You can use smoked fish for almost occasion, ranging from a casual picnic to a formal evening gathering. Almost any kind of fish can be smoked; salmon, haddock, sturgeon and whitefish are common examples. Smoked fish is a source of essential nutrients such as vitamin D and protein, but it may present some health concerns.
Safety Issues
Smoked fish comes ready to eat from deli counters or in jars or cans, so you can use it for salads, sandwiches, appetizers and entrees. A drawback that comes with the convenience of eating smoked fish without reheating is the potential for food poisoning from cross contamination. Foodborne illness as a result of cross contamination, which is common in the U.S., occurs when you eat food that has come into contact with another food or a surface that harbors harmful bacteria. Pregnant women should thoroughly heat foods before eating them to avoid potential harm to the fetus.
Sodium
Smoked fish may be hazardous if you have high blood pressure or are at risk for hypertension. Too much sodium from your diet can cause high blood pressure or prevent you from lowering high blood pressure, and smoked fish can be high in sodium because of salt added during processing. Healthy adults should not have more than 2,300 mg sodium per day, while hypertensive individuals should not have more than 1,500 mg sodium, according to the 2010 Dietary Guidelines from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. A 3-oz. portion of smoked salmon provides 666 mg sodium, while 3 oz. of fresh salmon has 51 mg.
Dietary Cholesterol
Dietary cholesterol increases levels of low-density lipoprotein or LDL cholesterol -- the "bad" cholesterol -- in your blood and may raise your risk for heart disease, and smoked fish contains cholesterol. A 3-oz. serving of smoked salmon has 20 mg cholesterol, and smoked haddock has 65 mg cholesterol in 3 oz. Healthy adults should have no more than 300 mg cholesterol per day, and individuals with heart disease or high cholesterol should not have more than 200 mg, according to the 2010 Dietary Guidelines. However, cholesterol has less of an effect on your cholesterol levels when your diet is low in saturated fat, and smoked fish is low in saturated fat.
Omega-3 Fats
Fatty fish such as smoked salmon provide omega-3 fatty acids. Regular consumption of these fats from seafood may lower your risk for heart disease. A concern with seafood as a source of omega-3 fats is its potential content of mercury, an environmental contaminant. Tilefish, swordfish, mackerel and shark are highest in mercury, while species that are often smoked, such as salmon, are lower in mercury and better choices for your omega-3 fats, according to the Mayo Clinic.
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