Salmon Health Benefits
Able to leap tall buildings in a single bound – or at least obstacles in a stream – salmon is another Super Hero Health Food.
It’s got tons of omega-3 fatty acids! It’s got selenium! It’s got protein! It’s even rich in vitamin D!!
Omega-3 fatty acids are probably known best for their heart health benefits, but there are other benefits of fatty acids. They are also believed to lower the risk of developing certain cancers, neurological disorders and prevent complications from metabolic syndrome and diabetes.
Omega-3 fatty acids help lower high blood pressure and reduce symptoms of arthritis and lupus. Not only that, other benefits of fatty acids include the fact they improve bone health in the elderly, promote healthy pregnancies, and improve visual acuity and cognitive development in infants.
Selenium is a trace mineral. It helps protect cells from free-radical damage! (Destroy Free Radicals!)
It also helps enable your thyroid to produce necessary thyroid hormones, and helps lower your risk of joint inflammation.
A word of caution! A lot of salmon available in the stores these days is raised on fish farms where it is exposed to high levels of contaminants. To avoid this, look for salmon that is clearly marked “Wild Alaskan”.
Some of Salmon’s Super Hero Sidekicks are halibut, sardines, herring, sea bass and trout, which are all high in omega-3’s but low in mercury. Albacore tuna is also good, but may have a little higher level of mercury, so limit it to no more than one can a week.
To get the most benefit, eat 3 ounces of salmon, or one of the sidekicks, two to four times weekly.
Enjoy salmon, another Super Hero of Health Foods, and high in esteem on the Superfoods List!
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Is there a difference in the nutritional values in fresh water and ocean salmon?
Good question! I couldn’t find definite data on that, but would infer that ocean salmon is a little better than fresh water salmon due to the fact trout is on the “healthy relative” list.
That being because rainbow trout and steelhead salmon are actually one and the same fish, with Rainbow trout being the name given to the fish when it is harvested or cultured in fresh water; and steelhead salmon the name given when the fish is harvested or cultured in salt water.
There might be some physiological changes when ocean salmon goes up the fresh-water creeks to spawn, but couldn’t find anywhere that it made a significant nutritional difference.
So although I don’t think there’s a huge difference, I’d still say wild ocean salmon has the edge in better nutritional value.