Salmon: What’s Healthy, What’s Not

by Susan Brady | Oct 5, 2017 | Nutrition

A few weeks ago, I discussed the topic of dietary fats and which type of fat is best for our bones.  If you recall, the research suggests that monounsaturated fats, such as olive oil, and omega-3 fatty acids, are most beneficial to bone health.  The healthiest food sources of omega-3 fatty acids are flaxseed, walnuts, sardines and salmon.  Click here to see previous article on what fats are best for bone.

Salmon is the favored choice for many people, and for good reason!
Salmon is not only high in omega-3 fatty acids, but also provides bone building vitamins and minerals, is a good a source of protein and has recently been found to contain beneficial bioactive peptides. Bioactive peptides are protein fragments that may provide protection for joint cartilage, improve insulin effectiveness and help control inflammation in the digestive tract.

However, finding a healthy source of salmon can be tricky!
Not only does the debate over farmed vs wild salmon continue, but we are now facing the inception of genetically-engineered farmed salmon.  Let’s start by taking a look at the differences between farmed and wild salmon and then I will give you some tips on how to purchase the healthiest source of salmon.

Most of the salmon consumed in this country is farm raised, imported to the United States primarily from Norway, Chile and Canada. (1)  Many people have concerns about farm-raised seafood because over the years poorly manged seafood farms have done a lot of harm to the environment and produced less nutritious salmon. When the industry was new, salmon farms were accused of polluting the oceans, spreading sea lice, fostering disease, and raising salmon on unnatural feed  However, the industry is now better controlled and farming practices are improving.  The farming of salmon is becoming more sustainable and farmed fish are being fed healthier diets in an effort to improve their nutritional profiles. The most commonly farmed salmon in the US is the Atlantic salmon.

Although fish farming is improving, raising fish in small pens and feeding them a man made product can’t compare to the natural habitat of the wild salmon.  Wild salmon is born in fresh water rivers and streams.  They migrate to the ocean where they mature and spend much of their adult life and then return to the streams and rivers to spawn and then die. Wild salmon eat a natural diet of algae, plankton, and krill which gives them their deep orange color. Farm raised salmon are fed pellets containing a range of ingredients including vegetable oil, fish oil, fish meal, plants, essential nutrients, wheat byproducts, and sometimes carotenoids to give their flesh a pleasing color.

The biggest differences in nutritional content between wild and farmed salmon is their fat content.   Wild salmon, because they eat a more natural diet and also get more exercise through migration, are leaner than farm raised salmon.  Farmed raised salmon is fattier and actually contains greater amounts of both omega-3 fatty and omega 6 fatty acids per serving than wild salmon. (2)  The increased fat content of farm raised salmon comes from the oils, both vegetable and fish, found in their feed.  Although omega-3 and 6 fatty acids are essential to health, they need to be in balance for optimal well-being.  Excessive amounts of omega-6 fatty acids and a very high omega-6/omega-3 ratio can actually contribute to many diseases, including cardiovascular disease, cancer, and inflammatory diseases. Inflammation is also a known cause for osteoporosis. Therefore, because of the higher level of omega 6 fatty acids, farmed raised salmon has less favorable ratio of these essential fats than wild caught salmon.

Other concerns with the consumption of farm raised salmon include the use of vaccines to prevent the spread of infectious disease and the use of antibiotics to treat bacterial infections. Similar to the desire to consume poultry, meat, eggs and dairy products that come from free-range animals that haven’t been given excessive hormones and antibiotics, it is also preferable to choose wild salmon over farm raised.

However, not all wild salmon is created equal either!  Wild Alaskan salmon is the healthiest salmon available. Wild Alaskan salmon spend most of their lives in open oceans feeding on natural prey and generally have very low levels of toxins.  Salmon from coastal waters may have higher levels of contaminants.

But what if you can’t find wild salmon in your grocery store, or can’t afford the higher cost of wild salmon?

Here are some tips to help you find the healthiest sources of salmon, be it wild or farm raised.

What to Look for when Buying Salmon

• It is important to know whether the farmed salmon you are purchasing comes from a reputable farm.  Certain merchants have implemented strict quality standards to ensure they’re sourcing farmed seafood from strictly regulated farms.  Such merchants include:
  • Whole Foods: buys only from farms that meet its detailed requirements, which specify strict policies on antibiotics, hormones, parasiticides, contaminant levels, environmental impact and other factors
  • Costco: states that it will also only buy from farms that prohibit the use of antibiotics, added growth hormones and poutry by-products in the feed.  In the past they have not carried genetically modificed or cloned seafood.
  • Verlasso: a salmon farm in Chile, has been a leader in responsible fish farming for years. Verlasso states their farmed salmon is among the purest found anywhere, its PCB content is ranked among the lowest worldwide of any farmed salmon.  However, there is recent concern that Verlasso is now using genetically modified yeast in their feed. www.verlasso.com
• When shopping keep an eye out for the following labels
  • When purchasing farm fish, look for the Aquaculture Stewardship Council Certified label which ensures that the salmon farm adhered to specific requirements for feed and for clean sea bed
  • When purchasing wild salmon, look for The Marine Stewardship Council blue sticker which certifies the fish was caught using sustainable fishing practices
• One of my favorite places to buy wild Alaskan salmon is from Trader Joe’s.  Although, frozen, the salmon is reasonably priced and very tasty!
• Canned salmon is a great, inexpensive alternative to fresh salmon. Most canned salmon is wild caught and regular canned salmon, with skin and bones, is a great source of omega-3 fats as well as other nutrients.  It is a good source of calcium and vitamin D if you eat the soft, chewable bones!
• In 2015, the FDA approved a genetically-engineered farmed salmon (AquAdvantage Salmon) as safe for consumption, and noted that it will not require this type of salmon to be specially labeled. However, in 2016, the FDA reversed course, announcing that the sale of this salmon will not be permitted just yet (3)

The bottom line is to keep eating salmon! Salmon is high in protein and omega-3 fatty acids that provide well documented benefits for the heart, brain and bones!  Wild salmon is the best choice but quality farmed salmon is a good alternative as well as canned salmon.

