Salmon has long been touted as a nutritional powerhouse, an Omega-3-wielding superfood packed with heart-healthy fatty nutrients. Dieticians even went so far as to call it one of the most nutritious foods on the planet . That was, at least, until groups lobbying against salmon farms raised their concerns.
While wild salmon still reigned supreme, its much more affordable farm-raised brother began to amass a questionable reputation. Recently, Time Magazine summed up the cons of farmed salmon with a scathing review, calling farmed fish an industrialized imposter that risks our health and damages our planet. The writers point out farmed fish are bred to grow rapidly in cramped cages, and the pens are rife with parasites and diseases — controlled only with a heavy-handed use of pesticides and antibiotics.
The food pellets were similarly excoriated, referred to as an amalgamation of fish meal, vegetables, and animal byproducts. Superfood or Species of Concern? Wild salmon are a “species of concern” in certain places worldwide, and farmed salmon get mixed reviews. So why do doctors still call salmon a superfood ? In the Time interview, medical experts spoke about ambiguous salmon practices and what to consume.
“It is confusing, and I suspect there is wilful confusion out there,” Dr. Leonardo Trasande, a professor of environmental medicine at New York University, told Time reporters. “We know that every fish is a trade-off between omega-3 content and toxic content like PCBs.
From the perspective of salmon in general, the balance favors consumption of the fish,” explains Trasande. “Now, the challenge here is that I can’t tell which salmon is farmed the right way or the wrong way.” Trasande is not alone in his opinion, either.
Many experts and scientific studies cast doubts on blanket claims that salmon should be part of a healthy diet if those fish come from open-net farms. However, labels on fish rarely disclose farming practices or the pharmaceuticals used to raise them. The Real Deal: What Fish Farms Are Deemed Sustainable? Not all farmed fish are raised the same, of course.
Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch provides guidelines for grading fish farms . Some experts laud specific salmon farms for their healthier approach and pharmaceutical-free strategies. The problem lies in advising consumers about differences in fish.
While wild-caught salmon is typically well-marked, farmed fish labels operate in a hazy area. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) didn’t even properly describe what falls under the definition of “organic salmon” — until now, that is. New US Regulations Coming Mary Clare Jalonick, with The Associated Press , reports that after more than a decade of delays, the U.
S. government is moving towards definitions for “organic farmed salmon,” “pen-raised salmon,” and other types. Government descriptions and labels allow consumers to make educated purchases.
Experts expect labels to come with new industry standards, too. The USDA plans to propose standards for farming fish, including salmon, that outline what constitutes organic fish farming. These new measures may take two years or more to implement, however, and that is assuming seafood companies embrace these changes.
Still, the question remains: is farmed salmon okay? Health information website Healthline leans that way, similarly categorizing farmed and wild salmon. Healthline’s list of salmon benefits are miraculous, from reducing inflammation to reducing the risk of heart attacks. However, these outlooks might change with the USDA’s upcoming classification changes.
So, Why Is Salmon So Healthy? In short, salmon is an ideal source of protein, healthy fats, and various essential vitamins and minerals — like those much-touted omega-3s. Unlike most other fats, experts stress the necessity of omega-3 fats. Healthline points out the nature of omega-3 fatty acids, essential for your heart, brain, and metabolism.
However, the human body does not produce omega-3 alone; we must source it. Besides being healthy, salmon is easy to prepare and adaptable to dozens of recipes , explaining its legendary status in the seafood world. The USDA’s proposed changes apply to not just salmon but many farmed marine species, like tilapia, catfish, shrimp, and mollusks like mussels, oysters, and clams.
Like salmon, shrimp and mollusks endure a similar battle with market analysts. Despite seemingly endless ways to prepare much-loved shrimp and succulent clams , consumers express concerns about the safety of “farm-raised” and “wild-caught” sea life. Hopefully, new regulations will answer some of these questions — at least in the United States.
Other places worldwide ask the same questions. Japan has recently pioneered bluefin tuna farming, which is an industry first. Additionally, Norway remains an industry leader in salmon farming.
With the recent steps taken in the U.S., global standards for fish farming will be next on the discussion block.
This article was produced by Media Decision and syndicated by Wealth of Geeks ..
