WILD SALMON VS FARMED SALMON

Which is better? Farmed salmon or wild salmon? You may have heard that wild is better. But why? Being a pescatarian, salmon is one of my favorite healthy fish choices. However, it is wise to be picky what type you choose. Read on to find out why...

Wild salmon contains a healthier ratio of anti-inflammatory omega 3 fatty acids to inflammatory omega 6 fatty acids and is higher in minerals including potassium, zinc and iron.  It's flesh is naturally pink due to a diet of shrimp like krill which contain the pigment astaxanthins- the same pigment that gives flamingos their pink feathers! It is also high in protein, healthy fats, and B vitamins. A diet that includes wild salmon has been shown to lower cholesterol and risk of heart disease.

Farmed salmon is raised in a controlled setting called "sea cages" or "net pens". They are fed a diet of dried pellets that are made of smaller fish, parts of chicken, poultry litter (yes, that's poop), and soy. Because of this high fat low nutrient diet they contain much more fat than wild salmon (not the healthy kind!) which contributes to it being 46% higher in calories and much less nutrients. It's flesh is naturally grey (yuck), and is either died pink or given artificial astaxanthins to make it look "natural". It is also higher in contaminants such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) which are strongly associated with cancer. Not to mention high amounts of antibiotics are fed to farmed salmon because of the high occurrence of bacterial contamination due to overcrowding of the pens.

Wild salmon for me please!!!