Canned salmon and fresh salmon may not taste exactly the same, but they're almost identical from a nutritional standpoint. In fact, canned salmon is actually more nutritious than fresh because it's higher in calcium. That means you don't have to pay a premium price to get all these great health benefits.
These days, Atlantic salmon is typically farmed, while Pacific salmon species are primarily wild-caught. Wild-caught Pacific salmon are typically considered to be the healthiest salmon.
Canned salmon, tuna, sardines, kippered herring, and other types of fish are pretty much on a par with fresh fish. They give you as much heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids as fresh fish, and sometimes more. These essential oils help prevent potentially deadly heart rhythms.
In conclusion, canned salmon is a convenient and affordable option for those who love salmon. It's a good source of omega-3 fatty acids and protein, but it's important to be aware of the potential drawbacks such as high sodium content, lower quality, and environmental concerns.
Canned salmon is a nutritious choice
Canned salmon is rich in protein, vitamin D, calcium (from the bones) and omega-3 fats. Omega-3 fats are heart healthy fats and also promote healthy brain development in babies. Canada's Food Guide recommends we eat a protein food at every meal, like fish and salmon.
The FDA recommends eating 8 ounces of salmon per week. So you *can* eat it every day but in smaller servings. If you're pregnant, the FDA recommends eating 8 to 12 ounces of seafood per week from sources that have lower mercury levels — including salmon!
Still, small amounts of mercury can pose a risk to young children, unborn babies and the babies of nursing mothers, so the recommended servings of even low-mercury canned light tuna and salmon are no more than 2 to 3 servings per week of 3 to 4 ounces for folks who fall into those categories.
Canned tuna and salmon
It is generally safe for everyone, including pregnant women, to consume two to three serves of tuna or salmon a week, canned or fresh. Canned tuna usually has lower mercury levels than other tuna because tuna used for canning are smaller species that are caught when less than one year old.
Five of the most commonly eaten fish that are low in mercury are shrimp, canned light tuna, salmon, pollock, and catfish. Another commonly eaten fish, albacore ("white") tuna, has more mercury than canned light tuna.
Canning. Canned seafood falls into two categories from a bacteriological point of view: fully processed commercially sterile products and semipreserved products. The fully processed products include canned tuna, salmon, shrimp, crab, sardines, and other fish, fish balls, and so on.
Canned foods in particular usually contain high levels of sodium. One way to reduce your salt intake with canned food, like tuna for example, is washing. Studies show that rinsing reduces the amount of sodium in canned tuna by 80%.
Canned light tuna is in the “Best Choices” category and it is fine to eat 2 to 3 servings per week. We recommend that you eat a variety of fish. You may wish to try other affordable fish in the “Best Choices” category such as canned salmon or sardines, frozen fish, or fresh fish that are at a reduced price.
Sardines contain significantly less mercury than salmon, so even if you had two standard-sized cans of sardines (~3 ounces / ~84 grams drained), that's still only ~6 ounces of a safer fish in terms of heavy metals. In fact, you could have 4–5 cans of sardines and still be safe!
Contamination. Today, most of the salmon available for us to eat is farmed. Early studies reported high levels of PCBs and other contaminants in farmed salmon – higher than in some species of wild salmon, such as pink salmon.
Both wild and farmed Atlantic salmon have much lower mercury levels than most other fish species. Farmed salmon has on average, 0.05 micrograms of mercury per gram. This is well below the levels deemed safe for women and children by the FDA and EPA, which inform the United States Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA).
Red Salmon vs Pink Salmon: Nutrition
Red salmon have greater amounts of calories, more of the fatty acids and oils that people value, and a higher amount of protein than pink salmon.
Fish and shellfish in this category, such as salmon, catfish, tilapia, lobster and scallops, are safe to eat two to three times a week, or 8 to 12 ounces per week, according to the FDA.
If you have purchased a can and the food within has high sodium levels, no need to chuck it. Instead, drain the can, then rinse the foods to reduce the sodium, says Orenstein. This works for fruits, vegetables, beans, and fish, she says.
Salmon is a fatty fish, and just like any other food, consuming too much of it can lead to weight gain and other health problems. While comparatively lower than other types of seafood, salmon also contains mercury, which can be harmful in large amounts. We strongly recommend you to have a balanced diet.
Commercially sold fish that may contain high levels of mercury include shark (flake), ray, swordfish, barramundi, gemfish, orange roughy, ling and southern bluefin tuna. In freshwater environments containing mercury, some species of fish may contain high levels of mercury.
Yes, salmon skin is good for you—and is actually one of the healthiest parts of the fish. Just like the flesh, salmon skin is a good source of omega-3 fatty acids, vitamins B and D, and minerals like niacin and phosphorus.
Can you eat salmon skin? Salmon skin is usually considered safe to eat. The skin contains more of the same minerals and nutrients contained in salmon, which may be an excellent addition to any diet.