Pursuing Salmon: It's Gotta Be Wild

Overhead, the sky is a crystalline expanse of blue punctuated by drifting billows of clouds. Towering pines look down on a raging torrent of river that wildly sweeps and eddies. Knee-deep in that torrent stands the majestic brown bear, his paws grasping a twisting, gleaming prize -- a plump, delicious king salmon.

This is the Copper River in Alaska, home to some of the most acclaimed salmon in the world -- and rightly so. It turns out the bear has absolutely the right idea, for a wild-caught salmon offers myriad benefits.

It All Starts With Omega-3's

Sure, salmon has an impressive array of nutrients, including a major dose of protein and generous helpings of niacin and vitamin B-12, both of which contribute substantially to heart health. But it's the omega-3 essential fatty acids that make salmon one of the brightest of superstars in the food firmament.

Note the designation "essential" -- these are compounds that the body must have, but cannot manufacture for itself; it is therefore imperative that they be obtained in sufficient amounts from food sources. And salmon is the ultimate source -- chock-full of omega-3's, readily available, and incredibly delicious.

Omega-3's can do all of the following and more: help maintain the integrity of the immune and circulatory systems; reduce the risk of unwanted inflammation; help lower blood pressure and prevent strokes and heart attacks; help prevent erratic heart rhythms; make blood less likely to clot inside arteries; improve the ratio of good cholesterol to bad cholesterol; protect against deep-vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism; reduce the risk of macular degeneration and dry eye syndrome; and protect against a wide array of cancers -- prostate, breast, colon, and pancreatic, to name just a few.

And that's only the beginning. You know that old saying about fish being brain food? Many studies are now indicating a direct correlation between substantial consumption of fish rich in omega-3's and better brain function in older people. Indeed, regular and generous helpings of salmon and other cold-water fatty fish may guard against cognitive decline and Alzheimer's as we age by preventing plaque formation in the brain -- a baby boomer's dream come true...

Depressed? Grill a salmon steak. Studies have shown that because of their anti-inflammatory effects in the brain, omega-3's can protect against depression. Got a surly teenager in the house? Serve up a salmon burger for dinner. A study detailed in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition found a statistically significant relationship between consumption of fish rich in omega-3 fats and lower hostility scores in young urban adults.

Go Wild!

Wild-caught salmon is the only way to go, for many reasons. Although farmed salmon is much cheaper and available everywhere year-round, it has been undeniably proven that farmed salmon is loaded with toxins, including flame retardants and dioxins that are classified as human carcinogens. In fact, farmed salmon has a higher toxic equivalency potential score than any other food. And in terms of damage to the environment and to the wild salmon population, farmed salmon is devastating on many levels. Salmon farms themselves are lethal -- lice from these coastal pens kill up to 95 percent of the juvenile wild salmon that migrate past them.

So insist on wild-caught salmon, for your own health and the health of our ocean ecosystems. At a restaurant, ask your server if the salmon on the menu is wild-caught, and don't order it if it's farmed; same thing at your local market -- ask for wild-caught only.

As far as I'm concerned, salmon from Alaska is the best. The wild population there is totally healthy and has the lowest levels of contaminants. If you can find salmon from the Copper River or the Yukon River -- you are blessed! They are full-flavored, especially fatty (therefore higher in omega-3's), and totally delicious.

When purchasing fresh salmon, as with all fish, smell is your best indicator -- there shouldn't be any. A fresh, clean, slightly briny aroma is fine; any strong or "off" smell means it's not fresh enough. Develop a relationship with your fishmonger, and trust him or her to steer you to the best and freshest available. Keep it cold, and cook it up as soon as possible.

Here's a quick and easy recipe to take advantage of the goodness of wild-caught salmon. Serve it with a wild rice pilaf and some steamed asparagus -- good eating and good health!

Roast Salmon Filet with Pineapple-Jalapeno Relish

¾ cup chopped fresh pineapple
¼ cup diced jicama
1 Tbs. chopped Italian parsley
½ tsp. minced fresh red jalapeno chile
½ Tbs. fresh lime juice
1 ½ Tbs. jalapeno-lime olive oil (or plain olive oil)
4 6-oz. wild-caught salmon filets, skin on
Lime wedges for garnish

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Cover a baking sheet with heavy-duty aluminum foil.

