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McDonald's Filet-O-Fish: calories, nutrition, ingredients and allergens
How many calories are in a McDonald's Filet-O-Fish? It contains 316 kcal, 13g of fat (2.8g saturated), 5g of sugar and 1g of salt, one of the lower-calorie hot items on the core menu.
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Nutrition information
Nutrition information: Filet-O-Fish
Energy
316 kcal
Fat
13g
of which saturates
2.8g
Carbohydrate
36g
of which sugars
5g
Salt
1g
Protein
15g
Source: McDonald’s UK nutrition information. Figures are per item as sold, before any optional sauces or extras.
A McDonald's Filet-O-Fish contains 316 kcal, which is 16% of the 2,000 kcal adult daily reference intake. It provides 13g of total fat, of which 2.8g is saturated, 5g of sugar, 1g of salt and 15g of protein.
At 2.8g, the saturated fat content is relatively low for a hot menu item, representing 14% of the adult daily guideline of 20g.
The Filet-O-Fish has the lowest salt content of any burger in this guide at 1.0g, and the fish fillet itself is a single named species, but the breaded coating and tartare sauce still contribute several processing aids.
A moderate choice on calories and saturated fat
A McDonald's Filet-O-Fish contains 316 kcal and 2.8g of saturated fat, 14% of the adult daily saturated fat guideline of 20g. The Filet-O-Fish has the lowest salt content of any burger in this guide at 1.0g, and the fish fillet itself is a single named species, but the breaded coating and tartare sauce still contribute several processing aids.
Reference Intakes are EU-wide guideline daily amounts for an average adult (2,000 kcal). The free sugar limit of 30g is the NHS/SACN guideline, which is stricter than the 90g total sugars RI as it excludes naturally occurring sugars in whole foods and dairy.
Sugar, salt and protein by age group
The table below shows how the sugar, salt and protein in a McDonald's Filet-O-Fish compares to daily guidelines for different age groups and life stages.
Sugar, salt and protein by age group: McDonald's Filet-O-Fish
Age group
Sugar (g / % limit)
Salt (g / % limit)
Protein (g / % target)
Age 4 to 6
5g / 26%
1g / 33%
15g / 75%
Age 7 to 10
5g / 21%
1g / 20%
15g / 54%
Age 11 to 17
5g / 17%
1g / 17%
15g / 36%
Adult
5g / 17%
1g / 17%
15g / 30%
Sugar and salt % shown against NHS/SACN daily limits. Protein % shown against estimated daily targets. Red = 75%+ of limit, amber = 20-74%, green = under 20%. Protein is beneficial and has no upper limit, shown for reference only.
Protein
Filet-O-Fish provides 15g of protein. For comparison, a general guide for adult daily protein intake is around 50g, so this item alone provides 30% of that target.
Salt
Filet-O-Fish contains 1g of salt, 17% of the adult daily limit of 6g. This is a moderate contribution, leaving room within the daily limit for sides and other meals.
Ultra-processed food: what is really in it
A McDonald's Filet-O-Fish is assembled from 4 separate components, each manufactured and prepared separately, often at different factories, before being combined and cooked at the point of sale. The most heavily formulated of these are the steamed bun and tartare sauce.
Reading the ingredient list closely, a McDonald's Filet-O-Fish contains emulsifiers, stabilisers and dextrose. These are not used to add nutritional value. Emulsifiers help water-based and fat-based ingredients (such as oil and vinegar in a sauce, or fat and water in a bun dough) blend together and stay blended, rather than separating out. Stabilisers maintain a consistent texture in sauces and dressings over time, preventing them from becoming watery or separating during storage and transport. Dextrose assists with yeast fermentation and browning in the bun during baking.
None of this means the ingredients are unsafe; all additives used are approved for use in UK food. What it indicates is the degree of industrial formulation involved. A home-cooked equivalent, made from a small number of fresh or minimally processed ingredients prepared in one kitchen, would typically involve far fewer steps and far fewer additives. The version sold at McDonald's reaches a comparable end result using a longer list of industrially processed components, several manufacturing sites, and a number of functional additives designed to keep the product consistent across thousands of restaurants.
Looking at the ingredient list rather than just the nutrition panel tells a different story. Even where individual macros (sugar, salt, calories) look moderate, the number of separately manufactured components, and the additives used to bind, emulsify, preserve, colour and flavour them, place almost every hot item on the McDonald's menu in the most processed food category under the NOVA classification system.
Processing (NOVA classification)
A McDonald's Filet-O-Fish falls into NOVA group 4, ultra-processed food. The NOVA classification system groups foods by the extent and purpose of the processing involved, rather than by their individual nutrients. Group 4 covers products that are formulated mostly or entirely from substances derived from foods, plus additives, using a series of industrial processes with little or no whole food remaining recognisable in the final product. In this item, that includes emulsifiers, stabilisers and dextrose, on top of the breaded or formed proteins, processed cheese and multi-stage assembly typical of the menu. This classification applies to almost all hot menu items at McDonald's, and indeed to most fast food and packaged convenience food generally; it is not a finding specific to this item.
Allergens at a glance
Allergen information: Filet-O-Fish
Wheat
Contains
Rye
May contain traces
Barley
May contain traces
Oats
Not present
Sesame
May contain traces
Soya
Not present
Milk
Contains
Eggs
Not present
Fish
Contains
Crustaceans
Not present
Celery
Not present
Mustard
Not present
Molluscs
Not present
Lupin
Not present
McDonald's UK prepares food in kitchens where allergens are present and equipment is shared. "May contain traces" reflects cross-contact risk from shared fryers, toasters and preparation areas. McDonald's cannot guarantee any item is completely allergen-free, even when ingredients are removed on request.
Frequently asked questions
A McDonald's Filet-O-Fish contains 316 kcal, which is 16% of the 2,000 kcal adult daily reference intake.
A McDonald's Filet-O-Fish contains 2.8g of saturated fat, 14% of the adult daily guideline of 20g, and 16% of the guideline for a child aged 11 to 17 (17g).
Yes. A McDonald's Filet-O-Fish falls into NOVA group 4, ultra-processed food. It contains emulsifiers, stabilisers and dextrose, used to bind, preserve, stabilise or standardise the product, alongside breaded or formed proteins and processed cheese. This is a description of how the food is made and formulated, not a statement that it is unsafe to eat.
Calories, fat, sugar and salt only describe part of the picture. Two foods can have similar nutrition figures while differing substantially in how processed they are, how many ingredients they contain, and how many additives are used to replicate texture, flavour or appearance. The NOVA classification and ingredient list capture this difference, which the nutrition panel alone does not.
A McDonald's Filet-O-Fish contains wheat, fish and milk. May also contain traces of barley, rye and sesame from shared kitchen equipment.
A McDonald's Filet-O-Fish contains 1g of salt, 17% of the adult daily limit of 6g.
At 316 kcal, the McDonald's Filet-O-Fish is among the lower-calorie hot items on the core menu.
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Nutrition and allergen information from McDonald's UK official sources (allergen booklet and product pages). Figures are per item as sold, before optional sauces, dips or extras, and may vary slightly by recipe updates. Reference intakes: EU Reference Intakes for an average adult (2,000 kcal); NHS/SACN free sugar and saturated fat guidelines. For guidance only, not medical advice. Always check the McDonald's UK app or in-restaurant information for the most current data.
