Salmon
Salmon is a common name given for species of fish belonging to the Salmonidae family. Other varieties of fish in this family include the trout. Their difference lies on the Salmon’s migratory life against the trout’s residential behavior.
Salmon can be seen in most parts of the Atlantic Ocean, Pacific Ocean and the Great Lakes. They are typically anadromous since they are mostly born in fresh water then migrating to the ocean and thus returning to fresh water to reproduce. There are other species of Salmon, however, that can only survive in fresh water. This can be traced to its domestication.
Salmon Fun Facts
· It is a type of fish almost everyone loves.
· It is firm when grilled and it can be cooked in several ways.
· It doesn’t dry out easily like other fish.
· It can come frozen, fresh or canned.
· Eating wild salmon doesn’t pose dangers of mercury or other contaminants.
· It has a high nutrient profile such as Omega-3 fatty acids.
Health Benefits and Nutrition Value of Salmon
Salmon is considered as a highly nutritious food. It is not only high in protein but the “good fats” as well. A 4 ounce of wild salmon can already provide you with a whole day’s Vitamin D requirement. It also has B12, selenium, niacin, magnesium and B6. As for canned Salmon, it has huge amounts of calcium.
With all these nutrients, people who love fish are very much protected from several conditions. This is mostly due to the Omega-3 fats which can help reduce inflammation in our bodies, which is now the root of many serious health conditions. This includes other types of cancer, arthritis and diabetes. In addition, Omega-3 can prevent blood clots that can lead to stroke.
Newer findings about Omega-3 reveal that they can help those with slow cognitive problems like Alzheimer’s disease as well as other age-related cognitive declines. Those who take Omega-3 are also less prone to suicide and depression risks. Another is lesser aggression.
Wild Salmon versus Farmed Salmon
There are certain issues on whether it’s better to eat wild or farmed Salmon. The reasons mainly fall into 3 distinct categories. This would include the following:
Contamination Issues
The Salmon we buy today are mostly farmed. In studies, there were indications that there are PCB concentrations and several other contaminants present in these farmed Salmons. The levels were 10x higher than wild Salmons. There were even reports of farmed Salmon in Europe that had high levels of heavy metals like cadmium and lead. Studies showed that this is passed on from the feed and then become more concentrated in the Salmon’s oil.
Omega-3
Farmed Salmon is fattier. It means, you can find higher levels of Omega-3 fats in farmed Salmon. This is why newer regulations were implemented such as for Salmon to be cooked in methods that can reduce the fat content; newer feeds that contained more plant food and lesser fish meal. This will lessen the Omega- fats. As for wild Salmon, they are carnivorous.
Source: http://www.ArticlePros.com/author.php?Mike Rowe
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