A Sustainable Superfood
As summertime rolls around and the sockeye return home, Bristol Bay comes alive. Birds soar overhead, scoping out the ideal place to dive in for a taste of the abundant food source. Bears roam the beach, snagging a fish or two with their enormous paws as they swim along the shallow shore. Fishermen toss their nets into the water, hoping to intercept a portion of the mighty swimmers as they head upstream to spawn. Despite these various obstacles and many others, millions of sockeye arrive safely to their spawning grounds, completing their lifecycle and affirming the term “super” in their often used title: “Superfood.”
Sockeye are considered a superfood for several reasons. Perhaps the most impressive is their high concentration of omega-3 fatty acids (omega-3’s), specifically, two long chain fatty acids: EPA and DHA. You may ask yourself, “Ok great, why does this matter to me though?” We get it, we asked ourselves the same question a few years ago. After a bit of research however, we can confidently say that omega-3’s are important to us, and likely will be to you after reading this post, too.
Omega-3 fatty acids have shown to reduce inflammation, improve HDL concentrations (good cholesterol), lower blood pressure, decrease stroke risk, regulate heartbeat, increase eye health, aid in depression, reduce blood clotting, and improve overall cognitive function - to name a few benefits. Your body does not produce omega-3 fatty acids, so you must consume them to meet your daily needs. Many people take a daily supplement to fulfill their requirement; however, arguably the best way to do so is by consuming wild salmon. Wild sockeye salmon contains a whopping 4,123 mg of omega-3’s per serving, the highest concentration out of any fish and the third highest out of any food.
In addition to their high concentration of omega-3’s, sockeyes are abundant in lean protein and many vital nutrients including: B vitamins, potassium, and selenium. As the saying goes “an apple a day keeps the doctor away” - perhaps two servings of salmon per week will do the same!