Smoked salmon goes through immersion in brine followed by rapid smoking over high heat, or slowly smoking over a low temperature. This creates a type of smoked salmon called lox. You can smoke many different salmon species, including king, chum, sockeye, coho, chinook and pink salmon. You can eat smoked salmon directly out of the package or serve it as part of a meal.
Servings and Calories
One serving of smoked salmon is about 3 to 3.5 oz. Each serving contains about 100 to 140 calories, depending on the species. Overall, nutritionists consider smoked salmon a low-calorie food.
Healthy Nutrients
Smoked salmon is high in lean protein and low in carbohydrates and saturated fat. According to Gourmet Food Store, smoked salmon provides more than 20 percent of the daily recommended protein intake. Smoked salmon contains a high level of calcium, selenium, niacin, potassium, phosphorus and magnesium. Vitamins in smoked salmon include vitamin D, vitamin B-6 and vitamin B-12.
Omega-3s
Smoked salmon is high in omega-3 fatty acids, a healthy type of fat. The American Heart Association recommends that people eat two or more servings of salmon or other fatty fish containing omega-3s every week. Omega-3 fatty acids are a necessity for proper brain functioning, and help maintain heart health by lowering triglycerides, slightly lowering blood pressure, reducing the risk of heart arrhythmias and slowing the growth of arterial plaques. Smoked salmon contains less omega-3 fat than fresh salmon. Wild caught varieties also tend to be lower in omega-3s than farm-raised salmon.
Sodium
The smoking process increases the salt content of salmon, which may be of concern to individuals monitoring their salt intake. A single serving of smoked salmon has 784 grams of sodium, while a serving of lox contains about 2,000 grams of sodium. According to federal dietary guidelines, most individuals should consume no more than 2,300 milligrams of sodium per day, and people at high risk for hypertension should aim for less than 1,500 milligrams a day.
Safety
One concern involving smoked salmon is the potential for contamination by the bacteria Listeria. This typically produces mild symptoms of food poisoning if ingested, but can be more dangerous for pregnant women and the elderly. Lox is more prone to Listeria contamination than salmon smoked at higher temperatures. Some individuals may be allergic to salmon, especially if they have allergies to other fish or seafood. Some people may also have concerns about environmental pollution in fish, including mercury contamination.
