Alaskan salmon refers to varieties of Pacific salmon that are wild-caught from Alaskan waters. Wild-caught salmon from Alaska tends to be lower in environmental contaminants than farm-raised salmon, wild-caught Atlantic salmon or wild-caught salmon from the Pacific Northwest, notes the Monterey Bay Aquarium's Seafood Watch program. Alaskan salmon, especially the sockeye and Chinook varieties are also higher in heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids than farm raised salmon. The American Heart Association recommends eating two 3.5-oz servings of fatty fish, such as salmon, each week to reduce the risk of heart disease.
Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Omega-3 fatty acids are essential fatty acids your body needs for proper growth and development as well as for brain function. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, omega-3 also reduces inflammation and lowers the risk of coronary heart disease, cancer and arthritis. A 3.5-oz. serving of Alaskan sockeye salmon provides 1.06g of omega-3 fatty acids.
Protein
Almost all tissues and other parts of your body include protein. To make new protein to support the growth and regeneration of tissues, you need a regular supply of amino acids, the building blocks of protein. Your body is capable of making some of these amino acids on its own, but the rest must come from foods. When you consume protein, your body breaks it down to amino acids, which are then reassembled with other amino acids into new proteins for use wherever it is needed. A 3.5-oz. serving of Alaskan salmon provides 21.9g of complete protein, meaning it has all nine essential amino acids your body cannot make on its own.
Selenium
You can get 54 percent of the selenium your body needs daily in a 3.5-oz. serving of Alaskan sockeye salmon. Selenium promotes thyroid function and immune health, and also acts as an antioxidant. Antioxidants are compounds that react with and prevent damage from free radicals, the byproducts of oxygen metabolism.
Niacin
A 3.5-oz serving of Alaskan sockeye salmon provides 57 percent of the recommended daily amount of niacin for women and 50 percent for men. According to the Linus Pauling Institute, niacin is required for the function of over 200 enzyme reactions, including the breakdown of fats, carbohydrates, alcohol and protein.
References
- American Heart Association: Fish 101
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Omega-3 Fatty Acids
- Monterey Bay Aquarium: Seafood Watch: Salmon
- USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference: fish, salmon, sockeye(red), raw (Alaska Native)
- Harvard School of Public Health: The Nutrition Source: Protein: Moving Closer to Center Stage
- Linus Pauling Institute: Micronutrient Information Center: Niacin
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