Nutritional benefits

Why is salmon important in the diet?

Salmon is considered a food of high nutritional value because it brings together, in a single serving, complete proteins, long-chain omega-3 fatty acids, and essential vitamins and minerals.

This combination makes it a nutrient-dense food, that is, a food that delivers a significant amount of nutrients relative to the serving size.

Its importance does not come only from being a source of animal protein. Salmon stands out for combining:

• high-quality, easily digested protein;
• marine omega-3, mainly EPA and DHA;
• vitamin D and vitamin B12;
• minerals such as selenium, phosphorus, iodine and potassium;
• mostly unsaturated fats;
• no carbohydrates.

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Complete, highly digestible proteins

Salmon proteins contain all the essential amino acids the human body needs and cannot produce on its own.

These amino acids take part in essential functions, such as:

• forming and repairing tissue;
• maintaining muscle mass;
• producing enzymes;
• immune system function.

Fish proteins also offer good digestibility and efficient metabolic use. This means the body can digest them and make use of their amino acids easily.

Marine omega-3: EPA and DHA

One of salmon's main nutritional attributes is its content of long-chain omega-3 fatty acids, especially:

• EPA: eicosapentaenoic acid.
• DHA: docosahexaenoic acid.

These compounds are part of cell membranes and play a role in various body functions.

DHA plays a particularly important role in the development and function of the brain, the nervous system and the retina. EPA, for its part, is involved in mechanisms related to regulating inflammatory processes and cardiovascular health.

Scientific evidence has linked eating fish and marine omega-3 with cardiovascular benefits. However, these effects can vary depending on each person's health status, overall diet and the source of omega-3 consumed. For this reason, salmon should be seen as part of a varied, balanced diet, not as a food with medical effects on its own.

Not all omega-3s are the same

Flaxseed and chia seeds, walnuts and other plant foods mainly provide a type of omega-3 called ALA, alpha-linolenic acid.

ALA is also a valuable nutrient. However, the human body converts only a small part of it into EPA and an even smaller share into DHA.

Salmon, on the other hand, provides EPA and DHA directly. That is why, when it comes to omega-3, what matters is not only the amount consumed, but also the type of omega-3 and the form in which it reaches the body.

How much omega-3 does a serving of salmon provide?

As a general reference, 100 grams of salmon can provide roughly 1,500 to 2,000 milligrams or more of EPA and DHA.

This amount is considerably higher than in most commonly eaten animal proteins. For example, a large egg provides about 29 milligrams of DHA and practically no EPA, while chicken and beef contain very low amounts of these long-chain omega-3s.

A typical serving of salmon can provide enough EPA and DHA to meet or even exceed, in a single meal, the daily intake that various authorities and scientific societies usually recommend for healthy adults.

For this reason, various dietary guidelines encourage regular consumption of oily fish such as salmon, generally about twice a week, as part of a balanced diet.

Omega-3 content can vary

The exact amount of EPA and DHA in salmon is not always the same. It can vary depending on:

• species;
• the diet the fish received;
• the production system;
• the product's origin;
• the composition of the feed used during farming.

Over recent decades, the share of fishmeal and fish oil in diets has fallen and the use of plant-based ingredients has increased. This has partly changed the fat profile of farmed salmon.

Even so, salmon remains a significant source of marine omega-3 compared with most land-based animal proteins.

The omega-3 in salmon depends on what the fish eats. In the wild, it gets it from its prey. In farming, it can come from fish oil and fishmeal, marine by-products, farmed microalgae, krill and other sources added to its feed.

Essential vitamins

Salmon is a significant source of vitamin D and vitamin B12.

Vitamin D

Vitamin D is involved in:

• bone health;
• calcium absorption and metabolism;
• immune system function.

This contribution is especially relevant because vitamin D insufficiency has been identified across large segments of the world's population.

Vitamin B12

Vitamin B12 is needed for:

• red blood cell formation;
• neurological function;
• various cellular metabolic processes.

Important minerals

Salmon also provides minerals such as:

• selenium;
• phosphorus;
• iodine;
• potassium.

These nutrients take part in various physiological processes, including cell function, bone health, thyroid activity, fluid balance and protection against oxidative stress.

Its combination of protein, vitamins, minerals and mostly unsaturated fats helps explain why it is recognized as a nutritionally complete food.

More stable availability year-round

The food value of salmon is not only about its nutrients. Salmon farming has also increased its availability and kept supply more stable throughout the year.

Unlike wild fisheries, which depend on seasons, quotas and natural variation, aquaculture production makes it possible to supply different markets on a regular basis.

This has made it easier to sell in various formats:

• fresh;
• frozen;
• fillets;
• smoked;
• prepared or ready to cook.

In this way, farmed salmon also plays a role in global food security, providing protein and nutrients of marine origin in a relatively stable way.

Nutrition and responsible production

The nutritional value of salmon does not remove the challenges associated with producing it. The growth of salmon farming has brought higher demands in areas such as:

• sustainability;
• traceability;
• feed composition;
• fish welfare;
• fish health;
• environmental performance;
• food safety.

That is why the current discussion is not limited to confirming that salmon is a nutritious food. It also considers how to preserve its nutritional quality and produce it in an increasingly responsible, efficient and verifiable way.