Farm Raised Salmon Vs. Wild Salmon: Which Is the Healthier Choice?
There's no doubt about it. Americans need to eat more fish. The omega-3's found in fatty fish such as salmon, mackerel, and sardines have been shown in studies to have a variety of health benefits ranging from reducing the risk of heart disease to treating the pain and inflammation associated with arthritis. One fish that more people are choosing to add to the dinner table to increase their omega-3 levels is salmon. When choosing salmon for dinner, most of the readily available salmon you find fresh at the grocery store is farm raised, not the more expensive wild salmon. Does it matter which one you choose? When it comes to wild salmon vs. farmed raised, which is healthier?
Wild salmon vs.farm raised: What's the difference?
Whereas wild salmon is found freely swimming in the sea, farm raised salmon are housed within small pens that are set up in the ocean or in small ponds. The fish are often kept in overcrowded conditions which increase their risk of infection and disease. Instead of being allowed to find their own natural food sources (other fish), they're fed dried food pellets made up of fish oil and fish meal. This creates a very unnatural environment which yields unhealthy fish. In fact, these fish are given artificial colorings in their food to get the same coloration that wild salmon have naturally.
Wild salmon vs. farm raised: Contaminants
The dried food pellets farm raised salmon are given as feed are often contaminated with such cancer causing agents as PCBS, dioxins, and even flame retardants. Because farm raised fish are susceptible to disease due to their overcrowded living conditions, they're often given antibiotics which can also be found in the salmon meat. In fact, some sources say that salmon are given more antibiotics than any other form of livestock. In contrast, wild salmon are relatively free of these substances.
Wild salmon vs. farm raised: Omega-3 concentrations
One of the most important reasons to add salmon to your diet is for the benefit of the omega-3's they contain. Unfortunately, farm raised salmon have far less of this important fatty acid than its wild counterpart. Despite the fact that farm raised salmon are fatter due to their confinement, they have lower omega-3 levels. They also have higher omega-6 fatty acid levels, a pro-inflammatory type that most people get too much of already.
Wild salmon vs. farm raised: Synthetic pigments
Wild salmon get their healthy, natural pink color from the carotenoids taken in from feeding in the wild. Salmon farmers give farm raised salmon a similar color by feeding them a synthetic pigment called canthaxanthin. This pigment was shown to cause retinal damage when it was used in a sunless tanning pill. It's since been banned in Great Britain.
The bottom line?
Although wild salmon may be a bit more expensive than farm raised, the health benefits to risk ratio are certainly in its favor. If you can't afford to buy fresh wild salmon, opt for canned Alaskan salmon. Most of it is wild rather than farm raised.
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