Salmon - A superfood that fills in the gaps

Monday, August 06, 2012 by: Ben Hirshberg
Tags: salmon, superfood, nutrition

(NaturalNews) Salmon is a species of fish that is commonly eaten for its nutritional properties. The fish live in both fresh and salt water, depending on where the salmon is in its development. Preparation methods for salmon vary, as some prefer barbequing, baking, or even sauteing their fish.

Vitamin D is obtained mainly through sunlight exposure, although some foods contain significant levels. Salmon has one of the highest vitamin D levels of all foods, containing 360IU in one three and a half ounce serving. Three quarters of American teens and adults are deficient in vitamin D, which is concerning because vitamin D plays such a crucial role in our health.

Bone health is very dependent on vitamin D levels, with diseases like rickets, osteoporosis (weak bones), and osteomalacia (bone pain) correlated with vitamin D intake. Vitamin D is also important for the heart and blood vessels. The immune system works much more effectively when the body has sufficient vitamin D levels, helping the body fight off illnesses and autoimmune diseases like cancer.

Besides vitamin D, salmon contains vitamins A and B as well as minerals like iron, calcium, selenium, and phosphorus. Salmon is one of the best sources of omega-3 fatty acids, which is a nutrient that most Americans could use more of. An ideal ratio of omega-6 fatty acids to omega-3 fatty acids is about 2:1 or 1:1. Because of the high processed food and vegetable oil consumption rates, many developed world citizens have a ratio that contains much higher levels of omega-6 fatty acids.

Omega-3 fatty acids keep the arteries and veins flexible, and increase the strength of cardiac muscles. They also contribute to the prevention of macular degeneration, dryness in the eyes, loss of vision, and eye fatigue. Perhaps their best known attribute, omega-3 fatty acids increase the efficiency of the brain and improve memory.

Salmon is a delicious food to include in breakfast, lunch, dinner, or even as a snack or appetizer. The nutritional value of salmon is excellent on the whole, but what really sets salmon apart as a nutritional powerhouse is the high vitamin D and omega-3 fatty acid levels.

Sources for this article include:

http://www.organicfacts.net
http://www.hsph.harvard.edu

About the author:
Ben Hirshberg is a young author, health consultant, and entrepreneur from Seattle. He has a Personal Training certification from WITS and a Fitness Nutrition Specialist certification from NASM. His main topics of interest are positive psychology, behavioral psychology, personal finance, entrepreneurship, nutrition, and anything else health related. Ben likes to cook, meditate, read, party, and go trail running.

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