Fish provides fatty acids, substances that nutritionists consider healthful. However, because of pollution levels in the ocean and commercial fish farming techniques, many fish contain dangerous levels of mercury and other contaminants. According to Walter Willett of the Harvard School of Public Health, wild Alaskan salmon is a reliably safe fish choice.
Serving Size and Calories
According to information released by the US Department of Agriculture, a typical serving of canned salmon is 100 g, just under 4 oz. Such a serving of wild canned salmon contains 161 calories. Of these calories, 52 come from fat.
Fat Profile
A 100 g serving of canned wild salmon contains 5.8 g of fat. Unhealthful saturated fat makes up 0.9 g of this fat content. The remaining 4.9 g consist of heart-healthy unsaturated fats. One serving deliverers 1,270 mg of omega-3 fatty acids and 100 mg of omega-6 fatty acids.
Carbohydrate Profile
Canned wild salmon contains no carbohydrates, dietary fiber, starches or sugars.
Vitamin Information
A 100 g serving of canned wild salmon provides 82 percent of your daily need for vitamin B-12, 50 percent of your niacin and 12 percent of your riboflavin needs. It also delivers between 3 percent and 7 percent of your daily requirement of vitamins A and E, vitamin B-6 and pantothenic acid.
Mineral Information
A 100 g serving of wild canned salmon delivers 58 percent of your daily recommended value of selenium, 26 percent of your phosphorus and 11 percent of both iron and potassium. It contains smaller, but appreciable, amounts of magnesium and copper. This comes at the cost of 390 mg of sodium, which is 16 percent of your daily allowance.
Protein
One 100 g serving of wild canned salmon contains 27.3 g of protein, about 55 percent of your daily recommended allowance. As with other animal proteins, this is a complete protein containing all the amino acids your body requires.
References
- "Eat, Drink and Be Healthy"; Dr. Walter Willett, et al; 2006
- "USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 22"; United States Department of Agriculture"; 2009
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