Salmon Smart
Fresh salmon is a natural healthy choice containing many nutritional benefits. For instance, compared to hamburger, steak and pork loin, salmon contains 20% more protein. Salmon is also a highly digestible protein packed with vitamin A and carotenoids, which are thought to help prevent cancer. Additional nutritional benefits associated with salmon, which have been well researched and documented in medical journals include:
- An average portion of salmon provides over half the recommended daily allowance of protein.
- In addition to vitamin A and carotenoids, salmon contains B vitamins, particularly niacin and vitamin D, which helps a body to absorb calcium.
- Salmon contains far less saturated fat than an equal portion of virtually any other meat or poultry protein source.
- Salmon is an excellent source of polyunsaturated fatty acids, known as Omega-3 fatty acids. (These polyunsaturated fatty acids, which are the "good" kind of fat, have been associated with reducing heart disease and inhibiting the onset of inflammatory diseases).
- Omega-3 fatty acids are a nutritional benefit found in all oily fish such as salmon and are not contained in any meat and few other seafood products in any significant degree.
|
Foods (1OOg)
|
Calories (g)
|
Protein (g)
|
Saturated Fat (g)
|
Cholesterol (mg)
|
CSI*
|
Sodium (mg)
|
Omega-3 Fatty Acids (g)
|
|
Salmon
|
170
|
20
|
1.5
|
35
|
3.3
|
46
|
1.4
|
|
Chicken Breast
|
172
|
21
|
4.2
|
64
|
116
|
63
|
0.1
|
|
Hamburger
|
310
|
16.6
|
10.8
|
85
|
15.2
|
68
|
0.2
|
|
Eggs
|
158
|
12
|
3.4
|
548
|
30.8
|
138
|
0.1
|
|
Cheddar Cheese
|
403
|
24.9
|
21.1
|
105
|
26.6
|
620
|
0.4
|
*CSI - The cholesterol-saturated fat index is a measure of the tendency of a food to raise the cholesterol level of blood.
Source: Seafood Nutrition, Joyce A. Nettleton, USDA Handbook No. 8, Composition of Foods.
