The Properties of salmon For health are numerous: improves cardiovascular health and mood, is a potent anti-inflammatory, protects the joints, prevents cancer, improves the condition of the skin and others that I will explain later.
The salmon is one of the marine fish that more nutritious contributions can give us to our organism. Among its properties are Give it the ability to extend life expectancy, prevent heart attacks and fight cancer.
Nutritional contribution of salmon
- Vitamin B12 (236% of recommended daily value)
- Vitamin D (127%)
- Selenium (78.3%)
- Vitamin B3 (56.3%)
- Omega-3 Fatty Acids (55%)
- Proteins (53.1%)
- Phosphorus (52.1%)
- Vitamin B6 (37.6%)
- Iodine (21.3%
- Hill (19.2%)
- Vitamin B5 (18.4%)
- Biotin (15.1%)
- Potassium (14%)
As we can see, the nutritional components of salmon are varied, making it one of the healthiest foods in the world.
In order to be able to order your extensive list of benefits, we will group them according to the nutritional contribution.
Benefits related to its omega 3 fat content
Salmon has earned its reputation as a health food supporter, mainly as a result of its rich content in Omega-3 fatty acids .
This is unusual because, of only 115 grams of salmon baked or grilled, you can get at least 2 grams more of omega-3 fats.
For you to understand its importance, this is The amount obtained from all foods over several days by an average adult.
If we consider obtaining 4 grams of omega-3 fatty acids as a goal for a person consuming 2,000 calories a day, then this would equal approximately 50% of this target.
About half of this omega-3 fat is provided in the form of EPA ( Eicosapentaenoic acid ) And a slightly lower amount is provided in the form of DHA ( Docosahexaenoic acid ).
The amounts of EPA and DHA found in salmon are unusual among foods that are commonly consumed. In addition to this high concentration of omega-3 fats, it contributes a small amount of omega-6 fats.
While there are other plant sources of omega-3 fats, such as flax seeds and Walnuts , Can not be compared on equal terms with salmon because their omega-3 fats are in the form of Alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) instead of the EPA or DHA.
Omega-3 fats have many benefits, including modulation of the inflammatory response (favoring the formation of anti-inflammatory compounds in the body), enhancement of the cell membrane, better cellular capacity to transmit information from a cell to Another and an improvement in the health of brain cells.
This is why omega-3 acids affect the functioning of our entire body. We can summarize your benefits as follows.
1- Improves cardiovascular health
The consumption of fish from deep waters or blue fish (rich in omega-3 acids) such as salmon is associated with a lower risk of developing cardiovascular diseases, including acute myocardial infarction, arrhythmias, hypertension and hypertriglyceridemia ( Blood triglyceride level greater than 150 mg / dl).
The consumption of omega-3 fatty acids is also related to the improvement of metabolic parameters of cardiovascular disease.
Its potency is such that some of the heart benefits can be obtained with only one meal of salmon per week. In any case, most of the benefits begin to be observed in research studies with somewhat higher amounts of fish, consuming 2-3 times per week.
In some studies about salmon intake and cardiovascular risk, they often measure the benefits based on the total grams of omega-3 fats obtained in the daily diet.
These studies require a daily minimum of 2 grams of omega-3 to achieve a protective cardiovascular risk.
To get the 2 grams that bet the studies, the amount to be ingested of salmon is approximately 115 grams.
2- Improvement in mood and cognition
Many researchers consider that DHA is the most important fat found in the human brain and the unusual concentration of this omega-3 fatty acid in salmon helps explain some of the documented benefits in cognition and decreased risk In certain problems related to the brain.
Intake of omega-3 fats from fish is associated with a lower risk of depression, decreased risk of adolescent hostility, and reduced risk of Cognitive impairment In the elderly.
In turn, some studies have demonstrated an association between I.Q And intake of omega-3 fatty acids, including those provided by fish.
3- Powerful anti-inflammatory
Linked to the intake of fish and of special interest in this area of research, we should mention protectins. These Are special bioactive compounds enriched with DHA.
Preliminary research studies have shown that they play a potentially important role as regulatory and anti-inflammatory molecules, especially when produced by nerve tissue.
4- Protection of the joints
Research into salmon consumption and its protective effect on joints has shown that EPA from salmon can be converted by the body into three closely related types of compounds that work to prevent unwanted inflammation.
A group of compounds are the Prostaglandins Series-3. A second type is the Thromboxanes Series-3. A third type recently discovered have been the resolvins. All these derivatives of omega-3 fats are able to help prevent excessive and unwanted inflammation.
What is especially interesting about salmon is that it combines these anti-inflammatory benefits, related to the omega-3 fatty acid content, with anti-inflammatory benefits that are not related to fat, but to protein.
In recent years, small molecules of bioactive proteins (called bioactive peptides) have been demonstrated in salmon. These provide special support for joint cartilage.
A particular bioactive peptide called Calcitonin Has been of particular interest in these studies. This is because calcitonin is formed in the body by the thyroid gland, which is a key hormone to help regulate and stabilize the balance of collagen and minerals in bone tissue and its surroundings.
