A guide to choosing Alaskan salmon.
SALMON NUTRITION FACTS
Salmon is among the most nutritious foods on the planet.
Salmon possess a unique dietary preference that sets it apart from other aquatic creatures – they eat mackerel, sardines, krill, shrimp, squid, and other zooplankton. This particular diet contributes to salmon’s unique nutritional profile and imparts several health benefits.
One of the key components that make salmon exceptional is its high content of astaxanthin – a vital carotenoid that gives salmon its vibrant reddish-orange color and remarkable antioxidant activity. Astaxanthin is primarily produced by tiny drifting organisms known as phytoplankton. These microscopic plants harness sunlight and convert it into energy, all while synthesizing astaxanthin. As phytoplankton proliferates, it becomes a vital food source for shrimp and krill, which feed on the phytoplankton and accumulate astaxanthin in their bodies. As salmon consume shrimp and krill, it assimilates the astaxanthin and develops that orange color. The more astaxanthin it assimilates, the deeper its orange color becomes.
Astaxanthin is a powerful antioxidant that can be seventeen times more potent than pycnogenol, fifty times more powerful than vitamin E, and ten times the antioxidant activity of beta-carotene. (Bowden, 2007)
Besides astaxanthin, salmon also boasts the highest concentration of omega-3 fatty acids among all fish species (Bowden, 2007). In just a 3-oz of salmon, people can find a substantial 1716 milligrams of omega-3s. This impressive quantity accounts for approximately 42% of the daily value (DV) based on a recommended intake of 4000 milligrams per day of total omega-3s.
In addition to astaxanthin and omega-3s, salmon is also known for its comprehensive nutritional profile. A 3-oz serving provides approximately 21.6 grams of protein, more than 100% of the DV of vitamin D, more than half of the DV of selenium (57% DV), and almost half of the DV of vitamin B12 (43% DV), niacin (43% DV) and vitamin B6 (40% DV). (Dr. Axe on salmon nutrition fact)
What’s more, a 30-oz serving of salmon also offers an impressive array of other essential nutrients:
- 22% DV of phosphorus
- 16% DV of thiamine
- 16% DV of pantothenic acid
- 15% DV of potassium
- 14% DV of copper
- 8% DV of magnesium
- 6% DV of folate
- 5% DV of iron and zinc.
This impressive nutrient profile, including astaxanthin, omega-3s, protein, vitamins, and minerals, makes salmon indeed a nutritional powerhouse.
ALL ABOUT ALASKAN SALMON
While salmon can be a great addition to a healthy diet, not all salmons are created equal. Wild salmon is surely better than farmed salmon, yet Alaskan salmon is the best of all.
Why?
FOR ONE, ALASKAN SALMON IS WILD
All Alaskan salmon is wild-caught. There is no such thing as farmed salmon in Alaska because the state of Alaska has completely outlawed fish farming in Alaska (Olmsted, 2016).
That means, if people prefer farm-raised salmon, they have to look somewhere else. Atlantic salmons, for instance, are largely farm-raised in Chile, Norway, Canada, and Scotland. Other countries like the U.K., Denmark, Russia, and Australia, have also joined the rank in domesticating salmon production.
Alaska is “one of the last strongholds of wild salmon”. It is the only place that guarantees 100% wild salmon.
FOR TWO, ALASKAN SALMON IS THE LEAST CONTAMINATED
According to the Environmental Working Group (EWG), 90% of the salmons sold in America were farmed, 70% of the farmed salmons were contaminated with polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and the concentration of PCBs in farmed salmon can be 16 times higher than wild salmon (Bowden, 2007)
In stark contrast, Alaskan salmon is the least contaminated among all wild species. Thanks to the State of Alaska which frequently monitors the toxicity level of water, food source, and fish, Alaskan salmon finds little to no traces of contaminants, is low in mercury, is consistently very low in levels of other heavy metals and organochlorines, and purer than fish from most parts of the world. (Bowden, 2007; Willett and Skerrett, 2017).