Mix together pineapple, jicama, parsley, jalapeno, lime juice, and ½ Tbs. olive oil. Set aside.

Place salmon filets skin-side down on lined baking sheet, drizzle filets with remaining 1 Tbs. olive oil. Roast in oven for 13-18 minutes, depending on thickness and desired degree of doneness.

Remove filets from pan by sliding a spatula between flesh and skin. Place filets on plates with rice pilaf and asparagus, top fish with pineapple relish, and garnish with lime wedges.

Serves four.

Note: A version of this post appeared in my column Eat Smart in the June issue of Better Nutrition.

Comments

[EagleFury]

Ok, let's say 1% of Americans (about 3,540,000, give or take) listen to you and other Wild Salmon-sourced Omega 3 advocates and decide from now on to regularly consume wild-caught salmon to supplement their diets...

Pop Quiz: The near-collapsing wild salmon fisheries of the world will last how many DAYS under this level of consumer pressure, before--I have this on good authority (NOAA)--di­sappearing from the Earth Forever?!?

See, the problem with fish-as-nu­tritional-­nirvana advocates is they don't seem to want to come to terms with the fact that American and Asian overconsumption of multiple fish stocks, together with phenomenally harmful corporate toxics pollution has devastated global fisheries to the point where many are considered on the brink of total collapse. Read "E-X-T-I-N­-C-T-I-O-N­".

Pass me the Hemp Seed Oil.

Please.

[whslfno7]

Whoa, cool the jets, EagleFury. I highly doubt the wild salmon are going to become extinct simply due to the fact that someone is spreading the good word about health benefits of consuming them. YOU don't have to eat them, and I would greatly appreciate it if you would update me when the numbers of salmon begin to diminish to a worrisome level. The health benefits are obvious, and the fish is one of the best tasting you can buy. Should we stop eating cows, chickens, and other animals as well? I believe you would say so. Let's just stick to the veggies, right?

Pass the fish tacos.

Please.

[Neil Zevnik - Huffpost Blogger]

okay folks, let's use a little common sense here... those of us who proselytize for wild-caught salmon are not recommending it as a daily "supplement"; rather we are suggesting that when considering necessary proteins as a part of a healthy food regimen, salmon is a good choice. And wild-caught salmon are less injurious to the environment and more nutritious than farmed salmon, therefore wild-caught are preferable. This is all in a context, of course, of sustainable fisheries and sensible catch limits. Fortunately, the wild salmon population in terms of sustainability is regulated and monitored; yes, there are many threats to it from humans, including dams and toxic run-off, but these are issues that must be addressed in social and political ways to achieve a remedy. No one is advocating wholesale removal of salmon from our rivers and oceans until there are no more -- that would hardly be in keeping with the pro-environmental attitudes of those who promulgate good health and social responsibility. (continued below)

[Neil Zevnik - Huffpost Blogger]

Yes, over-fishing is a massive and serious problem in the world today, and practical international solutions must be sought and implemented as quickly and efficiently as possible, within the realities of the world map as it is now drawn. And yes, we need alternatives in terms of protein and nutrition to adequately feed the world's ever-expanding population. But there is an intricate web of inter-related conditions and difficulties inherent in any such discussion -- farming produces its own set of environmental complexities, even after considering the health of the oceans and the need for population control. This is an intricate series of intertwined and complex issues that require serious consideration on many levels. So to return to my original, very simple thesis -- when choosing a protein for your diet, selecting wild-caught salmon is one of the least-harmful and more nutritious choices that you can make. The over-arching issues need to be dealt with, certainly -- but on a personal level, on a very small scale, we do need to make daily decisions to the best of our ability, with the most sensible information we can find.

[BannedNBoston]

Hemp seed gives great smooth skin, and mood and I never felt my body "STRUGGLING" to process it.

[BannedNBoston]

Hemp Seed Oil: Superior Omega-3 and Omega-6 supplement Skin care and Hemp seed oil; omega-3 and omega-6 oils are helpful in improving skin health, including inflammatory conditions ...
www.intensivenutrition.com/hempoil.htm

[Neil Zevnik - Huffpost Blogger]

As I acknowledged, hemp seed oil is certainly a good source of omega-3's. I feel obliged to point out that the site you are quoting (and promoting) is one that sells the product, and therefore may not be an entirely unbiased source of information, don't you think?.

