Salmon

Salmon is most commonly associated with pictures of bears catching the fish as they make their way up a pristine stream to lay their eggs. Most of the salmon available in Australia is farmed salmon not wild, not necessarily a bad thing, just something to be mindful of and worth finding out where your salmon comes from.

Salmon is a very nutritious fish to eat! They are high in protein and low in carbs, but although they are a fattier fish option, this is a good fat! And unlike red meat only contain 5-10% of good fats, whereas red meat contains between 30-40% of saturated, not so good fat.

They are high in B vitamins particularly B6 and B12. Salmon is also very high in calcium, particularly if the edible bones are also eaten. They also contain high levels of vitamin A, iodine (if they come from saltwater), iron, magnesium, phosphorus and potassium.

Eating a diet high in fish has correlated with low incidence of heart disease and low cholesterol levels as seen in the communities of Japan and Alaska. This is due to the EPA and DHA component of the Omega 3 in fish. Therefore eating salmon 2-3 times a week can help protect and maintain our cardiovascular systems, help lower blood cholesterol and triglyceride levels, which helps reduce our risk of coronary artery disease.

EPA and DHA are also important for our brain health – memory and concentration, cognitive development, inflammation, skin health, nervous system support etc.

If you can’t stomach the idea of eating salmon or similar fish 2-3 times a week or more, then looking into a good quality fish oil supplement is recommended! And please don’t buy any cheap fish oil supplement thinking they are all the same! If you are unsure what to buy/look for in a fish oil, let me know and I would be happy to help.