Salmon is a type of fish that is really good for you and our health. This fish contains vitamin D, B3, B12, omega 3 fatty acids, zinc, magnesium, phosphorus, iron, and this composition provides it with a place among the healthiest foods in the world.
What else do we need to know about salmon?
The term salmon is used for most fish that comes from a wider family, called Salmonidae (more than 76 trout).
This family originates from the Pacific Ocean, ie mainly salmon live in the part of North America.
Today they are bred and hunted in various other locations and places around the world.
For a food to be called complete and healthy, it must meet two basic criteria – to be nutritious or nutritious and to have good taste characteristics.
The salmon undoubtedly and more than enough meets all these conditions.
It may be more expensive fish, but it is especially nutritious and high in calories – it saturates very easily, so it should not be consumed so often. Once or twice a week is optimal.
Nutritionists consider salmon to be one of the most nutritious fish, primarily due to its exceptional micronutrient composition (wide range of vitamins and minerals), omega 3 fatty acids, but also quality proteins.
With all this in mind, we should not be surprised at all by the numerous beneficial effects of salmon that we will list in the continuation of today’s article.
The nutritional profile of salmon
Although there are small differences in nutrition between different types of salmon and depending on the different ways of their processing (preparation), still each species is particularly nutritious.
About 85g of cooked salmon (not fried) contains about 150 calories, most of its protein (~ 22g) but also fat (~ 7g).
Salmon diet facts
Half a salmon fillet contains:
- Omega – 3 fatty acids – 4023 mg
- Omega – 6 fatty acids – 1185 mg
- Protein – 39.3 g
- Vitamin A – 89.0 IU
- B6 vitamin – 1.2 mg
- Vitamin B12 – 5.0 micrograms
- Vitamin C – 6.6 mg
- Folic acid – 60.5 mcg
- Niacin – 14.3 mg
- Thiamine – 0.6 mg
- Pantothenic acid – 2.6 mg
- Carbohydrates – 0 g
- Calcium – 26.7 mg
- Magnesium – 53.4 mg
- Selenium – 73.7 mcg
- Potassium – 683 mg
- Phosphorus – 449 mg
- Iron – 0.6 mg
- Sodium – 109 mg
- Calories – 367
Salmon is a great source of B vitamins. Here is the list.
- Vitamin B12 or cobalamin – 51% of RDI
- Vitamin B6 or pyridoxine – 47% of RDI
- Thiamine or Vitamin B1 – 18% of RDI
- Vitamin B2 or riboflavin – 29% of RDI
- Vitamin B3 or niacin – 50% of RDI
- Pantothenic acid or vitamin B5 – 19% of RDI
- Vitamin B9 or folic acid – 9% of RDI
These vitamins each in their own way play a major role in maintaining good health.
They help prevent osteoporosis and gastrointestinal problems, reduce the risk of fractures, help increase metabolism, improve brain function, maintain high energy levels, act as cofactors for various biological reactions, and aid in methylation. of RNA, DNA, proteins, and phospholipids.
Health benefits of salmon for health
Salmon prevents breast cancer
One of its benefits for our health is of course the ability to prevent breast cancer.
Studies show that eating salmon at least twice a week reduces the risk of breast cancer.
A study published in the British Medical Journal found that two servings of oily fish a week, such as salmon, could reduce the risk of breast cancer. Fatty fish are rich in omega 3 fatty acids.
These fats are vital for the development and maintenance of the brain and cardiovascular system, and also fight various inflammations in the body.
Unfortunately, statistics show that even in developed countries such as the United Kingdom, 9 out of 10 children and 65% of adults almost never eat oily fish.
What’s worse is the fact that the body can not produce omega 3 fatty acids.
The researchers analyzed 26 studies conducted in Asia, America, and Europe.
Their study included about 80,000 participants in total and more than 20,000 of them diagnosed with breast cancer.
The results showed that at least 0.1 grams of omega 3 fatty acids obtained daily reduces the risk of cancer by 5%.
