nearest entry from the same genus. It covers what Arctic char is, what the numbers suggest about arctic char nutrition, how arctic char vs salmon compares, whether it shows up in the FDA and EPA mercury advice, and the allergy facts that apply to all fish.
Peptide Labs does not sell Arctic char or other seafood. This article is general nutrition information, not medical advice.
Key Takeaways
- Arctic char (Salvelinus alpinus) is a member of the salmon family; its official US market name is "char".
- The Ontario agriculture ministry says it has the most northerly range of any freshwater fish.
- USDA SR Legacy has no Arctic char entry; the nearest relative in the database is brook trout, another Salvelinus fish.
- In USDA data, farmed Atlantic salmon has far more fat and omega-3 fats per 100 grams than the brook trout entry.
- The FDA and EPA fish chart does not list Arctic char by name, so no official mercury group can be quoted for it.
What is Arctic char?
According to a 2024 species profile from the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Agribusiness, Arctic char is native to circumpolar regions of the Northern Hemisphere in North America, Europe and Asia, and it has the most northerly distribution of any freshwater fish. It lives in both fresh and salt water, from inshore marine areas to rivers and lakes. The same profile says char farming in Ontario takes place only in land-based freshwater systems.
The naming can be confusing. The FDA Seafood List gives Arctic char the market name “char”, but its close relatives in the genus Salvelinus, such as brook trout, lake trout and Dolly Varden, are sold under the market name “trout”. Regional names listed by FDA for Arctic char include alpine char, Hudson Bay salmon and sea trout. So a fish called char is a true relative of both trout and salmon, which is why it is so often compared with them. Our guides to trout and salmon cover those fish in depth.
Arctic char nutrition: what USDA data can tell you
Because USDA SR Legacy has no Arctic char entry, the table below shows the nearest labeled entry: brook trout, raw, sampled in New York State (FDC ID 175181). Brook trout belongs to the same genus as Arctic char, but it is a different species, so read these values as a rough guide only. The entry is for raw fish per 100 grams; USDA has no cooked brook trout entry. Percent Daily Values use the FDA Daily Values printed on Nutrition Facts labels.
| Nearest entry: brook trout, raw, per 100 g (FDC 175181) | Amount | % Daily Value |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 110 | Not applicable |
| Protein | 21.2 g | 42% |
| Total fat | 2.7 g | 4% |
| Saturated fat | 0.6 g | 3% |
| Cholesterol | 60 mg | 20% |
| Sodium | 45 mg | 2% |
| Potassium | 417 mg | 9% |
| Phosphorus | 246 mg | 20% |
| Vitamin B12 | 2.77 mcg | 115% |
| Niacin (vitamin B3) | 5.3 mg | 33% |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.27 mg | 16% |
| EPA plus DHA (omega-3) | 0.32 g | No Daily Value |
The pattern is typical of this fish family in USDA data: a lot of protein, almost no carbohydrate, low sodium, and a large share of the Daily Value for vitamin B12 and niacin. The brook trout entry lists no selenium or vitamin D value, so this table cannot tell you about those nutrients. Our B12 foods guide and vitamin D foods guide show which fish USDA does measure for them.
Arctic char sold in stores is a different species from a brook trout sampled in New York State, so the most reliable numbers for a packaged fillet are on its own Nutrition Facts label. Do not assume the brook trout values match the fish in front of you.
Arctic char vs salmon: how the numbers compare
There is no USDA entry for Arctic char, so a direct comparison is not possible. What USDA data can show is how its nearest relative stacks up against salmon and farmed trout. All three rows below are raw fish per 100 grams in USDA SR Legacy, so they compare like with like.
| Per 100 g, raw (USDA FDC ID) | Calories | Protein | Fat | EPA + DHA | B12 (% DV) | Vitamin D (% DV) | Selenium (% DV) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brook trout, nearest entry for char (175181) | 110 | 21.2 g | 2.7 g | 0.32 g | 2.77 mcg (115%) | No value | No value |
| Rainbow trout, farmed (173717) | 141 | 19.9 g | 6.2 g | 0.73 g | 4.3 mcg (179%) | 15.9 mcg (80%) | 23.6 mcg (43%) |
| Atlantic salmon, farmed (175167) | 208 | 20.4 g | 13.4 g | 1.97 g | 3.23 mcg (135%) | 11.0 mcg (55%) | 24.0 mcg (44%) |
Protein is almost identical across the three. The big differences are fat and omega-3 fats: farmed Atlantic salmon carries about five times the fat of the brook trout entry and roughly six times the EPA and DHA. Farmed rainbow trout sits in between. Where Arctic char itself lands depends on the fish, so check the label. If omega-3 intake is your main reason for choosing fish, our omega-3 guide explains EPA and DHA, and small oily fish such as sardines are covered separately. For flavor, many cooks describe char as milder than salmon and richer than lean white fish such as tilapia.
