Salmon is a popular fatty fish. It is often smoked, a cooking method that uses wood chips to heat the fish and give it a rich, smoky flavor. Salmon is a particularly appropriate fish for smoking, because the fat absorbs the flavor and keeps the flesh from drying out. Although wild salmon has many healthful benefits, farm-raised salmon can be a carrier of toxins. Purchase wild salmon when it's in season. Otherwise, check packaging to determine whether the salmon you're purchasing is wild or farm raised.
Low Calories
A 3-oz. serving of smoked salmon has 99 calories, or 5 percent of a standard 2,000-calorie diet. It also has 3.7 g fat, or 6 percent of the 65 g daily the Food and Drug Administration recommends. Smoked salmon is an effective food for weight loss, because of its low calories and nutritional content.
Protein
The protein a 3-oz. serving of smoked salmon provides is 15.5 g, or 31 percent of the 50 g daily requirement. Including low-fat sources of protein in your diet is important. Red meat and poultry often have saturated fat and cholesterol that contribute to high blood-triglyceride levels, a precursor to cardiovascular disease.
Vitamin D
The vitamin D in 3 oz. of smoked salmon is 582 IU, or 146 percent of the 400 IU daily requirement. Vitamin D is a nutrient that contributes to the regulation of bone density. The skin synthesizes vitamin D when it's exposed to the sun. Prolonged periods indoors and winter weather may reduce sun exposure, and eating fish such as smoked salmon is particularly important.
Selenium
The selenium content in 3 oz. of smoked salmon is 28 mcg, or 40 percent of the 70 mcg daily value. Selenium is an anti-oxidant that works with vitamin E to protect healthy cells from harmful toxins. When the body does not eliminate toxins efficiently, they can alter the structure of healthy cells, contributing to the development of cancer and cardiovascular disease. Selenium may also inhibit the proliferation of cancer cells.
References
- USDA; Nutrient Data Laboratory; Fish, Salmon, Chinook, Smoked
- MayoClinic.com; What Does Percent Daily Value Mean on Food Labels?; Katherine Zeratsky, R.D., L.D.; May 6, 2010
- BonAppetit.com: Smoked Salmon
- Wired.com; Study: Farmed Salmon Poses Risks; Jan. 8, 2004
- "Science"; Global Assessment of Organic Contaminants in Farmed Salmon; R.A. Hites, et al Jan. 9, 2004
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