Is Farm Raised Salmon Praised?

Things to Consider When Choosing Your Salmon

By Tim

Source

When choosing the salmon that is right for you and your family, you may want to take a closer look at what type of salmon you are purchasing. Not all salmon sold in stores are identical and there are some choices that may be better for your health than others. Below I am going to highlight different types of salmon and offer a suggestion on the kind I like to buy when I am out shopping.

First off, there are two main types of salmon out there, and that is "Atlantic" and "Pacific". They both belong to the same family, but are part of different genuses. Pacific salmon can only spawn once before they pass away, while Atlantic salmon can spawn many times. Wild salmon populations are always at risk of depleting quickly seeing as salmon is one of those seafood options that even the "I don't like fish" people like, due to the lack of "fishy" taste. Due to this, populations are carefully monitored for both species.

As we have advanced in society, we have also developed more convenient and cost-efficient ways of producing food for the mass populations in the world. One of the many processes that has been adopted into our culture is that of farm-raised salmon. The practice of farm-raising salmon has come under scrutiny recently and it should be noted the differences between wild and farm-raised salmon. Let's look at some differences.

Fatty Spots:

When looking at Wild vs. Farm-Raised salmon, one major indicator to which one you are purchasing is the amount of fat in the fish. When looking at the salmon itself, you will see more prominent white streaks in the farm-raised salmon than you would in the wild salmon. However not always is it easy to tell by this test.

Taste:

Wild salmon has a stronger "fishy" taste than farmed salmon. This obviously doesn't help much when purchasing your fish, but it is a way to indicate a difference between the two.

Price:

Farm-Raised salmon is going to be cheaper than their counterparts from the wilderness. It takes less effort to raise them and they can farm hundreds of thousands of salmon per year per farm.

Label:

I am putting label here to give you a warning. DON'T ALWAYS TRUST THE LABEL! Wild Salmon season is usually during the summer months and ends somewhere around September. Most of the time when the label states that the salmon is wild during the summer months, it is correct. However, there have been instances where, during the winter months when wild salmon fishing isn't in season, farm-raised salmon has been labeled as wild. Just be careful when considering a label as a consideration.

Now that you can have a better idea of what you are getting into, I am going to list some concerns about farm-raised salmon.

• Farm-raised salmon are usually grown in open aired pens and this makes them susceptible to disease and other organisms in the environment. This makes them susceptible to disease and other organisms, so they are given various pesticides and antibiotics
• Farmed fish may contain higher levels of Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) which can lead to an increased risk of developing a form of cancer when consuming. PCBs have actually been banned by many countries, including the USA, in use of "open environments" leaving them allowed to be used in closed environments. Compounds within PCBs are closely related to the toxin, dioxin, and can negatively affect the endocrine system.
• Some farm fish come out a lighter colored pink or even grey. To combat this at to make the fish more marketable to the average consumer, they are given a dye to give them a more vibrant, bright reddish tint. This dye is a carotenoid called "canthaxanthin" and it has been discussed that canthaxanthin may have led to an eye disorder that formed yellow deposits on the eye's retina when it was used in tanning pills. This wasn't proven, but it is definitely something to look out for

My suggestion is, be careful with what type of salmon you are buying. Do not just buy the farm-raised salmon because it is bigger or cheaper. Sometimes paying a little more for more organic food is a better option than trying to save a quick buck. You will still get your nutrients (thiamin, niacin, protein, Omega-3 fatty acids) from a smaller piece of wild salmon all while consuming less toxins. If the price really does cripple your family, then the best bet is to just skip salmon all together and try cheaper options. You can actually obtain Omega-3 fatty acids from flax seeds, walnuts and soybeans, if you are unable to purchase wild salmon.

  

One thing I cannot stress enough is that your diet is something to not go cheap on. Your body and health are important and it is something that is definitely worth the money!

Sources:

http://www.drweil.com/drw/u/id/QAA400062

http://www.marksdailyapple.com/salmon-factory-farm-vs-wild/#axzz2cigOMTSD

https://www.ncga.coop/newsroom/fish

http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/finfish-and-shellfish-products/4259/2

http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-the-difference-between-pacific-and-atlantic-salmon.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polychlorinated_biphenyl#History