Is salmon healthy or fishy?
Updated: Jun 28, 2021
Many people enjoy eating fish, whether that is steamed, baked or pan-fried. There are many types of salmon, such as wild sockeye, pink, Coho, and King salmon. Many of these kinds are wild-caught, but beware to check if the salmon is farm-raised to prevent fishy additives that could be harmful to you in the long run.
One of the most astonishing benefits of salmon is its high protein content. With more than 20g of protein per 100g, this may help you recover after workouts, injuries, or repair tired and damaged tissues. Protein is one of the most important nutrients that human bodies need as it plays a part in metabolic reactions, immune response, protein provides a source of energy, assists in cellular repair, form blood cells, and more.
Additionally, salmon is rich in omega-3 fatty acids. What does this mean? The fatty acids here are different from other fats, such as ones found in fried foods, these fatty acids must be ingested because your body cannot produce them. By ingesting these fatty acids, it will help decreasing inflammation, lowering blood pressure, reducing the risk of cancer and improving the function of the cells that line your arteries, similar to the benefits of taking fish oil capsules.
Salmon is also high in Vitamin B, which is essential for turning the food you eat into energy, creating and repairing DNA and reduce inflammation to lower the risk for heart diseases or strokes. Moreover, one serving (100g) of salmon contains more than 50% of the daily recommended intake (DRI) of vitamin b3, a micronutrient that helps to reduce fatigue and tiredness, as the key component niacin helps the body convert food into glucose used to produce energy. It also provides more than 50% of the DRI of vitamin b-12, which is important for maintaining healthy nerve and blood cells and helps make DNA, the genetic material in all cells. As anemia is a growing problem associated with the lack of enough healthy red blood cells to carry adequate oxygen to your body's tissues, making you tired, eating salmon may help to reduce the risk of anemia.
Surprisingly, salmon is also a good source of potassium. In fact, gram for gram, it provides more potassium than bananas! Potassium is important to help your nerves to function and muscles to contract, help the heartbeat stay regular, and move nutrients into cells and waste products out of cells. It may also reduce blood pressure by preventing excess water retention, which may cause heart failures or strokes in serious cases.
So, what are you waiting for? Salmon can be added to your diet in a variety of ways, whether that's with a fresh smoked salmon breakfast bagel, a bright salmon salad, or a simple grilled salmon for two!
Here are some delicious ways to enjoy salmon!