I LOVE salmon. Fresh, pink and deliciously fatty, it’s known as a clean protein full of nutrients we need most these days, like Omega-3s. And as someone who’s really into health, I’ve asked myself, “What IS the healthiest kind of salmon”?

Because a fish is not a fish. There is a huge difference in quality between different types of salmon, and where you buy them from matters a lot.

I recently impulse-bought some “wild caught” salmon from Ralphs based on the low price. I was so disappointed when I tried it–not only was it dull and mushed looking, it had no skin on the underside. Additionally, I was shocked to discover I’d overlooked the fact that the fish was from China, and had a common chemical additive (which I usually avoid)!

Sometimes you get what you pay for!

The amount of Omega-3s, nutrients, heavy metals and pollutants in a salmon can vary widely, depending on how the fish lived its life. And you really don’t want to be eating unnecessary chemicals.

I’ll explain further all of these things, plus the other factors that distinguish a healthy salmon vs an unhealthy salmon. I’ll also explain why it’s so important for your health to choose wisely.

Nutritional Benefits of Salmon

Every meat has a different nutritional profile, which is why it’s good to have variety. While beef is higher in nutrients like iron, and chicken has higher B3 and zinc.

Compared to other meats, salmon is higher in a few key nutrients. The American Heart Association and the FDA recommends eating fish 2-3 times per week (8-12 ounces total) to help meet nutritional requirements.

Omega-3s

A high quality salmon is one of the best healthiest sources of Omega-3 fatty acids, which is an essential nutrient works wonders for heart and brain health, and reducing inflammation in the body.

With chronic disease and inflammation so common in the average population, it’s one of the most important supplements functional medicine doctors tend to recommend. (Even if you eat fish regularly!)

A study from 2006 shows that eating 1-2 servings of fatty fish per week reduces risk of dying from heart disease by 36%, and total mortality by 17%, due to the Omega-3 content.

There are many other studies on the neurological benefits of Omega-3s, and its role in preventing a range of issues from depression, to memory problems, and dementia.

Other nutrients

Compared to chicken or beef, salmon is the best source of several key nutrients.

• Vitamin D (wild caught), which the general population tends to be deficient in.
• Selenium – this is important for thyroid function and also an antioxidant.
• B vitamins, especially B12 and B6 – for energy metabolism, brain health, and nervous system functioning.
• Iodine- this one is so important for thyroid health, and so lacking from the American Diet, that common table salt is supplemented with it as a public health measure.

Types of Salmon

My preference for the healthiest, cleanest salmon that is commonly found in stores is Alaskan Wild-caught. But there are many kinds of Alaskan wild-caught.

So what’s the difference?

King/Chinook salmon has the most robust flavor, with a high fat content and buttery texture. The flesh is generally a bright red or orange color. It has the highest amount of Omega-3s and is considered the premium variety. It’s also the most expensive.

Sockeye salmon is also a flavorful and red colored variety with a high omega-3 content.

Coho salmon has a milder flavor than King or Sockeye, which might be preferable for some. It has a moderate amount of omega-3s and a more firm texture.

Pink salmon is another mildly flavored salmon with a lower amount of fat and omega-3s compared to the other species. It has a lighter flesh color and is the smallest, most abundant species of salmon. It’s primarily used for canning, but it’s also found in stores as fillets.

The most common salmon available in grocery stores is Atlantic salmon (not an Alaskan variety). However, it’s primarily farm-raised and often has added chemicals, which I don’t recommend for health reasons.

Contaminants and Added Chemicals to Avoid for the Healthiest Salmon

You might be surprised to learn that it’s incredibly common to add chemicals like dyes and unnecessary preservatives in fresh salmon. This is why you need to ask questions and read labels.

Preservatives: TPP and sodium bisulfate

TPP (aka trisodium pyrophosphate or sodium tripolyphosphate), is commonly used in seafood to enhance moisture retention and improve the texture of the fish. Because it helps retain water (increased weight) it can also be used to fetch higher selling prices. But trust me, you want to avoid this unnecessary chemical.

It’s required to be listed under ingredients on the packaging for frozen, but if it’s behind the counter, you won’t necessarily know. I personally never buy pre-thawed fish behind the counter at your average grocery store because frozen will be fresher – all of the salmon is frozen during transport anyway.

Sodium bisulfate is another unnecessary preservative that must be listed on the package.

Dyes and pigments

The natural diet of a salmon is full of small crustaceans and other marine organisms, and farm-raised salmon often has a different type of feed that leads to a much paler flesh than consumers are used to. Pigments are added to the flesh to achieve the expected pink color.

This is another reason I avoid farmed salmon, even though it’s marketed as “sustainable”. It’s incredibly common, and even the farmed salmon at Whole Foods salmon has pigments from “non-synthetic sources” which I would still avoid.

Mercury and Pollutants

It’s true–fish contains more mercury than other meats. And it confuses people. Is fish considered healthy or unhealthy, due to the mercury?

Fish also tends to contain PBCs and dioxins from industrial pollution.

