FOOD NEWS
When Buying Salmon, Opt For Wild-Caught Over Farm-Raised
BY BRIAN UDALL
Today, roughly half of all salmon consumed has been farm-raised, leaving unanswered questions about the health effects of eating farm-raised salmon versus wild-caught salmon.
Not only does wild-caught salmon tend to taste better, but it's also slightly higher in protein, has nearly triple the amount of iron, and has about four times as much calcium.
Farm-raised salmon is more nutrient-dense and has a higher fat content. They are healthy polyunsaturated omega-3 and omega-6 fats, so opinions differ on whether that's good or not.
The fish's nutritional composition is a direct result of its diet. Wild-caught salmon eat natural foods such as invertebrates, while farm-raised salmon are fed processed fish food.
Farm-raised salmon are also often fed an unsettling amount of antibiotics to counteract the risk of disease that is inherent in an environment that keeps animals in such proximity.