Salmon is a very well-known and popular fish. The Polish market includes: B altic salmon, Pacific salmon and Norwegian salmon from farms. Check the he alth benefits of salmon and which of the available products is the he althiest. Also, learn how to prepare salmon and get to know the recipe we have prepared!

Salmonis one of the most frequently bought fish by Poles. On the market we have a full selection of salmon in various forms: fillets, bells, carcasses and steaks.Salmoncan be found in the form of frozen, smoked, canned or as an ingredient of ready meals. However, are the nutritional values ​​behind the popularity of salmon - is it a fish worth eating?

Salmon - nutritional values ​​

Salmon as a source of protein

Salmon is a very good source of wholesome protein - 100 grams of fish contain about 20 grams of protein, regardless of the type of farming.

Fish also contains essential amino acids that are not produced in the body, such as:

  • leucine,
  • isoleucine,
  • valina
  • and lysine.

Salmon and fatty acids

Salmon is a fatty fish, therefore it is a very caloric fish. The energy value of salmon varies depending on the method of farming - farmed salmon is more caloric than that obtained from natural fisheries.

Salmon in any form is rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids, including omega-3 fatty acids, extremely valuable for the body. These acids have a beneficial effect on the body through:

  • reducing the concentration of triacylglycerols in the blood plasma,
  • normalizing blood pressure,
  • anticoagulant effect,
  • reducing the level of cholesterol in the blood, which has an anti-atherosclerotic effect,
  • inhibition of coronary heart disease and coronary heart disease,
  • anti-inflammatory and antiallergic effect by inhibiting the excessive immune response,
  • slowing down the rate of development of type 2 diabetes,
  • anti-cancer effect,
  • boosting the immune system,
  • depression prevention,
  • reducing the risk of obesity by inhibiting lipogenesis,
  • positive effect on the skin and supporting the treatment of diseasesskin.
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Salmon and vitamins and minerals

Salmon contains significant amounts of vitamin D - eating 100 g of fresh fish will cover the daily requirement for this ingredient in 73 to 87%, depending on the origin of the fish.

Vitamin D, in addition to participating in bone metabolic processes, also participates in immunological, anti-carcinogenic and cardioprotective processes. In addition, vitamin D is used in the treatment of skin diseases, cardiovascular diseases, and in the prevention and treatment of depression.

Salmon is also a good source of B vitamins:

  • vitamin B6, essential in the synthesis of hormones and enzymes, and
  • vitamin B12, involved in the production of red blood cells.

Salmon contains significant amounts of selenium - 100 g of fresh fish contain 24 to 36 µg of the element, which covers 44 to 66% of the daily requirement for this ingredient for an adult.

Selenium improves the body's immunity and protects red blood cells against free radicals. In addition, salmon is a source of phosphorus and magnesium.

Worth knowing

Salmon lives in the B altic Sea, the North Atlantic Ocean and some rivers in Europe and North America. The B altic salmon stocks are threatened with extinction, while the Pacific salmon fished off the coast of Alaska are stable and MSC certified. So choose Pacific salmon whose population is not threatened with extinction.

Fresh or smoked salmon?

The salmon on the market is also available smoked. However, this method of treatment is not indifferent to he alth.

The smoking process produces compounds that are hazardous to the body: carcinogenic PAHs (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons), methyl alcohol, acetone, formic acid and dioxins. Smoked fish also contain significant amounts of sodium.

It is also worth knowing that during smoking, salmon loses B vitamins, which reduces its nutritional value. In addition, polyunsaturated fatty acids, including omega-3 fatty acids are lost.

However, there is a slight increase in vitamin D and vitamin A content in smoked salmon compared to fresh salmon, which has little effect on improving the nutritional value of the salmon.

Loss of B vitamins and omega-3 fatty acids, a significant increase in sodium contentand the mutagenic and carcinogenic compounds generated in the smoking process speak for the choice of fresh salmon over smoked.