One thing especially worth highlighting here is the selenium content in salmon. Selenium, a trace mineral, possesses a powerful chelating property to bind and remove heavy metals such as mercury (Bowden, 2007). And salmon turns out to be one of the best natural sources of selenium. One 3-oz serving of salmon can satisfy 57% of the recommended daily value for selenium. Best of all, selenium in salmon is highly bio-available. It can be easily absorbed and utilized by the body.
FOR THREE, ALASKA SALMON HAS VARIETIES
Alaskan salmon includes five species: King salmon, Chum salmon, Coho salmon, Sockeye salmon, and Pink salmon.
1. King salmon
King salmon reigns supreme as the largest and most sought-after variety among the five distinct species of Alaska salmon. It can be 4-5 times heavier than sockeye salmon.
One of the most remarkable aspects of King Salmon is its exceptionally high omega-3 content. A 3-oz serving of Alaska King Salmon can offer 1.6 times the amount of omega-3s found in Coho salmon, about two times in sockeye salmon and pink salmon, and more than three times in Chum salmon.
Not only is King Salmon abundant in omega-3s, it also provides a wealth of other essential nutrients. A 3-oz serving of Alaska King Salmon can offer six times the calcium, two times the vitamin A, and two times the retinol compared to sockeye salmon. These nutritional advantages make King Salmon a prized choice.
2. Chum salmon
Chum salmon, also known as keta salmon, is the second largest among the five species found in Alaska. It has the least amount of fat content, rendering it a choice of salmon with a lighter taste. Despite its low-fat content, however, it boasts the highest amount of zinc, selenium, Niacin, and Folate to be found among the five species.
3. Coho salmon
Coho salmon, also known as silver salmon, exhibits a unique combination of size and strength. As a medium-sized salmon, Coho salmon boasts the highest protein content among the five species. A 100 g serving of Alaska Coho salmon can provide 22.6 g protein – 2.4 g higher than what King Salmon can offer. Besides its protein content, Alaska Coho Salmon also provides the highest amount of magnesium, potassium, Pantothenic acid, and vitamin B12 in comparison to what the other four species can offer.
4. Sockeye salmon
Sockeye salmon, also known as red salmon or blueback, stands as a jewel in the realm of salmon species. It is the second smallest among the Alaska salmon species. Its unique diet, rich in zooplankton, contributes to its vibrant red color and high astaxanthin content. Furthermore, sockeye salmon contains the highest amount of Thiamin and Riboflavin among the five species – about three times the amount to be found in Pink Salmon.
5. Pink salmon
Pink salmon, also known as humpback salmon is the most basic and the smallest type of Alaskan salmon. In comparison to the other Alaskan salmon species, Pink Salmon provides the highest amount of phosphorus, vitamin B6, and vitamin K, yet the lowest amount of iron, zinc, thiamin, riboflavin, foliate, vitamin B12, and vitamin E. It is one of the most affordable canned or smoked Alaskan salmon people can find.
In conclusion, the superiority of Alaskan salmon lies not only in its diversity but also in the wealth of nutritional benefits it offers. From the majestic King salmon to the lean Chum salmon, the protein-packed Coho salmon, the vibrant Sockeye salmon, or the affordable Pink salmon, each species brings some unique to the table.
CHOOSING THE BEST ALASKAN SALMON
Alaska salmon is surely an incredible addition to a healthy diet. The challenge is – where can you find them?
Fish fraud prevails. It happens in New York, it happens in Boston, and it happens everywhere according to Oceana – the nonprofit ocean conservation organization. What they found was that almost a third of all the seafood in this country was mislabeled, including substituting Alaska salmon with farm-raised salmon, farmed Artic char, rainbow trout, or steelhead trout (Olmsted, 2016). In years 2005 and 2006, Consumer Reports conducted a study and found that only ten out of twenty-three so-called wild-caught salmon are actually wild salmon, meaning more than half of the sample engaged in fish fraud when it comes to wild salmon. (Olmsted, 2016)
What makes things challenging is that it’s nearly impossible for people to tell the difference between wild salmon and its substitutes, especially when they are in the form of filleting.
