Are You Swimming Upstream in Salmon Choices?

Welcome back!

With all the hoopla in the last few years about Salmon, it’s a wonder if we’re doing something good or bad by eating it at all. I’ve always heard that wild salmon is much better for you than farm raised, but only had a vague idea of why.

So I decided to do a little research — I’m almost sorry I did.

It’s common knowledge that salmon is one of the richest fish in Omega 3 fatty acids – two in particular. DHA, which is good for its brain-boosting benefits and EPA, which is good for the heart and cardiovascular system.

However, most of the salmon you see in stores is Atlantic farm-raised salmon and there are 2 reasons you should be concerned about eating that:

1. The typical farm raised salmon is fed a diet of grains and plant oils (not fish oils),which totally negates the benefits of eating salmon, since the Omega 3 fatty acids are greatly reduced. While it is possible to feed them a fish oil instead, it’s too costly and unlikely to happen.

2. There was quite a scare a few years ago about the PCBs (a product that was used in coolants -not anymore, but still widespread in the environment) found in farm-raised salmon. In July 2003, the Environmental Working Group reported that farmed salmon purchased in the United States contain the highest level of PCBs in the entire food supply. And in January 2004, a study reported in the journal Science warned that farmed salmon has 10 times more toxins than wild salmon. Not to mention the mercury level is also higher in farmed salmon.

Okay, So Let’s Go Wild!

Not so fast. There have several studies done in the last few years – one from Consumer Reports – that found many of the fresh fish labeled as “wild” salmon were really farm raised. If you are buying fresh wild salmon during the winter, I’d be suspicious – it’s out of season then.

Fresh wild salmon is outrageously expensive, too.

What Are My Choices?

Look for Alaskan wild salmon in the summer. It’s more abundant then and more likely to be labeled correctly.

Looked for canned Alaskan salmon. That’s a safe bet – except for the high salt content. And the fact that it doesn’t taste the same.

Me? I’m going to continue eating my frozen Trader Joe’s Alaskan Wild Salmon. It’s a great bargain and tastes good, too.

And for good measure, I’ll also continue to take myCarlson’s Fish Oil capsules.

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