The American Heart Association recommends that adults eat daily at least two 3.5 oz. servings of fatty fish, such as salmon, to boost their intake of omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3 fatty acids are a specific type of unsaturated fat that play a vital role in normal brain function and help reduce inflammation. The many species of salmon consumed in the United States contain mostly the healthy unsaturated fats, but as an animal product they also contain cholesterol.
What Is Cholesterol?
Cholesterol is a type of fat produced in the liver cells in animals. For humans, the liver produces approximately 75 percent of all the cholesterol in the body with dietary sources of cholesterol, meat and fish, providing the other 25 percent. As a necessary type of fat, cholesterol provides support to cell membranes, promotes the production of hormones and helps the body make bile acids used during the process of digestion. Too much cholesterol in the body becomes a problem as it accumulates in the blood vessels, forms plaque and restricts the flow of blood. High blood cholesterol, a condition that can be controlled by eating a healthy diet, increases the risk for developing heart disease.
Daily Recommended Intake
The body needs cholesterol but it makes all the cholesterol it needs, meaning dietary cholesterol only serves to increase blood cholesterol levels. For this reason, the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2010 recommends limiting the intake of dietary cholesterol to less than 300 mg per day. On average, men consume approximately 350 mg of cholesterol per day while women consume 240 mg of cholesterol per day. The main sources of cholesterol in a typical American diet include eggs, chicken and beef.
Cholesterol In Salmon
Salmon also contains cholesterol, but the amount of cholesterol is small compared to the beneficial nutrients salmon provides. A 3 oz. serving of Atlantic salmon contains 47 mg of cholesterol. Other types of salmon may contain slightly more but on average it ranges between 44 and 53 mg of cholesterol. As a comparison, a 3 oz. serving of 90 percent lean ground beef contains 76 mg of cholesterol.
Salmon Nutrition
Although salmon does contain some cholesterol, it's still a part of a heart-healthy diet. Salmon contains a small amount of cholesterol in comparison to the amount of protein that it provides. A 3 oz. serving of salmon contains about 17 grams of protein which represents more than one-third of the daily value recommended for adults. Other sources high in protein, like beef, contain significantly more cholesterol. In addition to protein and omega-3 fatty acids, salmon also serves as a good source of vitamin B12, vitamin B3 and calcium.
References
- American Heart Association: Fish 101; January 2010
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Omega-3 Fatty Acids; Stephen Ehrlich; June 2009
- USDA Beltsville Human Nutrition Research Center: Nutrient Content and Variability in Newly Obtained Salmon Data; J. Exler and P.R. Pehrsson
- U.S. Department of Agriculture: Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2010: Chapter 3; February 2011
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