by - Salmon is a heart-healthy food rich in protein, vitamins and minerals.
- Researchers conducted a study in which participants ate a Mediterranean diet for two five-week periods, including two servings of salmon per week.
- They then identified specific compounds in salmon that are associated with certain health benefits, such as lower cholesterol.
Even if you’re just interested in diet and nutrition, you probably know that salmon is good for you.
Of course, that statement comes with a few caveats. After all, not all salmon are created equal. The great debate is going on about wild fish versus farmed fish; and questions about the most nutritious and best-tasting variety of salmon — do you prefer coho, sockeye, or chinook?
But these questions aside, the evidence is clear: salmon is nutritious and delicious. It is loaded with vitamins, minerals, and, of course, the heart healthy omega-3 fatty acids.
Now, a recent study i The Journal of Nutrition provides more support for that claim and dives deep into the biological components that make salmon a superfood.
Scientists at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus are studying salmon through the lens of metabolomics, a field of study that focuses on tiny molecules called metabolites, which are the result of metabolism, a chemical reaction that converts nutrients into energy.
When you eat food for energy, that’s your metabolism at work. Metabolites are created during this process, and can be measured in your blood and urine. Scientists study metabolites like tiny biological clues to see how things you eat can affect your body at the molecular level.
The goal of researchers at Anschutz was to identify specific metabolites derived from salmon and then see if they were associated with any beneficial health outcomes, such as improvements in cholesterol.
“While the general benefits of salmon and omega-3 have been demonstrated in previous studies, assessing their unique and abundant health-related metabolites was a particularly interesting component of the study,” said Kristin Kirkpatrick , MS RD, Cleveland Clinic Dietitian, and co-author of Regenerative Health, said Healthline. She was not involved in the study.
To investigate the beneficial metabolites of salmon, researchers recruited 41 participants who had to adhere to a special diet for two 5-week periods, with a break of at least four weeks between them. During the dietary intervention periods, participants adhered to a controlled Mediterranean diet that included 2 servings of salmon per week. The Mediterranean diet is a heart-healthy diet that emphasizes vegetables, fish, and whole grains, while limiting sugar and refined foods.
The trial participants were aged 30-69 and were overweight or obese, but did not have other acute illnesses or other metabolic diseases, such as diabetes.
Samples of all the food prepared for the participants were also analyzed in a laboratory to examine their metabolites. In total, the scientists identified 1,518 individual compounds from the food. Only 508 of these were specifically identified as salmon. After determining the salmon metabolites, the researchers were able to compare them to blood samples from participants.
When they looked at the number of salmon-specific metabolites that increased in blood tests while on the Mediterranean diet, only 48 were relevant. Perhaps unsurprisingly, many of these compounds were fats, further proving the health benefits of omega-3 fatty acids and
From more than 500 potential compounds initially, scientists identified only a few dozen that could then be linked to what are known as indicators of cardiometabolic health.
Ultimately, increases in two salmon food-specific compounds and two metabolites were associated with improvements in indicators of cardiometabolic health, such as lower total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol,
“We are the first to identify salmon-specific bioactive compounds that increase plasma after consumption [a Mediterranean diet] with ~4-8 oz of salmon per week. Moreover, several of these food-specific compounds were associated with short-term improvement in cardiometabolic health indicators,” the study authors wrote.
Studying salmon through the lens of metabolism is more like chemistry or biology than nutrition. Although it provides insight into the mechanisms that make salmon healthy, you don’t need to be a scientist to understand why salmon is good for you.
“Salmon is a great animal-based protein rich in marine-based omega-3 fatty acids,” Kirkpatrick said.
In addition to protein and healthy fats, salmon is also high in B vitamins, potassium, and selenium – vitamins and minerals that are essential for your body.
If you don’t eat salmon or fish regularly, there are still ways to try to incorporate more into your diet.
“Baby steps are always a good way to start – in fact the best diet you can have is one that is high in nutrient density and that you can stick to long term,” said Kirkpatrick.
“If you’re having trouble eating fish, because you’re not sure how to cook fish, or what kind to buy, then stick to the basics to start,” she said.
Kirkpatrick suggests starting with simple ideas like using canned fish or salmon on salads or mashing them up to make burgers. You can also use omega-3 supplements which are an accessible supplement that can be found at your local pharmacy.
No matter your preference, there are many delicious and exciting ways to incorporate heart-healthy salmon and omega-3-rich foods into your diet.
Salmon is a superfood packed with protein, minerals, and omega-3 fatty acids.
By studying specific metabolites in salmon, scientists now have a better understanding of the specific compounds associated with health benefits.
The American Heart Association recommends eating two servings of salmon or other types of fatty fish per week.
