The question over whether the consumer should purchase farm-raised or wild salmon has been debated for at least a decade. The main disagreement is whether people should buy a tainted (farm-raised) product or consume the natural resource (wild). Health risk factors are also involved, such as farm-raised salmon's PCB content, but wild salmon is also not recommended for people with certain health issues. Still, some nutrition experts claim people should shun farm-raised salmon completely. Find out which choice is best for you.
Farm-Raised Salmon
Farm-raised salmon is a controversial way to receive your daily dose of protein because of its level of potentially toxic ingredients. However, it is arguably a better option for some than wild salmon due to specific health concerns, such as heart disease, and it can help combat chances of cardiac arrest. Farm-raised salmon is larger than wild salmon and has a higher fat content, but it also has higher levels of omega 3 and omega 6, which both provide numerous health benefits, such as balancing the body's fatty-acid levels.
Wild Salmon
Wild salmon, on the other hand, is the fresh, organic alternative to farm raised, although it many not include as many nutritious factors. It is a leaner and more environmentally sound choice, according to nutritionists. Wild salmon has much lower carcinogen levels than farm-raised salmon. Wild salmon is also free of antibiotics and added chemicals, and it has a firmer texture than farm-raised salmon.
Environmental activists also argue that wild salmon is a more friendly choice, as well as nutritious, as they are allowed to swim freely and are naturally stronger due to braving the strong ocean current, whereas farm-raised salmon are cooped up in tiny spaces and given chemically altered feed.
Although nutritionists and environmentalists boast about wild salmon's benefits, those at risk of heart disease are advised to stay away from it. "For a middle-aged guy who has had a coronary and doesn't want to have another one, the risks from pollutants are minor ones, and the omega-3 benefits him in a way that far outstrips the relatively minor risks of the pollutants," Cornell biology professor Steven Schwager states.
PCBs
PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls) are a mixture of more than 200 chlorinated compounds also known as congeners. PCBs are more commonly used to build electrical equipment, such as coolants for vehicles and lubricants for transformers. Studies have proven in the past few decades that this compound is harmful to the environment, so it is no longer used by manufacturers. Unfortunately, remnants of PCBs are still found in feed and are stored in the salmon's fat cells.
An EWG (Environmental Working Group) report in 2003 found that farm-raised salmon had the highest amount of PCBs in the U.S. food industry. The report concluded that farm-raised salmon contained 16 times the amount of PCBs found in wild salmon and even four times the amount found in beef.
Other Risks
Not only does farm-raised salmon contain PCBs, it also contains organo-chlorine pesticides and polybrominated diphenyl ethers. Organo-chlorine pesticides are made of carbon, hydrogen and chlorine. They were used to combat mosquitoes but have been deemed harmful since the 1970s when the insecticide DDT (dichloro diphenyl trichloroethane), the most popular organo-chlorine pesticide, was found to be killing wildlife. DDT has since been globally outlawed. Polybrominated diphenyl ethers are generally used to build products everywhere from furnishings to electronics to plastics. It is part of the same atomic family as PCBs.
Prestigious nutrition publications and organizations, such as "Science Journal" and EWG, recommend that the consumer only eat farm-raised salmon once a month, as they believe it poses cancer risks and other potential health concerns.
Bottom Line
As a study by the Cornell Institute suggests, unless you are at risk of heart disease, wild salmon is a better choice, as it contains less chemicals, is a leaner piece of fish and is more environmentally sound. Farm-raised salmon continues to be a good source of omega 3 and 6, but studies suggest you eat it sparingly.
Tags: farm-raised salmon, heart disease, wild salmon, amount PCBs, diphenyl ethers