[BannedNBoston]

Organic Hemp Seed oil is better than Salmon or Salmon oil
no mercury or lead like salmon.

Fatty Acid Analysis of Hempseed Oil
Palmitic Acid C16:0 6.1 %
Palmitoleic Acid C 16: 1 0.3%
Heptadecanoic Acid C17:0 0.2%
Stearic Acid C18: 1 2.1 %
Oleic Acid C18:1 12.0%
Linoleic Acid (LA) C18:2 56.9%*
Gamma Linolenic Acid (GLA) C18:31.7%**
Linolenic Acid (LNA) C18.3 18.9%*
Arachidic Acid C20:0 0.5%
Eicosenoic Acid C20:1 0.3%
Behenic Acid C22:0 0.3%
Erucic Acid C22: 1 0.2%
Lignoceric Acid C24:0 0.3%
Nervonic Acid C24: 1 0.2%

[Neil Zevnik - Huffpost Blogger]

Yes, organic hemp seed oil is a good source of omega-3's... but consider this:
"At the core of both plant- and animal-source omega-3s is a cluster of molecules called LNA. This alpha-linolenic acid is a long-chain fatty acid that comes mainly from plant foods like walnuts, flaxseed, and green leafy vegetables. When your body absorbs fats containing LNA, enzymes convert some of it into longer, more highly polyunsaturated omega-3s called EPA and DHA. These desirable omega-3s are more beneficial to your health, but your body needs about ten LNAs to make one EPA. Fish, on the other hand, contains little LNA, but is rich in EPA and DHA. Eating fish simply means that your body doesn’t have to work so hard converting fatty acids. Fish is your most accessible and concentrated source of EicosaPentaeonic Acid and DocosaHexaeonic Acid."

[Just4theHalibut]

If you can't afford the fish, there are now salmon oil pills available. I found them at Costco.
They have "extra virgin" on the label and are made from Alaska wild salmon ( not the expensive sockeye, but the equally nutritious if somewhat less tasty - and very abundant- pink salmon). They lowered my cholesterol even more than the regular fish oil capsules I'd been taking for years.

[Neil Zevnik - Huffpost Blogger]

Salmon oil pills are a good source of omega-3's, it's true -- but that burping can be a little annoying! and there are many other benefits to the fish itself, from protein to B-vitamins and selenium, so try to eat the fish as often as possible...

[yurtmiester]

Hey Neil,
Thanks for demystifying the omega 3 benefits of salmon.
We don't need to go to Alaska for wild salmon.
Wild salmon COULD/SHOULD be right here in the Pacific Northwest, Idaho, Oregon, Washington, but they need our help! http://www.wildsalmon.org/
Nevermind the bears, the Snake River's lower dams are decimating WILD salmon!

[Neil Zevnik - Huffpost Blogger]

There are so many conflicting demands upon the rivers and waters and the usage thereof... at the risk of inciting passions on both sides of the fence, I will say that I strongly feel those dams need to come down... at the same time, we need to be reducing our energy usage, and encouraging other, less harmful ways of fulfilling those energy needs...

[TryToBeFlexible]

I can barely afford the farmed salmon. I have it maybe once per month. I find that I get a great benefit to my cholesterol levels by eating one small can of sardines per day. And sardines are way cheap. If I ever win the lotto, I will be sure to switch to wild caught salmon though!

[Neil Zevnik - Huffpost Blogger]

yes, sardines are an excellent inexpensive source of omega-3's, and also provide a generous dose of iron (especially important for women). Also, check at your local fish store -- they're sometimes available fresh, and are truly delicious grilled...

[christonabike]

Dear Neil,
Thanks for justifying my slightly expensive habit of buying wild caught -- I think the taste is so much better than farmed. Out of curiosity, how much of the nutrition is lost when one smokes salmon or turns it into grav lox?

I wonder if that bear will be peeved you gave her fishing spot away??
xo,Margi

[Neil Zevnik - Huffpost Blogger]

Hi Margi -- yes, the wild-caught is more expensive -- but so much better, eh? To the best of my knowledge, smoking or curing doesn't alter the nutritional value... though curing does increase the sodium content, so you want to watch that... and the bear is probably already peeved, since human interference of various sorts has greatly reduced the annual salmon runs! Hopefully, greater public awareness of the problem may eventually result in the restoration of ample salmon for everyone, bears and humans alike... so keep spreading the good word!