Salmon and Salmon Skin
It is no secret that salmon is a healthy food choice. The fish is high in good fats, that of Omega-3 which is beneficial to cardiovascular health. Omega-3 is found in the salmon’s fat and in its skin. So how come you tend to remove the skin off the fish before cooking it? Most people do when cooking salmon fillet, others do not like the taste of salmon skin. Others believe that the skin absorbs much of the toxins if the fish swim and feed on other marine life in contaminated waters. Notorious pollutants are PCBs and mercury that can lead to health complications.
However, many great recipes include salmon skins. Why so and is it safe to eat them? Know that Omega-3 is absorbed by the skin during cooking, so there is an additional health benefit. With skin on, the meat also retains its moisture as it cooks. Seared skin adds a crispy dimension to your salmon dish as well, if cooked right.
Salmon skin contains the highest concentration of omega-3 fatty acids which can reduce triglyceride levels and decrease your chances of heart disease. Cooking fillets with the skin on can also keep nutrients and oils inside the fish that might otherwise be lost in the preparation process. While the US FDA recommends two to three times a week eating salmon, it knows about contaminated fish. With the help of the Environmental Protection Agency, the FDA advises on how to consume fish safely.
Firstly, it’s important to know where the salmon you eat comes from. The most contaminated fish is farmed from the Atlantic Ocean, so it might be best to avoid eating its skin. But if your salmon is wild-caught from the Atlantic it is slightly less contaminated. The best salmon skin to cook and eat would come from a wild-caught Pacific salmon. For most other people, the benefits of eating salmon skin will probably outweigh the risks for if the salmon comes from uncontaminated waters.
Eating Safe Salmon Skin in Bellevue
Try Flo’s delicious smoked salmon skin salad when you’re in Bellevue. Our safe-sourced salmon skin salad is mixed greens, yamagobo (pickled burdock root), shaved bonito, and kaiware (winter radish) with Japanese vinaigrette. You will also love our salmon sashimi and sushi. Try healthy and delicious at Flo.