The above-mentioned 2006 study says that although fish tends to contain ocean pollutants, the health benefits from modest amount of fish (unless you’re pregnant) outweigh the risks from mercury levels.

But this is why it’s wise to choose the right species!

Salmon is a great choice – it’s much lower in mercury contamination, because it’s lower on the food chain. Tuna and swordfish is much higher in mercury because they’re larger predatory fish.

But not always – contamination levels also depend on the environment! The local conditions and the diet of the fish influence how much mercury, PCBs and dioxins it contains. Generally, you want fish sourced far from industrial areas as possible. This is why sourcing is so important.

Consider the Source of the Salmon

If you want to avoid mercury contamination as much as possible (which is a very good idea), you need to consider the source of where the fish came from.

In general, you want to avoid fish from countries whose safety standards may not be as stringent as ours in the US. Mislabeling is well-known problem with imported fish within the seafood industry.

I would also steer clear of countries, and areas within our own country, with high levels of industrial pollution. When there’s a lot of unregulated industry in an area, it leads to higher levels of contamination in the area (coal powered industrial plants produce mercury).

I almost always buy Alaskan: the pristine waters and strict environmental standards make it a very safe source, with relatively low industrial pollution. They also practice sustainable fishing.

Although less commonly found in grocery stores, wild-caught salmon from the Pacific Northwest and Norway are also considered clean and healthy.

Farmed vs Wild-caught Salmon

As far as health is concerned, Alaskan wild-caught salmon is a much better choice when compared to farmed fish. So why is this?

• Omega-3 and nutritional content: due to their diet and living conditions, wild-caught salmon is able to eat a more diverse diet, which improves nutritional value. The strong muscles of wild fish retain more nutrients.
• Lower contaminants (PCBs, mercury, and other contaminants) – Both wild and farmed may have contaminants, but wild is considered safer overall. Again, this all depends where it was caught or farmed – whether it was anywhere near industrial runoff.
• Lower antibiotic and chemical use – farmed fish are raised in cramped quarters where disease is more prevalent, which at times requires antibiotics and other chemicals. And as I mentioned before – farmed salmon usually has added pigments to make up for the lack of pigmentation in the unnatural feed they’re raised on.

So why do some people prefer farmed? Ethical and sustainability reasons.

Ethical vs Health Considerations for Choosing the Best Salmon

In the general population, when it comes to determining high-quality meat, I find that the most common consideration is not health but ethics.

Especially in California–health concerns are generally prioritized, but environmental concerns are even more top-of-mind. For example, when I was looking for a good local butcher, I found a lot reviews about their sustainability practices. But it was hard to find much information on the organic or health standards.

And it’s a great thing that ethical standards are top priority! Because when wild fisheries aren’t controlled, they risk collapsing the population. This leads to devastating ecological problems downstream. This has happened with several species in the US, like the Pacific Bluefin Tuna and Atlantic Cod.

As a result of these ecological concerns, farmed salmon has become the standard for more conscious consumers, but I don’t think that’s always the healthiest choice.

However, if you do choose farmed salmon for ethical reasons, make sure you know details about its source. An ASC certification can provide some assurance (see the next section).

But if you choose to prioritize health, Alaskan wild-caught salmon is the best of both worlds. The fishery there is tightly regulated, and they are among the healthiest salmon that are commonly available in stores.

More information on balancing health concerns with ethics can be found on this podcast with Dr. Hyman.

Certifications

Unfortunately certifications for fisheries are in their infancy. There are a few, but they all have their limitations.

The MSC regulates wild fisheries, making sure they’re sustainable, in that, the fisherman aren’t taking too many fish out of the ocean. However, they don’t necessarily regulate the environment or the health of the fish. And the MSC label is not common.

When it comes to farmed fish, there’s also the ASC, which regulates the environment and hence implies a higher fish quality. Farmed fish is not always “sustainable” and good for the environment, and that’s what the ASC is there to regulate. But like MSC, the label is also relatively uncommon.

Unfortunately, there still is nothing as broad and stringent as the USDA Organic program – for fish.

Tips for Determining: What is the Healthiest, High-Quality Salmon?

In summary, here are a few tips for choosing salmon that meets the highest standards for health:

1. Consider its source – Alaskan is safest and most common. Avoid industrial areas.
2. Weight the pros and cons of Farmed vs Wild-caught: Wild-caught is generally healthier and more nutritious
3. Check the package for added chemicals
4. Avoid the counter – its generally farmed with added dyes
5. Consider a delivery plan from a trusted source
6. Look for a MSC label – to ensure environmental sustainability
7. Consider that salmon from restaurants is usually farmed. The servers often don’t know the source.
8. Evaluate the appearance, smell, texture for freshness
9. Asking questions of fishmongers

For an every day option that is commonly found in grocery stores, I generally look for frozen wild-caught coho or sockeye salmon, with no chemicals added: (“Ingredients: salmon”).

Selecting the healthiest salmon involves considering factors like wild-caught Alaskan salmon with higher omega-3 and fewer additives. Mindful choices benefit our health and the planet.