Salmon peptides, including calcitonin, can potentiate their action with salmon omega-3 fats providing unique anti-inflammatory benefits to the joints
5- Improves eye health
The consumption of omega-3 fats from salmon has been associated with a reduced risk of two eye-related problems: macular degeneration and chronic dry eye.
Macular degeneration is a chronic eye problem, in which the material in the center of the retina at the back of the eyeball begins to deteriorate and cause vision loss. Two servings of fish per week is the amount that has been shown to significantly decrease this risk.
For the decreased risk of chronic dry eye, a somewhat higher amount of omega-3 fatty acids from fish (2-4 servings per week) was the minimum amount needed. When extended to 5-6 portions weekly show a greater reduction of risk.
As well as studies of omega-3 fats intake from fish and brain , Studies on chronic dry eye have begun to specifically analyze the role of neuroprotectins formed from DHA.
These molecules derived from omega-3 fats can help prevent chronic ocular dryness by reducing the levels of inflammation in the eye.
6- Decreased cancer risk
Consumption of fish rich in omega-3 fats is also associated with a lower risk of various types of cancer such as colorectal cancer, prostate cancer, or Breast cancer .
The strongest results to obtain a greater decrease of the risk of cancer occurs in those cancers related to cells of nodules or globules including leukemia, multiple myeloma and non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
As in cardiovascular studies, cancer risk studies usually begin to show significant benefits when consuming fish with omega-3 fats is done at least once a week.
7- Improvement of the skin
Due to the exceptional level of omega-3 fats that salmon has, we can help to have a shiny and more supple skin.
Dr. Perricone, a world-renowned dermatologist, advises his patients to consume wild salmon about 3 times a week in order to have radiant skin.
Benefits related to protein and amino acid content
The benefits of salmon omega-3 fats are not the only ones that stand out in this food. A novel area of salmon health benefits involves the protein and amino acid content of this fish.
Several recent studies have found that salmon contains small molecules of bioactive proteins (called bioactive peptides) that can serve as special support for joint cartilage, insulin efficacy and control of inflammation in the digestive tract.
Recent studies have been done, for example, on salmon peptides and treatment of ulcerative colitis.
Intake of salmon peptides may be related to reduced risk of Colorectal cancer , Calcitonin being the one that has created the most interest among the amino acids of salmon.
The human body produces its own calcitonin which, as we mentioned earlier, is a key hormone to help regulate and stabilize the balance of Collagen And minerals in the bone and surrounding tissue.
As researchers learn more and more about peptides, including salmon calcitonin (SCT), and their relationship to human calcitonin, we expect to see more benefits from consuming this fish.
Benefits related to selenium
Another nutrient concentrated in salmon and worthy of special mention is selenium. As for the amount of absolute selenium, 115 grams of salmon provide about 62% of the daily value of this mineral.
Selenium intake is associated with a strong decrease in the risk of joint inflammation and also with the prevention of certain types of cancer, including colorectal cancer.
As an antioxidant nutrient, selenium has also been shown to be especially important in cardiovascular protection through maintenance of Glutathione molecule .
As you can see, each of these benefits of selenium mentioned, potentiate the nutritional contributions we have discussed previously (omega-3 fats, proteins and amino acids).
Benefits related to Vitamin D
8- Increase of the corporal well-being
With a high content of vitamin D In a single serving, eating wild salmon can help maintain optimum health. Vitamin D deficiency has been linked to everything from cancer to multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis to heart disease.
Alexander Parker, Ph.D., associate professor of epidemiology and urology at the Mayo Clinic in Florida, suggests that about a quarter of Americans suffer from low levels of vitamin D, and stresses the need for all of us to complement Or eating salmon rich in vitamin D on a regular basis.
In another study conducted by the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey found that 7.6 million children across the US Were deficient in vitamin D. This is defined as a concentration of less than 15 ng / ml of blood.
And what other salmon properties do you know?
References
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- Beydoun MA, Kaufman JS, Satia JA, Rosamond W, Folsom AR. Plasma n-3 fatty acids and the risk of cognitive decline in older adults: the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study. Am J Clin Nutr. 2007 Apr; 85 (4): 1103-11. 2007. PMID: 17413112.
- Chrysohoou C, Panagiotakos DB, Pitsavos C, Skoumas J, Krinos X, Chloptsios Y, Nikolaou V, Stefanadis C. Long-term fish consumption is associated with protection against arrhythmia in healthy persons in the Mediterranean region-the ATTICA study. Am J Clin Nutr. 2007 May; 85 (5): 1385-91. 2007. PMID: 17490977.
- Chua B, Flood V, Rochtchina E, Wang JJ, Smith W, Mitchell P. Dietary fatty acids and the 5-year incidence of age-related maculopathy. Arch Ophthalmol. 2006 Jul; 124 (7): 981-6. 2006. PMID: 16832023.
- Connor W. Will the dietary intake of fish prevent atherosclerosis in diabetic women. Am J Clin Nutr. 2004 Sep; 80 (3): 626-32. 2004. PMID: 15321789.
- Connor WE, Connor SL. The importance of fish and docosahexaenoic acid in Alzheimer's disease. Am J Clin Nutr. 2007 Apr; 85 (4): 929-30. 2007. PMID: 17413088.
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