Summer is the time for salmon and the season kicks off early summer and runs through late fall. Salmon is low in calories and saturated fat, yet high in protein. Salmon is known for its omega 3 fatty acids. Omega 3 fatty acids are essential fatty acids, which are necessary, but cannot be made by the body.
In addition to being an excellent source of omega-3s, salmon is an excellent source of selenium, a very good source of protein, niacin and vitamin B12, and a good source of phosphorus, magnesium and vitamin B6.
Salmon is a lean meat choice with only 4 grams of fat and 22 grams of protein in a 4 oz raw steak. If you compare salmon to other meats, like chicken, you will find it is close in calories. The leanest part of the chicken is the skinless chicken breast, which has 1.4 grams of fat and 26 grams of protein in a 4 oz raw portion. On the other hand, red meat can have as much as 23 grams of fat and 20 grams of protein. Keep in mind that a majority of the fat grams in red meat are from saturated fat (bad fats). Therefore, there really is no comparison between salmon and red meat.
When it comes to concerns about mercury, whenever possible, choose wild rather than farm raised salmon. Research published by the Environmental Working Group (July 30, 2003) indicates that farmed salmon poses a cancer risk because it may be carrying high levels of carcinogenic chemicals called polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). When farmed salmon from grocery stores was tested, the farmed salmon, which contains up to twice the fat of wild salmon, was found to contain 16 times the PCBs found in wild salmon.
Rebecca
