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Wild Caught vs. Farm Raised Salmon. Conventional wisdom has led us to believe that wild caught salmon is better and that is likely true, but that doesn’t make farm raised salmon unhealthy. The difference between the two choices in terms of health is likely only a few percentage points and should not prevent you from eating farm raised salmon if that is all that’s available! ??
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There are 4 primary kinds of salmon we eat. There’s Sockeye (on the left), Atlantic (right), Coho, and Chinook. You’ll notice that the Sockeye salmon is a much deeper red than the Atlantic kind which is a lighter, orange color. Many people will see these two pieces of salmon and say obviously the one on the right is farmed raised because it is lighter in color. While wild caught salmon can be darker in color, the stark difference in color between the pieces of salmon in this picture can be contributed to the type of salmon each piece is. Farm raised vs. wild salmon of the same type will have a much more subtle difference. The white lines of fat will be smaller, making the colored flesh look more vibrant and appearing darker. .
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Salmon is a fatty fish that is full of Omega-3 fatty acids. It’s one of the best sources of omega-3s in our diet so it is important we incorporate salmon (or some fatty fish) in our diets. You’ll see that the farm raised salmon is actually higher in omega-3s. This is because the feed is fortified with omega-3s. The farmed fish are fed a diet high in fat to make them grow quickly which is why you’ll see it is much higher in fat. Part of the consequences associated with the higher fat diet is a higher amount of omega-6 fatty acids which are the ones we already over eat in relation to omega-3s. The ratio of omega-3s to omega-6s is something you may have heard is something to consider. The wild fish has a better ratio of omega-3s to omega-6s but that shouldn’t push you away from farm raised fish. The amount of omega-3s in the farm raised fish is reason alone to eat it. If you have access to wild salmon and can afford it, then by all means choose the wild one. But don’t be afraid to eat farm raised if that’s all that is available ?
