Many of us are obsessed with canned salmon. Not only is it a flexible pantry staple, but as more of us seek methods to minimize our red meat consumption, salmon, or any fish, is a popular high protein and low carb option. When we combine this with what we know about the health advantages of eating salmon, it becomes evident why we are so passionate about it.
This article will look at some of the greatest canned salmon available, exploring what makes them stand out from the crowd, bringing advantages to the table while also improving our health and wellness.
Best Selection
Crown Prince Natural Pink Salmon is a conventional, but reduced sodium canned salmon that is non-GMO and certified sustainable.
Budget Selection
Our budget selection is the Wild Planet Wild Pink Salmon, which provides a sustainable product at a low price.
Contents
- Quick Comparison: Top 8 Best Canned Salmons
- Considerations Before Purchasing the Finest Canned Salmon
- Health Advantages
- Conclusion
Quick Comparison: Top 8 Best Canned Salmons
| Product Name | Grade |
|---|---|
| Crown Prince Natural Pink Salmon | A+ |
| Wild Planet Wild Pink Salmon | A |
| Bear and Wolf Pink Salmon | B |
| Safe Catch Wild Pink Salmon | A |
| Redhead Wild Sockeye Salmon From Alaska | A |
| Chicken of the Sea Traditional Pink Salmon | B+ |
| Henry & Lisa’s Natural Seafood Wild Alaskan Pink Salmon | A |
| Rubinsteins Red Salmon | B+ |
1. Crown Prince Natural Pink Salmon
Highlighted Characteristics
This low salt pink salmon is Non-GMO Project Verified and originates from an Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute-certified sustainable wild fishery (ASMI). This Natural Pink Salmon has also received Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certification, which ensures that as a customer, you are purchasing from a responsible business that is following MSC sustainability standards.
Crown Prince has been canning seafood since 1948, and since this natural pink salmon has skin and bone, you not only receive more calcium from the bones, but also extra Omega-3s found in or near the fish’s skin. It comes in two different sizes and is kosher as well as reduced sodium.
Pros
Cons
2. Wild Planet Wild Pink Salmon
Highlighted Characteristics
This Wild Planet Wild Pink Salmon is responsibly harvested in Alaskan seas by local families. This Non-GMO Project Verified boneless and skinless fish is canned fresh rather than frozen beforehand, and each serving provides around 524mg Omega-3s. It is OU Kosher Pareve certified.
Since Pacific salmon is one of the world’s most intensively managed species, the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch Program advises that salmon caught in the Pacific Northwest be considered the best option for sustainability.
Since the salmon are wild-caught, their shorter lifetime means they haven’t acquired as much mercury as salmon from other sources, which may help you lower your mercury exposure. The average mercury level in Wild World salmon is 0.013ppm, whereas canned salmon has an average of 0.014ppm according to FDA testing.
Pros
Cons
3. Bear and Wolf Pink Salmon
Highlighted Characteristics
The Bear & Wolf Pink Salmon, like other canned salmon, is carb-free, high in protein, and high in Omega-3s, making it a great complement to your diet. While the smaller 6-ounce cans with BPA-free linings are available, Bear & Wolf Pink Salmon comes in a multipack of six, making it simpler to keep your pantry supplied.
Pros
Cons
4. Safe Catch Wild Pink Salmon
Highlighted Characteristics
Safe Catch Wild Pink Salmon contains quality wild salmon and is a reduced mercury alternative if you are pregnant, planning to become pregnant, or already have children. Each salmon is tested to a mercury level below FDA action guidelines as it is caught, and this testing is what has earned it the official fish of the American Pregnancy Association.
The salmon is fished wild in an MSC-certified fishery using sustainable practices. To promote sustainability, Safe Catch collaborates with the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch Program and the Vancouver Aquarium Ocean Wise Seafood Program.
In addition to being hand packaged to guarantee freshness, the skinless and boneless Safe Catch salmon is also OU Kosher certified.
Pros
Cons
5. Redhead Wild Sockeye Salmon From Alaska
Highlighted Characteristics
This is Sockeye or red salmon that has been responsibly harvested and is normally canned on the same day that it is caught, preserving its fresh taste. Canned red salmon is an excellent source of vitamin D, ranking in the top ten foods in the USDA National Nutritional Database. Kosher Redhead Wild Sockeye Salmon is also available.
Red salmon may be more expensive than pink salmon, owing to its deeper taste and greater fat content. One of the key distinctions between red and pink salmon is that red salmon remain in fresh water for a year after hatching, while pink salmon migrate directly to the sea.