Nutritional value per 100 g of product

Fresh salmonSmoked salmon
Energy value (kcal)142.0117.0
Protein (g)19.818,3
Fat (g)6,34,3
Saturated fat (g)0.980.93
Monounsaturated fat (g)2,12,0
Polyunsaturated fat (g)2.540.995
Including omega-3 (g)1.72 (DHA 1.12 g)0.52 (DHA 0.27 g)
Cholesterol (mg)55.023.0
% of the daily requirement for an adult
Potassium (mg)490.0 (10%)175.0 (4%)
Sodium (mg)44.0 (3%)672.0 (45%)
Phosphorus (mg)200.0 (29%)164.0 (23%)
Selenium (mg)36.5 (66%)32.4 (59%)
Magnesium (mg)29.0 (7%)18.0 (5%)
Niacin (mg)7.9 (4%)4.7 (29%)
Vitamin B6 (mg)0.8 (62%)0.28 (22%)
Vitamin B12 (µg)3.2 (133%)2.0 (83%)
Vitamin D3 (µg)13.0 (87%)17.1 (114%)
Vitamin A (µg)12.0 (1%)26.0 (3%)

Source: USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Nutrition Norms, IŻŻ Amendment, 2012

Natural or farmed salmon?

More than 80% of farmed salmon on the market is Norwegian. Salmon is reared in marine aquaculture, basins located in and separate from the marine environment. As it turns out, salmon farming affects and poses a threat to wild salmon.

A decrease in the number of wild salmon living near aquaculture has been observed, which is the result of the infestation of farmed lice, the release of chemical agents (antibacterial drugs, antiparasitic drugs,antiviral and antifungal agents) used in farming, increasing the incidence of diseases in the wild salmon population, genetic changes and increasing competition in the wild with farmed salmon released into the wild.

Farmed fish are fed pellets made of fishmeal and fish oils, which also contain meals, grains, broad beans, soybeans, vitamins, minerals and the dye canthaxanthin, giving farmed salmon a distinctive, more attractive orange or pink color that varies the color of naturally caught salmon is gray.

Ecologically farmed salmon is increasingly available on the market. The conditions in such farms are strictly regulated by EU law. Organic aquaculture must meet the needs of species and the production systems must meet fish welfare requirements. Farms should be located in ecologically uncontaminated places and may not have a negative impact on the natural environment.

Ecologically farmed salmon are fed with fodder that is available to the salmon in the wild and with ecological fodder. The use of fishmeal and fish oil is allowed, but must be prepared from fish trimmings that come from sustainable fisheries and are intended for human consumption. Moreover, fish meal and fish oil may constitute no more than 30% of the daily food ration of a salmon.

In ecological salmon farms, activities are carried out that prevent the occurrence of diseases. If treatment is necessary, veterinary treatment is applied using plant or animal substances in homeopathic solutions, plants and their extracts, and finally natural immunostimulants or probiotics. In addition, before placing the treated fish on the market, the farmer must report this to the certification body.

Farmed salmon contains more total fats and omega-3 fatty acids compared to wild salmon as a result of a diet enriched with these fats. However, farmed salmon has fewer vitamins and minerals than wild salmon, except for vitamin A, niacin, phosphorus, and sodium.

Due to the higher he alth values ​​and the lack of added chemicals, it is better to choose salmon from natural fisheries caught off the coast of Alaska, the stocks of which are not endangered with extinction, or salmon from certified organic farming.

Can a pregnant woman eat salmon?

Both fresh salmon - wild and farmed - and salmonsmoked fish are fish not contaminated with mercury compounds. They are therefore safe for pregnant and breastfeeding women, but the EPA Environmental Protection Agency and the Food and Drug Administration recommend limiting the consumption of all fish, including salmon, to 340 g per week, and eliminating predatory fish from the diet, including mackerel or swordfish.

