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How you prep and what you eat with your salmon can make a big difference.
Key Takeaways
- Eating salmon regularly matters more than choosing between wild or farmed, as both provide valuable omega-3s that support heart, brain, and overall health.
- Gentle cooking methods like baking or poaching help preserve omega-3 content, while pairing salmon with healthy fats can improve absorption.
- You can boost your intake even further by adding omega-3-rich ingredients like flaxseed, nuts, or oils, or by including other sources if salmon isn’t your favorite.
Among the nutrients that Americans are encouraged to eat more of, omega-3 fatty acids rank high on the list—and there are plenty of evidence-based reasons why. “I like to think of omega-3s as the ‘yellow brick road’ nutrient. They help your heart, brain, eyes, and more,” says registered dietitian and culinary nutritionist Helen Ohw Kim, RD, CDN, MPH.
This is because these fats help to reduce systemic inflammation—in turn, supporting nearly every body system. Aside from helping to lower cholesterol levels, protect against neurodegenerative disease, and reduce the risk for age-related eye diseases, “omega-3 fatty acids may also be beneficial in the treatment of diseases such as psoriasis, asthma, and rheumatoid arthritis, and depression,” adds integrative registered dietitian Leslie K. Getzinger, MS, RDN.
But overall, most Americans are missing the mark when it comes to consuming enough of this essential fat. “They’re widely under-consumed in North American diets despite being an essential fatty acid—meaning we have to get them from food,” explains registered dietitian Brittany Brown, RD, IBCLC, CDE.
One of the most popular food sources of omega-3s is salmon, which is packed with both EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid)—two of the least-consumed omega-3 fatty acids. Plus, this popular fish is absolutely delicious and easy to integrate into several different types of cuisine. But there are several ways to maximize the omega-3 content you get from this beloved fish. Here’s what registered dietitians recommend.
Meet Our Expert
- Brittany Brown, RD, IBCLC, CDE, a registered dietitian based in Canada
- Leslie K. Getzinger, MS, RDN, an integrative registered dietitian based in Orange, California
- Helen Ohw Kim, RD, CDN, MPH, a registered dietitian based in New York, New York
The Best Way to Eat Salmon for Maximum Omega-3 Benefits
There are a few simple ways to maximize salmon’s omega-3 benefits—the first of which is to consider the type of salmon you purchase.
In general, farmed salmon and wild salmon have been found to offer similar nutrition, with some studies showing wild salmon may have a leg-up on farmed salmon in terms of omega-3s. That said, the diets of farmed salmon can be tailored to boost omega-3 content in the final product—and some competing research has found certain farmed varieties to offer more omega-3 content. Where the salmon is harvested may also offer clues into boosted omega-3 content as well. For example, Chilean salmon has been known to offer higher levels of the fat—as has salmon from Alaska. “Wild-caught Alaskan salmon (such as sockeye or king), may also naturally contain higher levels of EPA and DHA,” says Getzinger.
Ultimately, how frequently you eat salmon plays the biggest role in how much omega-3 you’ll reap from it. “There’s been debate around wild versus farmed salmon, but both can be excellent sources of omega-3s, and the bigger focus should be consistently eating fish two to three times per week,” Brown agrees. The American Heart Association recommends eating at least two 3.5-ounce servings of cooked fish—particularly fatty fish like salmon—per week to reduce cardiovascular risk.
How you cook salmon can also impact omega-3 intake and absorption. “Gentle cooking methods like baking at lower temperatures, poaching, or smoking will help to preserve omega-3s by minimizing oxidation,” offers Brown.
The ingredients you pair with salmon can also support omega-3 intake—and flavor. Kim uses “a little canola oil, salt, pepper, and a mixture of soy sauce, honey, ground flaxseed, lemon zest, a squeeze of half a lemon, ground garlic, and ginger,” in her favorite salmon recipe. Both canola oil and flaxseed provide additional omega-3s—primarily in the plant-based form, alpha-linolenic acid (ALA).
Eating salmon with other fat-containing foods within the same meal can also be beneficial. “Consuming omega-3s with meals containing fat increases absorption. Prepare salmon with a source of healthy fat, like olive oil, or garnish with avocado slices, to help increase absorption,” adds Getzinger. Other fat sources like nuts and seeds will also serve this role.
Keep these tips in mind when preparing popular salmon dishes like grain bowls, salads, sandwiches, stir fries, and pastas.
And if you’re not a salmon fan, don’t worry, you can still squeeze omega-3s into your diet through other foods like chia seeds, hemp seeds, and walnuts. “Ground flax seeds can be added to many dishes (i.e. soups, stews, or any sauce) without being detected—just be mindful that it adds viscosity to liquids,” Kim suggests.
Supplements can also play a supporting role, with the green light from your doctor. “When it comes to omega-3s, quality matters just as much as quantity; if your supplement is causing ‘fishy burps,’ it’s often a sign of oxidation meaning the product may be rancid. A high-quality (third-party tested) supplement should be well-tolerated and neutral,” Brown advises.
Read the original article on Real Simple