Red salmon also feed krill rather than shrimp, therefore their meat is more red than pink salmon; this color difference is seen when you open a can of red salmon.
Pros
Cons
6. Chicken of the Sea Traditional Pink Salmon
Highlighted Characteristics
Chicken of the Sea Traditional Pink Salmon is a U Pareve Kosher meal that is wild fished in the North Atlantic and MSC certified. A classic salmon, it retains skin and bones, which, although not everyone like, do imply that it contains more Omega-3s and calcium than skinless and boneless salmon.
Chicken of the Sea comes in 14.75-ounce cans and is a WIC (Women, Infants, and Children) certified food, but check your particular state standards for more information.
Pros
Cons
7. Henry & Lisa’s Natural Seafood Wild Alaskan Pink Salmon
Highlighted Characteristics
There is no skin or bone. Natural Seafood at Henry & Lisa’s Local fishing families catch wild Alaskan Pink Fish from a sustainable wild Alaskan salmon fishery. As part of EcoFish, the firm strives to supply its clients with the most sustainable fish possible through supporting sustainable fisheries and other efforts.
Packed in BPA-free coated cans on the same day it was fished to retain freshness, Henry & Lisas canned salmon is also independently tested for pollutants, giving you peace of mind that contaminant levels are within statutory limits. This fish is also certified kosher.
Pros
Cons
8. Rubinsteins Red Salmon
Highlighted Characteristics
Rubinsteins Red Salmon delivers a luscious Sockeye canned salmon from Alaskan seas. Sockeye salmon has the greatest amount of vitamin D among canned salmons, as well as greater vitamin A. Since it still includes some skin and bone after canning, this red salmon is an excellent source of calcium and Omega-3 fatty acids.
If you’re trying to eat less fat, keep in mind that red salmon has more fat than pink salmon, yet the more intense taste of red salmon may make the slightly higher fat level more appealing.
Pros
Cons
Considerations Before Purchasing the Finest Canned Salmon
Variations in Nutrients Between Canned and Fresh Salmon
Since protein levels in fresh and canned salmon are similar, canned salmon is an inexpensive approach to enhance dietary protein.
Canning salmon may have a decreased calorific content (probably due to additional water content). While there may be minor changes in fat, saturated fats, and cholesterol levels between canned and fresh salmon, it is worth checking before purchasing if you have special dietary needs.
The sodium levels in canned and fresh salmon vary significantly, with canned salmon having much more salt. Sodium levels are about the same whether you buy skinless and boneless or regular canned salmon. If you follow a low sodium diet, you should consider buying low sodium canned salmon.
A serving of canned pink salmon has about the same amount of Omega-3 fatty acids as a serving of fresh farmed or wild Atlantic salmon. Vitamin B12 and vitamin D levels are frequently greater in canned salmon, and calcium levels may be up to 10 times higher than fresh salmon if you pick classic canned salmon rather than skinless and boneless.
While the selenium content in canned salmon is reduced, it is still a decent source of this trace element, which is essential for various hormone and reproductive activities in our bodies.
The Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute (ASMI) offers a wealth of nutritional information on salmon, including a helpful nutritional values chart that enables you to quickly compare essential elements in fresh and canned salmon.
About Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Omega-3s are a kind of polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) present in a variety of meals. Omega-3 fatty acids are required by our bodies because they play a crucial function in the formation of cell membranes or outer walls.
Alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and docosahexaenoic acid are the two types of Omega-3 (DHA).
Since we require ALA to generate EPA and DHA, we must acquire it from our diet, which often includes flaxseeds, almonds, and green vegetables.
Since it takes a long time for the body to produce EPA and DHA, it is much simpler to get EPA and DHA Omega-3s from the fatty sections of cold-water fish such as salmon.
Health Advantages
There is a lot of information available on the health advantages of eating fish like salmon, and the section below looks at some of the most important health benefits documented to far.
Cardiovascular health
The American Heart Association recommends at least two 3.5-ounce portions of fish each week, with a preference for fatty Omega-3-rich seafood like salmon.
Omega-3 fatty acids have been found in studies to help lower blood pressure somewhat, reduce the risk of irregular heartbeats, inhibit the building of atherosclerotic (fatty) plaques in the arteries, and lower triglyceride fat levels.
Overall, this may help to lower your chances of having a heart attack or even a stroke.
The condition of the brain
Omega-3s may help relieve symptoms in certain children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) or other neurodevelopmental problems, and since Omega-3s are essential in brain cell membranes, a rich Omega-3 diet may help reduce the chance of developing Dementia or Alzheimer’s disease.
