Eating Like a Salmon Is Better Than Eating Actual Salmon, Study Finds

Food & Wine ^ | Melissa Kravitz Hoeffner

[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.

[Bobbyvotes]

Lover on 4th floor and no elevator!
You got it made my friend. 👍👍

[Veto!]

I had a sweetheart too, but he was an idiot about food and supplements and died several years ago. He was several years younger than I am.

[Candor7]

In my lunch box or in a rice roll:

[PIF]

Eat more wild caught Sockeye salmon!

[gleeaikin]

Regarding seafood, I forgot to mention that mussels are an extremely nourishing form of seafood, and I have found them at Herris Teeter for under $5 a pound, shelled and precooked. Great to just add to soup or stew for the extra protein.

As for how long I’ll live, I will keep active as long as I can. My grandfather walked every day for an hour, then at 96 he was in some kind of accident, and could not walk much any more. He died at 98. However, two of his sisters lived to 103 and 104. On the other hand, my parents only lived to 90, but my mom had a defective heart valve replaced at age 78 and the pig valve they used were only good for about 10 years and she was too frail for surgery at 88. My father had high blood pressure and a bad temper, he never listened to me about learning to deal with frustration and his temper. He was standing in a long grocery line, wanting to buy food before driving 90 miles to collect overdue rent from a deadbeat tenant. He had a stroke and died 2 weeks later. So my big effort for the moment is getting my property fixed/reonvated, so I don’t have to worry about it when I am ten years older. Meanwhile I have plenty of painting, minor repairs, and gardening to keep me exercised.

[Bobbyvotes]

I am aiming for making a video of my treadmill routine on my 100th birthday. Chances of heart attack or stroke are slim due to staying active, but there is very small defense possible against cancer. My mother lived to age 103, she consumed only 1 meal with meat in a week. Rest of her meals were vegan. I am eating more vegetables and fruits and less grain products. But once in a month I indulge with pancakes or waffles with syrup loaded with high fructose.

Only meds I am taking is 20 mg Lisinopril because I love salty pizza and meat chili. Sodium elevates my blood pressure.