Salmon is an extremely valuable fish for pregnant women due to the low content of mercury compounds and high content of omega-3 acids, which have a positive effect on the development of the fetal nervous system.

Canthaxanthin and astaxanthin: dyes used to color salmon

Canthaxanthinused to give color to salmon from artificial farms is a compound produced by chemical synthesis. In 2013, the European Food Safety Authority approved canthaxanthin as a safe animal feed additive that does not adversely affect human he alth. However, too high doses of canthaxanthin can be dangerous, including cause skin changes and eye problems.

Astaxanthinfor coloring salmon meat in organic farming is obtained from natural sources, from the shells of crustaceans that feed on algae that produce this dye naturally. Naturally derived astaxanthin is beneficial for he alth: it has antioxidant properties, protects cells, tissues and organs from damage by free radicals.

Moreover, astaxanthin has anti-inflammatory and immunomodulating properties, and inhibits the growth of cancer. The latest research also reports on the effect of astaxanthin on the prevention and inhibition of the development of cardiovascular diseases that result from its antioxidant properties.

The amount of astaxanthin that may be added to fish feed is defined by European Union law and is not more than 100 mg per kilogram of feed.

Therefore, it is better to choose salmon from ecological farms, the addition of astaxanthin as a dye not only does not have negative effects, but even has a beneficial effect on he alth.

Nutritional value per 100 g of product

Natural fishingBreeding
Energy value (kcal)142.0208.0
Protein (g)19.820,4
Fat (g)6,313,4
Saturated fat (g)0.983,1
Monounsaturated fat (g)2,13.8
Fatspolyunsaturated (g)2.543,9
Including omega-3 (g)1.72 (DHA 1.12 g)2.4 (DHA 1.1 g)
Cholesterol (mg)55.055.0
% of the daily requirement for an adult
Potassium (mg)490.0 (10%)363.0 (8%)
Sodium (mg)44.0 (3%)59.0 (4%)
Phosphorus (mg)200.0 (29%)240.0 (34%)
Selenium (mg)36.5 (66%)24.0 (44%)
Magnesium (mg)29.0 (7%)27.0 (5%)
Niacin (mg)7.9 (4%)8.7 (54%)
Vitamin B6 (mg)0.8 (62%)0.6 (46%)
Vitamin B12 (µg)3.2 (133%)3.2 (133%)
Vitamin D3 (µg)13.0 (87%)11.0 (73%)
Vitamin A (µg)12.0 (1%)58.0 (6%)

Source: USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Nutrition Norms, IŻŻ Amendment, 2012

How do I make a salmon?

Salmon can be prepared in many different ways. Fresh fish is suitable for baking (also in aluminum foil), grilling, stewing, steaming and frying. Salmon can be served in a variety of sauces - from vegetable, tomato, dill, herbal and mushroom sauces to fruit-based sauces, e.g. mango, raspberry, cranberry, lemon.

Salmon will also be a great ingredient in risottos and kashot with vegetables and soups. Salmon can also be used to prepare skewers, casseroles, curries or pasta dishes. Both smoked and fresh salmon are great as an addition to tortillas, salads or as an ingredient in pastes.

Combining salmon with foods rich in vitamin C, such as tomatoes, peppers, broccoli or Brussels sprouts, will increase the bioavailability of vitamin B12 from this fish.

And the addition of calcium-rich products, good sources of which are: spinach, broccoli or almonds, creating a good flavor composition with salmon, will increase the absorption of vitamin D.

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See the gallery of 7 photosThis will be useful to you

Recipe for grilled salmon with black rice and broccoli

Ingredients:

  • 100 g salmon fillet
  • 150 g broccoli
  • 10 g olive oil
  • Provencal herbs
  • dill
  • s alt
  • pepper

Preparation method:

Wash, dry and rub the salmon with s alt, pepper and herbs. Preheat the grill pan, grill for about 10 minutes. Cook the broccoli. Serve with black rice and boiled broccoli.

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