Mussels Nutrition Calculator — Calories & Nutrition per Serving

Steamed blue mussels deliver 24.0mcg vitamin B12 per 100g — 1,000% of the daily value ^[1]. Twenty mussels (approximately 150g meat) provide 36mcg B12 — 1,500% DV. For context, beef liver — often cited as the top B12 source — provides 70.6mcg/100g, but nobody regularly eats 100g of liver. Mussels at a restaurant are 20-40 pieces per bowl.

Even raw mussels start at 12.0mcg B12 (500% DV) per 100g ^[1]. Cooking concentrates B12 as water evaporates from the tissue. Among popular seafood, mussels rank second only to clams (98.9mcg/100g cooked) — but mussels are far more commonly consumed as a main course.

Research on mussel nutritional profiles has confirmed that B12 in mussels is predominantly in the coenzyme forms (methylcobalamin and adenosylcobalamin), which may have superior bioavailability compared to the cyanocobalamin used in fortified foods and supplements ^[2].

Steamed blue mussels provide 6.72mg iron per 100g — 37% of the daily value ^[1]. A standard restaurant portion of 20 mussels (150g meat) delivers 10.1mg iron — 56% DV. Compare that to a 6-oz sirloin steak (170g), which provides approximately 4.5mg iron (25% DV).

The iron in mussels is heme iron, the form found in animal tissues with 15-35% absorption rates — significantly higher than the non-heme iron in plant foods (2-20% absorption). A single bowl of steamed mussels provides more bioavailable iron than 3 cups of cooked spinach ^[2].

Raw mussels already contain 3.95mg iron per 100g ^[1]. Cooking concentrates this to 6.72mg as water loss reduces the total mass. For those tracking iron intake, mussels are one of the most iron-dense foods available that people actually enjoy eating in quantity.

A live mussel in its shell is approximately 33% edible meat and 67% shell by weight ^[1]. This means 1 pound (454g) of mussels in the shell yields only approximately 150g of edible meat. When a menu lists '1 lb mussels,' you're getting about 3 oz of actual protein.

Calories nearly double from raw to steamed per 100g of meat: 86 kcal raw → 172 kcal steamed ^[1]. This isn't because steaming adds calories — it's because water evaporates from the tissue, concentrating everything per gram. The same 20 mussels have the same total calories whether measured raw or cooked; the per-100g value just reflects the denser cooked tissue.

Sodium increases from 286mg raw to 369mg steamed per 100g — a 29% rise ^[1]. However, mussels steamed in white wine, garlic, and butter (moules marinières) absorb additional sodium from the broth, potentially reaching 500-600mg per 100g depending on the recipe. Always account for the cooking liquid when tracking ^[2].

Steamed blue mussels deliver 0.94g omega-3 fatty acids per 100g — comparable to canned sardines (1.0g/100g) and significantly more than shrimp (0.56g), scallops (0.34g), or cod (0.16g) ^[1]. A 20-mussel portion (150g) provides 1.41g omega-3, approaching the 1.6g daily adequate intake recommendation.

The omega-3 in mussels is primarily in the EPA and DHA forms (eicosapentaenoic and docosahexaenoic acid), which are the biologically active forms the body uses directly — unlike the ALA form found in flaxseed and walnuts, which requires conversion at only 5-10% efficiency ^[2].

Green-lipped mussels from New Zealand contain even higher omega-3 levels (0.58g/100g raw) with a unique fatty acid profile that includes eicosatetraenoic acid (ETA), a rare omega-3 not found in significant amounts in other foods ^[3].

Steamed mussels contain 6.8mg manganese per 100g — 296% of the daily value ^[1]. This makes mussels the most manganese-dense commonly consumed food. For reference, the second-place food people regularly eat is oatmeal at 1.6mg/100g (70% DV) — mussels provide over 4x more.

Manganese is an essential trace mineral that the body requires in small amounts. It serves as a cofactor for multiple enzyme systems and is one of the nutrients tracked in dietary reference intakes established by the National Academies ^[1].

Twenty steamed mussels (150g meat) deliver 10.2mg manganese — 444% DV ^[1]. The body has robust mechanisms for manganese regulation, and the upper tolerable limit is 11mg/day for adults. A single bowl of mussels approaches this threshold — which is unusual for any single food ^[2].