Women should also eat at least 2 fatty fish meals a week.
These include herring, tuna, salmon, sardines, mackerel, and each serving should weigh about 140 grams.
Whitefish such are also good, but not as rich in omega 3 fatty acids as fatty fish.
Women in Asia eat fish more often than in other parts of the world, so their risk of breast cancer is the lowest.
Salmon is a great food for our eyes
A diet rich in fish, such as salmon, can be very successful in maintaining the health of our eyes.
It also helps prevent the condition of dry eyes and the symptoms of macular degeneration – the number one cause of permanent blindness in the Western world.
This effect is attributed to the anti-inflammatory omega 3 fatty acids that are present in large quantities in salmon.
This composition makes salmon excellent food for reducing the risk of glaucoma, high intraocular pressure, and ensures proper eye development in the youngest.
Salmon is an excellent source of protein
Salmon is a food rich in quality protein.
What does that mean?
Proteins that contain almost all 9 essential amino acids in excellent quantities.
Like omega 3 fatty acids, essential amino acids, the body does not have a mechanism to create them, so we need to enter them daily through a healthy diet.
Proteins play an important role in the body in many ways, including a major structural role and faster healing of various injuries. As well as protecting bones, maintaining muscle mass during weight loss and the aging process and many other important roles, such as enzymatic (essential catalysts of all metabolic processes in the body).
As previously mentioned, in less than 100g, salmon contains over 22g of quality protein.
An excellent source of rare vitamin D
The body has its own mechanism to produce this vitamin on its own, but still, for most of the year, it is not produced (due to the limited rays of the sun), so its deficiency is quite common.
Recently, vitamin D has been assigned an increasing number of important functions, in addition to the key one in bone metabolism.
Its deficiency is associated with various disorders in our body, from various cardiovascular diseases, arthritis, malignant diseases, etc.
That is why it is important in the summer to be more exposed to the sun and of course to eat more often foods such as salmon.
Just one meal that includes salmon provides more than just the daily requirement of this vitamin.
Salmon is a great source of selenium
Selenium is one of the so-called trace minerals, ie it is found in very small amounts in food.
It is another micronutrient that is often lacking in humans and is extremely important for our health.
Research has linked selenium to bone health, a reduction in thyroid antibodies produced in people with autoimmune thyroid disease, reduced risk of malignancy, and more.
Just one meal with salmon can completely satisfy the daily needs of this micronutrient.
One study found that people who ate 2 salmon meals a week had much better levels of selenium in the blood than those who supplemented with selenium.
Salmon is a great food for the heart as well
This beneficial property of salmon is due to its mineral composition and omega 3 fatty acids.
Omega 3 fatty acids can help reduce overall inflammation in the body and reduce the risk of developing atherosclerosis, hypertension, and even heart attack.
A number of studies have linked these specific fatty acids to cardiovascular health, which is why cardiologists recommend eating fish at least 1-2 times a week.
In addition, solid minerals (potassium, magnesium, and even iron), as well as the antioxidant composition (selenium and astaxanthin), are of particular importance for heart health.
Studies show that optimal potassium intake leads to a reduced risk of heart attack and stroke (lowers high blood pressure) and prevents muscle and bone loss. Salmon also contains a certain amount of magnesium, which is also good for heart health (its contractions).
Antioxidants are the body’s defense mechanism against free radicals – harmful components that are constantly produced as metabolic waste in the body and oxidatively damage its various cells and tissues.
The body has mechanisms to produce a certain percentage of necessary antioxidants, but it still depends on the intake.
Permanent oxidative damage leads to chronic inflammation or inflammation, which in the long run is one of the main reasons for the development of chronic diseases, such as diabetes, cardiovascular, malignant diseases, etc.
In addition to the mineral antioxidant selenium, salmon is rich in a carotenoid antioxidant called astaxanthin.
Studies have linked astaxanthin to reducing the oxidation of LDL “bad” cholesterol and increasing levels of HDL, or “good” cholesterol.
