by Salmon is a healthy type of fatty fish that packs many nutritional benefits. The American Heart Association (AHA) recommends eating fish, such as salmon, twice a week because of its protein and heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids. A standard serving size of fish is three cooked ounces or about 3/4 cup of flaky fish.
Other health benefits include nutrients such as copper, potassium, selenium, vitamin B12, and vitamin D from eating healthy fish such as salmon.
Eating fish and seafood over other animal products may be a sustainable choice to reduce your carbon footprint. How sustainable your salmon is varies based on whether it is wild caught or farmed and other methods used that affect the environment.
Read on to learn about the health benefits of salmon, the potential risks, and how to pick and prepare the fish.
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Salmon is a good source of protein, with about 16 grams in one three-ounce serving. Protein helps with cell production and repair and promotes muscle health. Not getting enough protein can lead to muscle loss.
Incorporating salmon and other fish into your diet can help you better meet your protein needs and build muscle.
A study published in 2020 found that the protein content in salmon could help stimulate muscle protein synthesis after exercise. The researchers asked 10 active adults to do resistance exercises and then eat salmon or crystalline amino acids and fish oil with 20 grams of protein, finding improved results for the salmon group.
The AHA recommends eating omega-3 fatty acids as part of a heart-healthy diet. Salmon is an excellent source of omega-3, a nutrient that supports heart health.
Research has found that replacing saturated fats from animal sources with omega-6 fatty acids in fish helps reduce total blood cholesterol.
Omega-3s in fish may help reduce mortality in people with coronary heart disease. Sometimes, health care providers recommend supplementation with omega-3s to treat hypertriglyceridemia, or high triglycerides.
Research has found that the omega-3s found in salmon:
- Reduction of atherosclerosis, or the build-up of fatty substances in the arteries
- Improve the ability of the arteries to swell and increase the amount of blood they can carry
- Increase in HDL (“good”) cholesterol
- Reduce inflammation
- Protect against coronary artery blockages
- Reducing the risk of arrhythmias, or irregular heart rhythm
Astaxanthin is a carotenoid, or pigment – known as an active form of vitamin A – found in wild-caught salmon. Research has found astaxanthin to be an antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer agent.
Antioxidants may protect against cell damage that contributes to chronic illnesses, such as:
Research shows that including salmon in your diet can improve your cholesterol levels by reducing LDL cholesterol (the bad kind) and increasing HDL cholesterol (the good kind).
Salmon contains nutrients such as vitamin B12 and omega-3 fatty acids that are essential for proper nerve function and nerve regeneration.
Chronic inflammation can lead to many medical conditions, such as diabetes, cancer and arthritis. Eating oily fish like salmon helps reduce and prevent inflammation, and your body functions more efficiently.
Eating foods high in omega-3 fatty acids helps protect and improve brain health. Research shows that eating fish like salmon can improve memory, cognition and brain cell repair.
Eating salmon can do more than boost your health. Salmon is a great choice if you want to be environmentally conscious.
“Alaska Salmon is wild and sustainable, good for the environment and good for us,” said Keri Gans, RDN, a registered nutritionist based in New York. Health.
If farmed, salmon is more sustainable than other sources of animal protein. The salmon farming process leaves a smaller carbon footprint by using less land and resources.
One three-ounce serving of wild Atlantic salmon contains the following nutrients:
- Added sugars: 0g
- calories: 121
- Carbohydrates: 0g
- Fat: 5.4 g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 16.8g
- Saturated fat: 0.8g
- Sodium: 37.4mg
- Unsaturated fat: 3.9g
Other essential vitamins and minerals in salmon include:
- Iron: Salmon is a good source of iron, which is vital for many body processes. Iron helps transfer oxygen from your lungs to other tissues and supports muscle metabolism.
- Selenium: This element helps your body make antioxidants that prevent cell damage.
- Vitamin A: Salmon is rich in vitamin A, which supports healthy teeth, skin, eyesight, pregnancy and breastfeeding. The fat in salmon can help with vitamin A absorption.
- Vitamin B12: If you get enough vitamin B12, this helps prevent anemia, loss of appetite, nerve problems and weakness.
- Vitamin B3: Also known as niacin, vitamin B3 helps convert food into energy that your body needs. Vitamin B3 helps digestion and skin and nerve functions.
- Vitamin D: Your body gets vitamin D from sunlight and foods such as salmon. Vitamin D helps your body absorb calcium, which builds strong bones. Vitamin D plays a key role in your nervous, muscle and immune systems.
- Zinc: This essential mineral helps support immune function, cell growth, and wound healing.
In general, salmon is safe to eat. Some people with fish allergies may need to stay away from salmon. You may only be allergic to certain types of fish, so be aware if symptoms develop after eating salmon.
Fish allergy symptoms include:
- Anaphylaxis, or a reaction in which it is difficult to breathe, and the body is in shock
- Asthma
- Gastrointestinal symptoms (eg, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea)
- Headache
- Hives or skin rash
- Sneezing
- Stuffy or runny nose
It is not uncommon for people to develop fish allergies in adulthood. Almost 40% of people allergic to fish did not develop symptoms until they were adults.
Sometimes, toxins can contaminate fish that have spent a lot of time at the bottom of the water. For example, most fish contain traces of mercury, which can make people sick if eaten in large doses.
Salmon has one of the lowest levels of mercury. Experts claim that the benefits of salmon outweigh the risk of mercury poisoning.
There are several types of salmon, including five species of Pacific salmon found in waters near North America.
Pacific salmon species include:
- Chinook
- To
- Coho
- Pink
- Sockeye
Chinook is the largest salmon in the Pacific Ocean, weighing up to 126 pounds and measuring up to 58 inches in length. In contrast, pinks are the smallest salmon in the Pacific, averaging three to five pounds and measuring up to 12 inches in length. Another type of salmon is the Atlantic, which averages eight to 12 pounds and grows up to 30 inches in length.
You can buy salmon fresh or frozen. There are also smoked and canned varieties of fish. Keep some of the following in mind when buying fresh salmon:
- The salmon should have a light fresh smell rather than a fishy smell like ammonia.
- The salmon should have firm flesh that springs back if you push it.
- The salmon should have clear, shiny eyes.
Frozen salmon may not have certain characteristics, but the fish should smell fresh. You can tell salmon is not safe to eat if it has a fishy, sour smell after cooking.
To prevent cross-contamination when handling raw fish, wash your hands with soap and water after touching it and sanitize cutting boards, utensils, dishes and countertops.
You can eat salmon cooked or raw, although cooking the fish reduces the risk of food poisoning. Only eat raw salmon that has been previously frozen.
Salmon is a sustainable choice that packs protein and heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids. Salmon helps support heart health by reducing total cholesterol and blood pressure, two risk factors for heart disease.
There are many types of salmon. When buying fresh salmon, make sure the fish has a mild smell and firm flesh. You can eat salmon cooked or raw, but the risk of food poisoning is reduced when the fish is fed.
