Salmon: A Fish Story

Many look to fish, particularly salmon, for a nutritious meal. Salmon is valued for its heart-healthy omega-3s, and its ability to improve one’s brain health. However, recent studies show that there is a dark side to salmon. Not only is not as good for us as we may think but because of America’s high consumption levels, it is also bad for marine ecosystems.

Personally, I am not a fan of salmon, and that has always made me feel guilty because I was worried I was missing out on those amazing health benefits. Having a desire to feel better about myself, I wanted to find out what I was REALLY missing out on. Upon my research, I have found that there is a great deal of false information going around about salmon.

Fallacy 1: Fresh salmon is caught in the wild.

I found that there was a huge factor to take into consideration when researching the fallacies of salmon nutrition. That is whether it is wild salmon or farmed salmon. More than 90% of fresh salmon eaten in America and more than 95% of Atlantic Salmon is produced in giant farms.

Fallacy 2: Atlantic Salmon is pink.

Farmed Atlantic Salmon are actually white. These farmed fish are fed pellets that contain a pink dye to change their color.

Fallacy 3: Salmon makes for a nutritious meal.

Studies often praise salmon for its health benefits. Yes, compared to other animal-based foods such as red meat, it can be healthier. However, compared to healthy alternatives such as plant-based protein that has no cholesterol, the fish falls short. An example of this is provided by Nutritionist John McDougall. He warns that salmon is actually a “half-fat” and consuming it could increase the risk of obesity and type-2 diabetes.

Fallacy 4: Salmon raised on a farm is alright to eat.

Being farm raised makes matters even worse. According to Kurt Oddekalv, a well-respected Norwegian environmental activist, one of the most toxic foods in the world is farm raised salmon. Salmon that are farm produced contain dangerously unhealthy levels of dioxins and other chemicals that could cause cancer and developmental problems in kids. He also believes that salmon farming isn’t just bad for human health, but also for the environment.  On the bottom of salmon farms, there’s a layer of waste that is filled with bacteria, drugs, and pesticides. Being that the farms are located in open water, there is no way to contain the pollution.

I know that salmon has been promoted as healthy in the past, but don’t forget that often it is simply that; promotion. Companies are selling to you because their salmon farms rely the consumer (you) to stay afloat. The salmon that we as people eat are not the same as what a bear from the wild may eat; don’t be too quick to dive into this health trend.