Posted on 04/11/2025 2:03:31 PM PDT by nickcarraway
Eating lower on the food chain may mean massive nutritional gains for humans.
Melissa Kravitz Hoeffner has spent over a decade working as a writer in New York City. She currently covers all aspects of food, dining, travel and lifestyle trends and the intersection of culture, business and politics in these areas. Her work appears in The New York Times, Real Simple, Vogue, Bon Appetit, Glamour, Time Out, Conde Nast Traveler and several more publications. Food & Wine's Editorial Guidelines Published on March 31, 2024
Thanks to the fatty fish's dense nutritional profile, consuming salmon has generally been considered essential to a healthy human diet. But eating like salmon may very well be the actual key to health beyond the famed Mediterranean diet.
A new peer-reviewed study published in Nature Food journal challenges the perception that simply eating salmon is the healthiest choice. Instead, the analysis, which was conducted by researchers at the University of Cambridge, Lancaster University, University of Stirling, and the University of Aberdeen, found that eating what salmon typically consume — small wild fish such as mackerel, anchovies, and herring — is more nutritionally beneficial to humans.
(And yes, that’s great news for all the “hot girls” who love tinned fish.)
The study, titled “Wild Fish Consumption Can Balance Nutrient Retention in Farmed Fish,” used data collected in Norway's fish farms and examined why farmed salmon fillets lacked the same quantity of nutrients that wild salmon generally contain — averaging a loss in six out of nine nutrients, including calcium, iodine, iron, omega-3, vitamin B12, and vitamin A. Amounts of calcium, in particular, were found to be five times more plentiful in wild-feed fish fillets. Eating lower on the food chain, that is, consuming what salmon feast on, can help humans get these critical vitamins, minerals, and fatty acids directly from the source.
“People should consider eating a greater and wider variety of wild fish species like sardines, mackerel, and anchovies to get more essential nutrients straight to their plate,” said Dr. David Willer, the study’s lead author and professor in the Zoology Department at the University of Cambridge. “What we’re seeing is that most species of wild fish used as feed have a similar or greater density and range of micronutrients than farmed salmon fillets.”
Better yet, eating tiny fish is said to be better for the environment, because it allows larger fish populations to thrive and puts less strain on the aquatic food systems. Smaller fish, which live shorter lives, naturally contain less mercury than larger fish and are known for being abundant sources of protein, calcium, iron — and vitamins D, A, and B12.
A Guide to Cooking with Anchovies
“Making a few small changes to our diet around the type of fish that we eat can go a long way to changing some of these deficiencies and increasing the health of both our population and planet,” Willer said.
But there’s no need to panic, dear salmon lovers. The fish is still very much on the menu. Particularly, wild salmon.
The study calls for reallocating one-third of food-grade, wild-feed fish for direct human consumption. This means not using these fish as food for farmed salmon, which are not as nutritious for humans, but creating human-grade food from these little guys and allowing wild salmon to thrive in their natural habitats. The end result would ideally add more nutrients to the human diet and increase wild seafood populations, meaning there would be abundant nutritious and well-fed salmon in the seas and eventually on our plates.
I eat what’s on sale at grocery store. Rarely buy salmon because it is expensive compared to other sources of protein. For example Sardines, chicken, pork. Only when I visit local Longhorn Steakhouse, I order salmon because they know how to cook it perfectly and make it tasty.
I think eating variety of vegetables is important. Fruits are okay but have too many calories.
Visited my HMO doctors office on last Monday. It is a large practice with several doctors. I was assigned to a new doctor for this visit. She told me none of her senior patients are in better health than me, and wanted to know my diet habits. I told her same thing as above, I eat whatever is on sale. But reason I am in good health at age 85 is I never miss daily aerobic exercise for 25 minutes. I discovered exercise at age 57 after taking early retirement due to various health issues. Almost 30 years in retirement, I have no medical bills which should make Medicare very happy. Still mowing my suburban sized lawn with push mowers.
A new peer-reviewed study published in Nature Food journal challenges the perception that simply eating salmon is the healthiest choice. Instead, the analysis, which was conducted by researchers at the University of Cambridge, Lancaster University, University of Stirling, and the University of Aberdeen, found that eating what salmon typically consume — small wild fish such as mackerel, anchovies, and herring — is more nutritionally beneficial to humans.
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Which proves that he has no idea what he’s talking about - only Coho & King salmon are carnivores, Sockeye, Chum, Humpy are plankton eaters.
Why are fish so thin?
Because they eat fish!
Why fish stink? They never use deodorant.
How much of my taxpayer money was wasted on this stupid study?
Oh you wanna keep a fish from smelling? Cut off his nose
BS!
Just skip a couple of levels in the food chain and eat ze bugs and ze worms directly.
I try hanging out in the tinned food aisle in the supermarket. So far I am not having a lot of luck with this.
I mixed a can of sardines with a can of tuna, GREAT sandwich.
Walking like an Egyptian is better than being an Egyptian.
5.56mm
Love sardines mixed with mayo with crackers.
“But reason I am in good health at age 85 is I never miss daily aerobic exercise for 25 minutes.”
Yes, that’s very important. I’m. 88 and in very good health, My MD expects me to live to 100. Was doing a 14-minute mile on he treadmill 5 days a week before the idiot governor closed the gyms for “covid”. Then I fell and broke a knee, couldn’t do that, getting back into the exercise routine is taking a lot of time.
And I do eat salmon three times a week. Alaskan salmon only, the waters are clean there. All Atlantic salmon is farmed, has all kinds of problems. Checkers at Trader Joe and Safeway are smart about that too. I do eat chicken , but not pork, because pigs have higher IQs than dogs and I’m not eating a cocker spaniel either.
Hi old-timers, 86 here, and thriving. Doctor asked what exercise I get. Said I live in a 4 story house with 9 and 10 foot ceilings. My partner’s room is on the 4th floor, my room and the bath on the third floor, kitchen and laundry in the basement. Main entrance 1sr floor. Mostly I am going up and down stairs all day. I started using supplements over 50 years ago, adding new ones as minor health issues arose, and with Google checking: “nutrition and supplements for xxxxxx health issue” My most recent search was for supplements to help cataracts. This after my doctor said I would need surgery soon. I found 5 supplements I was not taking, and after 3 years of adding them, my eyes are 75% better. During grass growing season, I go to my beach cottage once a month for a week to cut the fairly large lawn with an older gas mower, the walk behind and push through thick grass kind. Fresh air, sunshine, and exercise.
For general health, check out Astaxanthin. I was taking it for my eyes, but when loved ones got cancer I discovered it made cancer cells die young, and normal cells live older. My friend took me with her when she had a consult with an oncologist before starting chemo. She wanted to know if it would be good to take Astaxanthin. Oncologist had never heard of it. My friend has been doing a lot of on line research and she says a lot of work is being done studying Astaxanthin for several different health issues.
One more note, it helps I have a sweetheart on the 4th floor. Here’s to happy longevity.
Don’t let go of that exercise in some form or other. I am guessing you will make it to 100 age and may be much more.
A woman I knew years ago just died at 102. She still looked great.
Her advice: Eat mostly vegetables and fruit and exercise at least an hour a day.
My friend Kathryn does that. Total vegan and gets in 3 - 5 miles a day. She’s younger than we are, but I’m quite sure she’ll live a very long life.
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