Salmon is not the cheapest fish, but it is appreciated for its health-promoting properties. WHO, the World Health Organization, even recommends eating one to two portions of this fish a week, provided it is of good quality. The healthy fatty acids it provides have a strong cardioprotective effect. Before purchasing, however, you need to find out how to choose good salmon in the store. Unfortunately, not every specimen will have a positive effect on the body.
Why is the same type of salmon sometimes light pink and sometimes bright red? This is influenced by several factors. Not everyone knows that Salmon naturally has white meat. Its characteristic, The “salmon” color is due to astaxanthinwhich it obtains from the food it obtains. Most often, it feeds on small crustaceans and shrimps, rich in the pigment mentioned above. So we can say that the fish acquires the color of its food.
The color of salmon depends not only on the species, but above all on the place of capture. This defines what is mainly in its diet. Wild-caught fish will have a lot of astaxanthin. Then its color will be intense and vivid red. Wild salmon is not fatty and will be uniform. On the other hand farmed salmon will tend to be light pinkbecause the amount of antixanthine supplied in the diet is much smaller. Additionally, it will have thick, white strips of fat.
However, when buying fish, it is worth considering it freshness and origin. It should be caught from the sea (it is worth looking for fish with a sustainable catch certificate), bright red (or orange), with fine veins (there can’t be too many of them). This way, more valuable nutrients will reach our body, including the necessary astaxanthin.
Farmed salmon, on the other hand, is not only fatter, but also tends to absorb substances and pollutants harmful to health. The US health agency stated that it can be eaten most often once a month so as not to harm your health.
Unfortunately, wild salmon are more expensive than farmed salmon and are a bit harder to find in the store. But why is it worth looking for them? The mentioned pigment is also important. Astaxanthin is a strong antioxidant that delays the body’s aging processes and supports the functioning of the immune system, much stronger than vitamin C.. There is simply more of it in wild salmon.
Salmon is also recommended for its… healthy fatty acids, especially omega-3 and omega-6. They influence the proper functioning of the cardiovascular system, reduce too high cholesterol levels, and consequently protect against many chronic diseases. It happens that omega-6 acid predominates in farmed salmon, the excess of which in the body can cause inflammation.
Wild fish is also an excellent source of easy-to-digest protein (much better than red meat). Delivers B vitamins and vitamins A, D, E. Thanks to this, it supports immunity, ensures the proper functioning of the eyesight and the youthful appearance of the skin. There is no shortage of minerals in it, including: potassium, magnesium, iodine, phosphorus, selenium and iron. They regulate blood pressure and soothe the nervous system.
Source: Terazgotuje.pl, mowisalmon.pl
