Wild-caught Pacific salmon.
Wild-caught Pacific salmon are typically considered to be the healthiest salmon.
The Alaska Department of Fish and Game says that there are five main types of Pacific salmon:
Coho Salmon
Coho are smaller and eat less than other salmon, resulting in their having fewer polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), PCBs are manmade chemicals that can cause health effects, such as cancer or immune system issues.
Wild-caught chinook salmon, sometimes called “king salmon,” has the highest omega-3 fat content of commercially available species, says Mary Mosquera-Cochran, a registered dietitian at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center. This fattiness lends the fish heart-healthy benefits and a moist, buttery taste.
Norway
Farm-raised salmon from Norway is able to have much more control to prevent disease and mortality. Seafood from Norway is all about sustainability. Since fishing had been part of their heritage for more than 2,000 years, taking care of the sea for the next generation is part of their culture.
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Farmed salmon is a smart, safe and sustainable seafood choice. Salmon is low in mercury. Both wild and farmed Atlantic salmon have much lower mercury levels than most other fish species. Farmed salmon has on average, 0.05 micrograms of mercury per gram.
Early studies reported high levels of PCBs and other contaminants in farmed salmon – higher than in some species of wild salmon, such as pink salmon. Follow-up studies haven’t confirmed this and the consensus among scientists and regulators is that farmed salmon and wild salmon are safe foods.
King/Chinook
King/Chinook
This salmon is deserving of its royal title. Many consider it to be the best salmon you can buy. High in fat, rich, and large in size, King salmon (also known as Chinook) is loaded with omega-3s.
It’s fine to eat farmed Atlantic salmon, though most people don’t consider this the best salmon to eat. Pacific salmon can be obtained wild-caught or farmed.
Atlantic vs. Pacific Salmon
In 2022, farmed salmon is nutritious, sustainable, and safe.
Absolutely! Ocean-farmed Norwegian Salmon is safe and is one of the best sources of omega-3 fatty acids available. In addition, new disease-fighting techniques, preventative measures and educated animal husbandry have improved overall fish health and decreased antibiotics use by 97% since 1990.
Wild Salmon
In Alaska, the sustainable management of salmon is protected by the Alaska State Constitution and serves as a model for continuous improvement of sustainable seafood production. Costco supplier Trident Seafoods maintains full ownership and control of the Alaskan salmon it provides to Costco.
Pacific salmon
Wild-caught Pacific salmon are typically considered to be the healthiest salmon.
Nutritional content
And although farmed salmon may have more omega-3 fatty acids, it also has more than double the saturated fat content — and that’s not fat you want, notes Zumpano. The bottom line: Wild salmon gets the edge for having fewer calories and less saturated fat.
The bags of frozen individual fillets you can find at Walmart (and other places) come in five species: Alaskan Sockeye Salmon, Keta Salmon and Cod, and Pacific Rockfish and Albacore tuna, all wild caught.
Whether it’s Chinook/King, Keta, Pink, Sockeye or Coho salmon, the Environmental Defense Fund says wild Alaskan salmon is the way to go if you’re looking for the best salmon for both your body and the planet. Among the best-managed fish stocks in the country, wild Alaskan salmon is low in contaminants like mercury.
Actually, there is no such thing as a wild caught mercury free fish! All fish caught in their natural environment (wild caught) contain some level of toxin, including mercury.
The five choices on this list—Atlantic mackerel, certain types of salmon (freshwater coho farmed, and wild-caught from Alaska) and Pacific sardines—are guaranteed to deliver 250 milligrams of heart- and brain-healthy omega-3s without worrisome levels of mercury.
Common varieties of wild salmon include coho, Chinook, and sockeye, all of which live in the Pacific Ocean. If you opt for Atlantic salmon instead, it’s almost always farm raised.
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Kirkland Signature Farmed Atlantic Salmon, 6 oz – 8 oz Center-Cut Portion, 3 lbs | Costco.