Is Arctic char healthy?
Based on its relatives in USDA data, Arctic char is a high-protein fish that fits easily into a varied diet. It is low in sodium when cooked simply, and the salmon family as a whole supplies vitamin B12 and niacin. The honest limits are worth stating: there is no USDA entry for the fish itself, no official mercury group, and no research that sets Arctic char apart from other fish in the same family. Our high-protein foods guide lists other protein sources, and our pescatarian diet guide covers ways to vary fish.
Preparation matters as much as the fish. Baked, broiled, grilled or pan-seared fillets stay close to the USDA pattern; heavy butter sauces, breading and salty glazes add fat, calories and sodium. Our low-sodium foods guide helps if you watch salt.
Arctic char mercury: what the FDA chart says
The FDA and EPA fish chart, revised in October 2021, sorts common fish into three mercury groups for people who might become or are pregnant or breastfeeding and for children. Arctic char is not on the chart by name. Salmon and freshwater trout, two close relatives, are in the lowest-mercury group, but FDA has not placed char itself in any group, so this guide does not assign one.
The FDA page also notes that some fish caught by family and friends, including larger trout, are more likely to be under local fish advisories because of mercury or other contaminants. If you catch wild char, check the advisories for that lake or river. If you are pregnant, breastfeeding, planning a pregnancy or feeding young children, ask your clinician how char fits with the fish on the FDA chart.
Allergy and kitchen safety
- Fish allergy: FDA lists fish as one of the nine major food allergens, so it must be declared on packaged foods. People with a fish allergy should avoid Arctic char unless an allergist says otherwise.
- Purines: if you have been told to watch purines, see our purines guide and ask your clinician how fish fits.
- Labels: because relatives of char are sold as trout, read the species name on the label or ask the seller.
- Kitchen safety: keep fish cold, cook it until it is opaque and flakes easily, and follow the safe minimum temperature chart from FoodSafety.gov.
For a warm-water fish with a very different story, see our sibling guide to barramundi. If you rely on capsules rather than fish for omega-3 fats, our krill oil vs fish oil comparison covers those products.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Arctic char a salmon or a trout?
Neither exactly. It is Salvelinus alpinus, a char in the salmon family. FDA lists its market name as char, while some of its Salvelinus relatives, such as brook trout and lake trout, are sold as trout.
Is Arctic char healthy?
Its relatives in USDA data are high in protein and vitamin B12 and low in sodium. USDA has no entry for Arctic char itself, so check the Nutrition Facts label on packaged fillets.
Does Arctic char have more omega-3 than salmon?
USDA has no Arctic char entry, so there is no official number. Its nearest relative in the database, brook trout, has far less EPA and DHA per 100 grams than farmed Atlantic salmon.
Is Arctic char high in mercury?
The FDA and EPA chart does not list Arctic char by name. Salmon and freshwater trout are in the lowest-mercury group, but FDA has not placed char in a group.
Where does Arctic char come from?
It is native to circumpolar northern regions of North America, Europe and Asia, according to the Ontario agriculture ministry, and it is also farmed in land-based freshwater systems.
What does Arctic char taste like?
It is usually described as milder than salmon and richer than lean white fish, with pink to red flesh.
Questions about a label? Contact us or read our Buyer’s Guide. Food comes first; follow the label and ask a healthcare provider before starting a supplement, especially if you take medicines, are pregnant or have a food allergy. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
Last reviewed October 2026.
Related guides: Barramundi Fish: Nutrition, Mercury and Is It Healthy?, Trout: USDA Nutrition, Rainbow vs Steelhead and Trout vs Salmon, Salmon: Nutrition, Benefits and Wild vs Farmed Salmon.