What makes things worse is that there is no universal seafood labeling system in place. Even though USDA enacted the Country of Origin Labeling regulations (C.O.O.L.) in 2005, they only require grocery stores to provide the country of origin (where the fish or shellfish were processed) and the method of production (farm-raised or wild-caught) for fresh or frozen seafood. Small fish markets are exempt from the requirements.
There are three caveats associated with the C.O.O.L.:
- Traceability is limited
It only provides information on where (in which country) the fish or shellfish were processed. No info on where, when, and how the fish were caught by whom, how they were processed by whom, and how they went through the supply chain.
- Accuracy is limited
It’s a great step forward to have C.O.O.L. in place, but it does not eliminate fish fraud.
- Applicability is limited
Restaurants and small fish markets are exempt from the C.O.O.L. requirements, and so are processed and altered fish.
Apparently, people need to exercise their own due diligence. It’s vital for people to understand what to look for when it comes to Alaskan salmon.
LOOKING FOR ALASKAN SALMON WITH A TALE OF ORIGIN
Look for seafood delivery service providers that allow the consumer to trace their fish back to the actual location, boat, captain, and fishermen who harvest the fish.
- Location – where the salmon was caught?
- Boat – in what fishing vessel the salmon was caught?
- Captain – who was the captain of the boat?
- Fishermen – who were the ones that harvest the salmon?
That degree of transparency is a huge step forward in responding to the call for accountability and traceability. Transparency breeds trust, and trust is that one thing that will change everything for good. (Covey, 2006)
LOOKING FOR ALASKAN SALMON WITH DETAILS ON WHERE AND HOW IT WAS PROCESSED BY WHOM
The processing of wild salmon starts at the point of harvesting and concludes at the point of distribution. The moment a salmon is harvested, the moment the clock starts ticking. It’s a race against time before salmon deteriorates in freshness and in quality. For some providers, that takes less than 24 hours, for many others, that would take weeks or even months if the processing occurs overseas – and that normally means extended “food miles”, round trips, and double freezing.
That’s one reason why not all salmon products are created equal. It’s important for consumers to know where and how the salmon is processed and by whom. To a large extent, the degree of transparency directly testifies how closely the seafood company adheres to the best practices of seafood processing.
LOOKING FOR ALASKAN SALMON THAT IS FLASH FROZEN
Alaskan salmon is not exempt from parasites. Numerous studies have documented the presence of parasites such as Japanese broad tapeworm or Anisakid roundworms.
How to mitigate the risk factors associated with these parasites becomes a central concern for food safety. One conventional way to mitigate the risk is to inactivate these parasites via temperature control.
Temperature control is a function of both temperature and time. People can either cook salmon at a core temperature of 60-75°C for 15-30 minutes or follow the instructions from FDA to inactivate these parasites. Per FDA suggestions, people can freeze and store salmon at an ambient temperature of -20°C or below for 7 days, freeze and store salmon at an ambient temperature of – 35°C or below for 15 hours, or freeze salmon at -35°C and then store it at -20°C for 24 hours. Adhering to these guidelines is essential since many parasites can still survive in icy or frozen conditions. And roundworms can be more resistant to freezing than tapeworms.
While FDA provides guidelines for freezing and storing salmon to eliminate parasites, adhering to these standards in a home setting can be challenging. Home freezers often have temperature limitations and variations, meaning it can be difficult to maintain accurate temperature control throughout the recommended duration. As a result, relying solely on home freezing methods may not guarantee the complete elimination of parasites.
To ensure parasite-free salmon, it is essential for people to find reputable salmon purveyors who employ flash-freezing techniques. Flash freezing involves rapidly exposing the salmon to a cryogenic temperature of -35°C or even lower for a short period of time. While flash freezing is an industry standard, the specific temperature and duration of the process can vary among purveyors. Consumers may have to inquire about the temperature and duration of flash freezing employed by each purveyor.
DISCLAIMER
This article is for informational purposes only. None of the information on this website constitutes or is intended to convey medical or purchasing advice. All statements and opinions are solely the expression of the author and are provided on an as-is basis. All readers/viewers of this article are advised to conduct their own research to verify the accuracy and relevancy of the information provided in this article. GenuiVn LLC is not responsible for the information and/or its accuracy or completeness.