Salmon is not Just an Amazing Fat Burning Food

Salmon

Salmon falls under two category types, Pacific Salmon & Atlantic Salmon. The Pacific salmon represent all of the wild salmon caught in North America. Atlantic Salmon represent over 95 percent of the ocean-farmed salmon. There are very few commercial fisheries for wild atlantic salmon.

Farmed vs. Wild Salmon

Salmon ocean farming is a safe & eco-friendly way to fulfill the demand for fresh salmon year-round. Salmon is grown under controlled conditions & constant monitoring . In the United States the FDA (Food & Drug Administration) food inspection agency continuously monitors the quality of salmon during the production & processing steps. Ocean-farmed salmon allows people to eat a healthy tasty fish at an affordable price while protecting the wild salmon population.

Food Safety

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB’s) limits in salmon are almost equal to those found in wild salmon and well below the FDA limits. There should be no concerns in regards to mercury levels in salmon. In a study by the Institute of Medicine, salmon has been consistently rated as the fish with the lowest mercury levels. No hormones are used in the production of farmed salmon. Only antibiotics may be used to treat ill ocean-farm raised salmon. There are some organic farms that do not utilize antibiotics. The pink color of salmon are in result of the vital nutrients that are included in the feed of ocean-farmed salmon called astaxanthin. Astaxanthin is critical to the development of salmon in the wild as well as farmed salmon. It is simply a nutrient that turns the flesh pink similar to that of beta-carotene in carrots.

Health Benefits & Nutrition

Salmon yields the benefit of Omega-3 Fatty acids. Omega-3 fatty acids are polyunsaturated fats that are essential to life. It helps protect against heart disease, promotes healthy skin, healthy joints, and are essential to proper neurological development in unborn babies & young children. Because of the health benefit of Omega-3 Fatty acids, it is recommended by the American Health Association dietary guidelines that adults eat at least two servings of fish high in Omega-3 fatty acids per week.

Salmon is low in saturated fats (bad fats) which are linked to higher cholesterol levels. Salmon has approximately a third of the saturated fat of lean ground beef and fifty percent less saturated fat than chicken.

Salmon is low in Trans-fatty acids. Trans-fatty acids increases LDL cholesterol levels (bad cholesterol) and lowers HDL cholesterol levels (good cholesterol) which leads to greater risk of heart disease and stroke.

Salmon is low in calories. Salmon contains only 183 calories. This is lower than both beef or chicken.

Salmon is high in protein. This type of protein contains all of the essential amino acids required by the body for growth and maintenance of muscle tissue. Also, high-quality proteins help maintain an active metabolism, which plays an important part in weight loss. Salmon is a healthy & wise choice to include in your diet.

If you currently aren’t a big fan of fish, maybe now is the time to reconsider for the greater good of your health-MYSELF INCLUDED.