Health of the eyes
Age-Related Macular Degeneration, or AMD, is a major cause of adult vision loss, and Omega-3s may help reduce inflammation in the retina, lowering the chance of developing AMD as we age. There has also been speculation that Omega-3 fatty acids may not only lessen the likelihood of getting dry eye disease, but may also alleviate some of the unpleasant symptoms associated with the illness.
Cancer and other studies
According to certain study, Omega-3 ingestion may reduce the risk of some malignancies such as colorectal and breast cancer. Additional studies are being conducted to see whether Omega-3 fatty acids might help lessen some of the inflammation associated with rheumatoid arthritis.
Salmon, both wild and farmed
Since the diets of wild and farmed salmon differ, nutritional values differ between the two. Farmed salmon may be richer in fat, carbohydrates, and Omega-6s, but lower in Omega-3s, which we need in a balanced diet.
Farmed salmon may also have greater amounts of toxins including polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and dioxins, but most canned salmon is obtained from the wild, which means lower levels of PCBs.
Salmon Colors and Varieties
All salmon hatch in freshwater streams and rivers, migrate to the ocean, and spend the most of their adult lives there before returning to breed and die in freshwater.
Pink, Sockeye, Chinook (King), and Chum (Keta, Chub) salmon are captured in wild Pacific fisheries, but Atlantic salmon are often farm produced. This is due to the fact that commercial fishing is now restricted due to poor wild Atlantic salmon numbers. Pink salmon, often known as humpback or humpie salmon, accounts for the majority of American salmon harvesting by weight.
Because of their food, salmon have varying hues. Sockeye or red salmon feed on krill, giving them a more reddish tinged meat, whilst other salmon species, including pink, consume variable quantities of shrimp, giving them a lighter hue. White King salmon are sometimes available.
Canning also decreases flesh color, thus canned salmon may seem lighter than fresh salmon fillets. Farmers often supplement feed with a natural food colorant to give farmed salmon a pinker color since their diet does not include as much shrimp or krill.
Red salmon Sockeye is larger than pink salmon, in addition to being a different color and having a stronger taste. Because of its iridescent blue hue, sockeye salmon is also known as blueback salmon.
Mercury and Other Pollutants
Virtually all fish and shellfish contain mercury, although salmon has lower mercury levels than other tinned fish like tuna. Mercury occurs naturally in our surroundings and accumulates in water as methylmercury. Since fish live and eat in water, they absorb methylmercury, therefore bigger species like swordfish and king mackerel have considerably higher amounts of mercury because they have lived longer.
Mercury is especially dangerous to unborn children and young children.
Eating Fish When Pregnant or With Small Children
This kind of seafood has less mercury. Since fish may contain high amounts of mercury, the US FDA recommends that if you are pregnant or planning to have a child, you limit your consumption of Best Choices fish and shellfish to two to three meals per week. Salmon with other types of fish
If you have small children, you may feed them 1-2 servings each week starting at the age of two.
According to certain research, maintaining Omega-3s consumption from fish or seafood during pregnancy may be connected with improved baby health outcomes.
Salmon fishing that is sustainable
Several local groups and non-profits encourage sustainable fishing not just in the Atlantic but across the world. The Marine Stewardship Council, or MSC, is one of the most important organizations. It is a non-profit organization that focuses on identifying and awarding sustainable fishing to assist enhance the health of the world’s seas.
When you purchase canned salmon with the MSC blue badge, you are purchasing a product that supports sustainable fishing, which means that fish populations are being managed appropriately in healthy ecosystems while supporting the lives of individuals in the business.
Another non-profit concentrating on non-GMO food supply is the Non-GMO Project. It serves as a third-party validator for non-GMO food in North America, enabling food providers to show how they provide transparency to customers.
Conclusion
In conclusion, canned salmon, whether red or pink, reduced salt, kosher, or lower mercury, is a varied meal, and if we pick canned salmon that is not only good for us but is also responsibly harvested, we may help delay the collapse of the world’s ocean ecosystems caused by severe overfishing.
Salmon has several recognized advantages for the health of our heart, eyes, brain, and other organs, in addition to taste delicious in meals or straight from the can. The majority of these benefits are attributed to salmon’s high levels of Omega-3s, which are not destroyed during the canning process, and as a low carb, high protein food, there is no doubt that seeking out the best canned salmon is just another way that we can help ourselves in our quest for a healthier diet.