The question is… will there be much difference? And the simple answer is YES! What you find: higher levels of protein in wild salmon compared to farm raised; lower levels of PCB’s in wild salmon compared to farm raised; (farm raised had 11 times more PCB’s; Science 2004) lower levels of disease and pesticides in wild salmon compared to farm raised;
NO antibiotics in wild salmon, but farm raised are fed antibiotics to prevent the spread of disease.
There is also the question of ‘color’. You see natural wild-salmon get their orange/pink/red coloration because of the foods they eat (mostly wild krill). However, farm raised salmon are fed corn/soy/wheat, which creates a different coloration that turns their flesh to a pale gray! Before these fish go to market a ‘color pigment’ is added to their food in order to turn the flesh pink/red. With this color process you may view the ‘red’ color in the supermarket and believe it is wild salmon. This is not a safe assumption to make. You should always ask the person behind the counter if it is wild caught fish or farm raised.
Lastly, if you would like to include more salmon in your diet, to increase your intake of Omega 3 fatty acids, your choice of fish will make a difference. While Omega 3 fatty acid is considered one of the ‘good’ fats that can help your heart and blood, the amounts in wild vs farm raised fish will vary. Because of what they feed the farm raised fish, (corn, soy, wheat), the Omega 3’s are not produced at the same level and instead, you get much more of the Omega 6 fatty acids (found in corn oil, soybean oil, most processed foods). Therefore, your best choice will be wild caught salmon. Will the wild-caught salmon cost more? Yes, someone has to catch them for you. In the case of farm raised salmon, they are already in the nets!
Eat Well… Shop Wisely…..Stay Healthy!