Thus, this antioxidant that gives salmon meat its red color reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease.
Salmon also contains B-vitamins
This fish contains almost the full range of B vitamins.
Therefore, its composition successfully helps maintain energy levels, prevents inflammation, protects the heart, and improves brain function.
Salmon reduces inflammation in our body
Inflammation can be dangerous. It can cause weight gain, joint pain, autoimmune reaction, gastric ulcers, and stroke.
Omega – 3 fatty acids present in salmon, regulate local hormones.
These hormones, in turn, are important for regulating cellular pathways and gene expression, which help suppress proinflammatory biomolecules.
This helps prevent migraine, arthritis, psoriasis, ulcerative colitis, multiple sclerosis, Crohn’s disease, inflammation-induced obesity, etc.
Improves skin health
As we age, fine lines, dark spots, and freckles begin to appear.
In fact, many young women have oily or dry skin that makes them prone to acne-prone skin.
Salmon is recommended if you want to improve your skin health.
Omega – 3 fatty acids, protein, and vitamin D will help your cells produce collagen, keratin, and melanin.
They will help your skin retain water, which reduces wrinkles and fine lines.
Astaxanthin helps to prevent the accumulation of bacteria and toxic oxygen radicals and improves skin elasticity, thereby reducing acne and dark spots. This fish is rich in B vitamins.
Salmon prevents hair loss
Salmon is rich in omega – 3 fatty acids, protein, vitamin B12, and iron.
These nutrients are key to improving your health and scalp, preventing hair loss by providing food for the follicles.
It also successfully promotes hair growth and helps prevent your hair from falling out.
So we need to consume salmon that takes care of our hair often.
However, if we can not eat salmon often, then we can use fish supplements to prevent hair loss.
Possible dangers of excessive salmon consumption
This fish can be found in the markets is generally grown, not hunted.
Thus, due to the poor diet that salmon farmed often has, it is possible that the meat is of poorer quality.
There may be the impaired quality of omega 3 fatty acids, but also potentially toxic content – mercury, dioxins, pesticides, antibiotics, polychlorinated biphenyls, etc.
Therefore, it is good not to overdo it with salmon or eat it no more than 5-10 times a month.
In terms of quality and quantity of nutrients, wild salmon is better than the farmed ones.
The cultivated one is naturally white but is additionally dyed with a synthetic version of astaxanthin to look like wild.
Due to the exponential increase in water pollution, most salmon are toxic.
They contain heavy metals such as mercury, persistent organic pollutants (POPs), and pesticides.
In fact, farmed salmon is the most dangerous because it contains higher levels of these toxins.
Wild-caught Alaskan salmon have the lowest levels of these toxins and are safe to consume.
How to choose and how to store this fish
Choose fresh, frozen, canned, smoked, or dried wild salmon.
If you want to buy fresh salmon, it is best to opt for salmon fillets from a local fisherman or fish market.
If you can not find fresh or frozen wild salmon, choose canned salmon.
When you do not have a fish market nearby, you should always buy wild salmon if you find it in a store.
You can also check if the salmon is in the right condition by smelling through the wrapping paper.
Try to buy salmon with skin, because it will help preserve the body and you will also have a better taste.
Always store salmon in the refrigerator.
Store for about a week, wrap in a clean bag, and place in the coldest part of your refrigerator.
So, you see, it’s not that hard to pick the best salmon and keep it for at least a week.
Conclusion
In conclusion, salmon is a delicious fish and has a huge number of health benefits.
This fish contains vitamin D, B3, B12, omega 3 fatty acids, zinc, magnesium, phosphorus, iron, and this composition, as we have already said, provides a place among the healthiest foods in the world.
Salmon is great for the heart, bones, eyesight, cholesterol, skin, and many other important benefits.
But be careful when buying and store it properly to last longer.
So, start eating salmon daily in your diet to enjoy a disease-free life.