Looking for a new salmon recipe?  Check out my Pesto Salmon Salad Recipe!

The Hard Truth about Dietary Fats and Bone Health

by Susan Brady | Sep 20, 2017 | Nutrition

For decades Americans were told to avoid fat, especially saturated fats from meat, dairy and cheese because it was bad for our heart and our health. We were bombarded with advice promoting low fat, high carbohydrate diets, yet as a nation we just got fatter and sicker. A few years back we are told that fat in your diet isn’t bad after all, even saturated fats! Then this past spring, evidence emerges once again indicating that saturated fats increase the risk for heart disease. The truth is that dietary fat is an essential nutrient and is beneficial to our health. However, when it comes to bone health, the type of dietary fat you eat truly matters. There are numerous types of fats. Our body makes fat from taking in excess calories, but we also get fat from the plants and animals we eat.

• Saturated fat is mainly found in animal meat, dairy and cheese products and a few plant foods such as coconut, coconut oil, palm oil, and palm kernel oil
• Unsaturated fats are predominantly found in foods from plants, such as vegetable oils, nuts, and seeds.  Unsaturated fats can be categorized as polyunsaturated fat and monounsaturated fat
• Monounsaturated fats are found in high concentrations in olive, peanut and canola oils, olives, avocados, nuts such as almonds, hazelnuts and pecans and seeds such as pumpkin and sesame seeds
• Polyunsaturated fats are found in high concentrations in sunflower, corn, soybean, and flaxseed oils, walnuts, flax seeds and fish
• Essential Fatty Acids are an important type of polyunsaturated fat because they are critical for our health and cannot be made by our body. Although there are many essential fatty acids, there are 2 prominent ones that are necessary for good health.
  • Omega 3 fatty acids are found in fatty fish and some plants such as flax seeds, walnuts, soybean oil and seaweed
  • Omega 6 fatty acids are found in vegetable oils, such as corn and safflower oil and evening primrose seed, black currant seed, and borage seeds

Dietary fat provides energy for our body and it also plays key roles in our overall health and health of our bones. For instance, fat is needed to aid in the absorption and transportation of key bone building vitamins such as vitamin K, D, and A.  These vitamins work synergistically and aid in calcium and magnesium absorption along with regulating calcification in the bone. However, when it comes to building bones, not all fats are equally beneficial.

What fats are most beneficial to bone?  Let’s look at the research!

Studies indicate that high-fat diets, particularly diets high in saturated fats, can adversely affect bone. A recent study found that saturated fat intake was inversely associated with hip bone mineral density and therefore may reduce bone mass.(1)  A variety of mechanisms may account for the effects of saturated fats on bone, including altering calcium absorption and osteoblast formation, increasing oxidation and inflammation, and impairing fat metabolism that may indirectly prevent the resorption of osteoclasts. (2,3)

Monounsaturated fat intake has also shown beneficial effects for bone health. One study showed that this type of fat reduces the loss of bone mineral density in older female mice and several studies suggest that the consumption of extra virgin olive oil is associated with a lower risk of osteoporosis related fractures in middle-aged and elderly Mediterranean population. (4,5) The beneficial effects of olives and olive oil could be attributed to their ability to reduce oxidative stress and inflammation. (6)

Polyunsaturated fats have also been shown to be beneficial for bone.  The intake of polyunsaturated fats, especially omega-3 fatty acids, have been associated with higher bone mineral density in older adults.  Omega-3 fatty acids can inhibit osteoclast (bone break down cells) formation as well as increase osteoblast (bone building cells) formation and survival. (7) These essential fats are also known to reduce oxidative stress and inflammation that may affect bone metabolism. (4)

The over-consumption of omega-6 fatty acids, primarily from vegetable oils and processed foods, resulting in a high ratio of omega-6 fats to omega-3 fats, may also contribute to bone loss and the development of osteoporosis. (8)  Low-grade chronic inflammation is linked with excessive omega-6 fats in the diet which can be detrimental to the bone.  The typical American diet tends to contain 14 to 25 times more omega-6 fatty acids than omega-3 fatty acids. A lower ratio of 2-3:1 omega-6/omega-3 fatty acids may be more desirable for supporting bone health.

• Decrease saturated fat in your diet by reducing animal meats and dairy products
• Increase the use of olive oils by making homemade salad dressings and using olive oil for low heat sautéing of vegetables
• Add avocados to your diet
• Increase the consumption of nuts and seeds
• Increase the consumption of fatty fish or other sources of omega-3 fatty acids.  You can also take fish oils to ensure you are getting adequate omega-3 fatty acids

Quality and quantity of dietary fat has consequences on skeletal health and overall health. The regular consumption of monounsaturated fats and omega-3 fatty acids benefits the cardiovascular system and also has a positive influence on metabolism and inflammation, making them beneficial for women of all ages.

Want to learn more about how you can improve your bone health?  Contact me for a free 15 minute phone consult to learn more about the BONES Method™ and how it can help you achieve strong, healthy bones for life!

susan@nurturedbones.com        703-738-4230