Salmon Fish: Nutritional Facts and Benefits

Salmon fish is a popular species of fish that is native to the Pacific Ocean. They are also called Atlantic salmon, and they are distinguished by their large size and the fact that they have a single hump on their back. Salmon are anadromous fish, which means that they spend most of their time in freshwater before migrating to the ocean to breed.

Salmon fish are one of the most commonly consumed fish in North America and Europe. They are also one of the most important commercial and recreational fisheries in these regions. Salmon fish can be found throughout the world, but they are mostly found in North America and Europe.

Salmon have been around for more than 100 million years, with fossils dating back to the Jurassic period. In North America, they were once thought to be extinct because of overfishing in the 1800s.

Salmon was named after its color – it was first described by Dutch biologist Nikolaas Tinneuszoon in 1758 as “The salmon colored fish”.

Salmon fish have been related to several cultural events over time, such as salmon fishing, salmon canning, and salmon farming.

Nutritional Benefits of Salmon

Nutritional Benefits of Cooked Salmon Fish

A 100g serving of salmon (farmed, cooked weight) contains:

  • 232 kcals / 969 kJ
  • 25.2g protein
  • 14.6g fat
  • 7.3mcg vitamin D
  • 20mcg selenium

1. Omega-3 Fatty Acids

Salmon is one of the best sources of the long-chain omega-3 fatty acids eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). Unlike most other fats, omega-3 fats are considered “essential,” meaning you must get them from your diet since your body cannot create them.

A 100-grams of farmed salmon has 2.3 grams of long-chain omega-3 fatty acids, while the same portion of wild salmon contains 2.2 grams. Generally, most health organizations recommend that healthy adults get a minimum of 250–1,000 mg of combined EPA and DHA per day.

EPA and DHA have been credited with several impressive health benefits, such as decreasing inflammation, lowering blood pressure, reducing the risk of cancer, and improving the function of the cells that line your arteries.

2. Great Source of Protein

Salmon is rich in high-quality protein. Like omega-3 fats, protein is another essential nutrient that you must get from your diet. A 100-grams serving of salmon contains 22–25 grams of protein.

Protein plays a number of important roles in the body, including helping your body heal after injury, protecting bone health, and maintaining muscle mass during weight loss and as you get older.

Recent research has found that for optimal health, each meal should provide at least 20–30 grams of high quality protein.

3. Contains Astaxanthin

Astaxanthin is a compound linked to several powerful health effects. As a member of the carotenoid family of antioxidants, astaxanthin gives salmon its signature red hue.

Astaxanthin appears to lower the risk of heart disease by reducing oxidation of LDL (bad) cholesterol and increasing levels of HDL (good) cholesterol. Astaxanthin may even help prevent skin damage and help you look younger.

Some studies also suggests that astaxanthin may reduce inflammation, decrease oxidative stress, and protect against the build-up of fatty plaque in the arteries, which could potentially reduce the risk of heart disease.

In addition, astaxanthin is believed to work with the omega-3 fatty acids found in salmon to protect the brain and nervous system against inflammation.

Salmon contains between 0.4–3.8 mg of astaxanthin per 3.5 ounces (100 grams), with sockeye salmon providing the highest amount.

4. High in B Vitamins

Salmon is an excellent source of B vitamins. Here is the B vitamin content in 100 grams of wild salmon:

  • Vitamin B12over 100% of the Daily Value (DV)
  • Vitamin B6: 56% of the DV
  • Riboflavin: 38% of the DV
  • Thiamin: 23% of the DV
  • Niacin: 63% of the DV
  • Folic acid: 7% of the DV
  • Pantothenic acid: 38% of the DV

These vitamins are involved in several important processes in your body, including turning the food you eat into energy, creating and repairing DNA, and reducing chronic inflammation, which can lead to disease.

B vitamins work together to maintain optimal functioning of your brain and nervous system. Unfortunately, even people in developed countries may become deficient in one or more of these vitamins.

5. Great Source of Potassium

Salmon is quite high in potassium. Potassium helps manage your blood pressure. It also reduces your risk for stroke. This is especially true of wild salmon, which provides 13% of the recommended daily value per 100 grams, versus 8% for farmed salmon.

In fact, wild salmon contains more potassium than an equivalent amount of a medium-size banana, which provides just 9% of the recommended daily value.

Studies have found that supplementing with potassium significantly reduced blood pressure levels in people with high blood pressure, especially for those consuming large amounts of sodium.

Potassium also works with sodium to help regulate fluid balance and lowers blood pressure by preventing excess water retention.

6. Loaded with Selenium

Selenium is a mineral found in soil and certain foods. It’s considered a trace mineral, meaning your body only needs tiny amounts of it. Nevertheless, getting enough selenium in your diet is important. 100-grams of salmon provides 75–85% of the DV for selenium.

Studies have shown that selenium helps protect bone health, decreases thyroid antibodies in people with autoimmune thyroid disease, and may reduce the risk of cancer.

Consuming salmon and other high-selenium seafood has been shown to improve blood levels of selenium in people whose diets are low in this mineral.

Researchers found that blood levels of selenium increased significantly more in people who consumed two servings of salmon per week than those who consumed fish oil capsules containing less selenium.

Summary

The salmon fish is a freshwater fish that is native to North America. It has a long, pink-colored body and can grow up to six feet in length.

Salmon fish is a type of fish that has a high amount of protein, omega-3 fatty acids, and healthy fats. It is also considered to be one of the healthiest types of fish due to its benefits.

Salmon fish is an excellent source for vitamin D and selenium. This can help improve your bone density as well as prevent cardiovascular disease.

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