It is well known that salmon is good for your health.
“Fish is one of the few animal foods that is consistently associated with good health, and when I recommend fish to people,salmonIt’s the first choice,” said Dariusz Mozaffarian, distinguished professor at Tufts University and director of the Food as Medicine Institute.
But choosing which salmon to eat for your health — sockeye or coho, wild or farmed — isn’t so obvious. Researchers have found that different salmon species have different nutritional values.someconsumerThe view that the nutritional content and contamination levels of farmed and wild salmon are different is supported by some research.
From healthy fats to heavy metal contamination, here are all your salmon questions answered.
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What’s so good about salmon?
Mozaffarian highlights omega-3 fatty acids, particularly EPA and DHA, as a nutritional hallmark of salmon, which contain more DHA and EPA than almost any other food, except for fatty fish like herring and sardines.
ResearchIt is generally agreed that consuming omega-3 fatty acids from seafood can reduce the risk of stroke and heart disease. Studies have shown that these fatty acids can reduce the level of arteriosclerosis associated with high blood pressure and may also have anti-inflammatory effects.Can be preventedObesity and type 2 diabetes.
Mozaffarian also said that omega-3 fatty acids are essential for early brain development.evidenceStudies have shown that regular intake of omega-3 fatty acids can prevent age-related cognitive decline andAlzheimer’s diseaseand other neurodegenerative diseases.
He said that while the body can produce some DHA and EPA on its own, foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids can help ensure that the body and brain get the nutrients they need.The American Heart Association recommendsYou should eat 85 grams of fish (especially fatty fish like salmon) at least twice a week.
Although many supplements contain omega-3 fatty acids,evidenceIt suggests that getting these fats from seafood may be better, perhaps because of compounds in fishHelps preventOmega-3 fatty acids are broken down by digestion.
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In addition, experts say salmon contains other nutrients, such as protein, selenium and iodide, that may support or enhance the health benefits of these fats. “People often emphasize omega-3 fatty acids, but salmon is so beneficial because of its comprehensive nutritional value,” said Matthew Sprague, a lecturer in nutrition at the Institute of Aquaculture at the University of Stirling in the United Kingdom.
Do different salmon have different nutritional values?
“There are so many options out there, it can be confusing,” said Stephanie Colombo, associate professor and director of aquaculture nutrition research at Dalhousie University in Canada.
To clear up these confusions, ColomboResearch“There is not a huge difference between wild and farmed salmon, and that’s the main finding of our study,” she said.
While wild sockeye and wild king salmon, two of the most commonly sold species, are the most “nutrient-dense,” her research also found that farmed Atlantic salmon are only slightly lower in omega-3 fatty acids, protein and other healthy ingredients. Wild Pacific pink salmon tend to have lower levels of these nutrients than other species, whether farmed or wild.
But the nutritional data Colombo studied are averages. She said the content of healthy fats or other nutrients may vary from species to species, depending on factors such as the type of feed farmed salmon are fed and the time of year when wild salmon are caught.
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Colombo added, “All the salmon we studied were very nutritious.”
As for mercury and other contaminants, Colombo said her paper did find some differences between species. For example, farmed Atlantic salmon tended to have lower mercury levels than wild species. However, all salmon samples had mercury levels well below international safety standards. “You don’t have to worry about mercury poisoning even if you eat salmon every day,” she said.
PCBsThe same is true for printed circuit boards (PCBs) and other contaminants sometimes found in seafood.ResearchDiscoverNone of these toxins reached harmful levels in either wild or farmed salmon, Mozaffarian said, in part because salmon don’t live long enough to absorb large amounts of them.
For those who are concerned about the ecological impact of their dietary choices, eating salmon can carry some psychological weight:Overfishing of wild fishandPollution caused by farmingBut experts say all salmon species outperform most animal protein sources in terms of their environmental footprint.
Colombo recommends buyingMarine Stewardship Council(MSC) orBest Aquaculture Practices“If it’s certified salmon, then you can be sure of the sustainability of its source andIt’s more confident to be virtuous,” she said.
Best of all, experts agree that all salmon are good for you, so there’s no need to get hung up on which type is best. “If you like the flavor of a certain type of salmon,” Mozaffarian says, “that’s the best type of salmon for you.”