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Why Add Wild Alaska Salmon to your Diet?

by Kat » on May 21, 2015 0

This blog post is courtesy of Maddie O’Laire, owner of Smart Source Seafood — Wild Alaska Salmon Direct from the Fisherman to Your Freezer! Salmon can play an important role in maintaining total body wellness and can help with energy levels and post-workout recovery.


 

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We’ve been running quite a bit more than we usually do in Alaska. With just 19 inches of snowfall in Anchorage this year, my studded running shoes logged many more miles than my cross country skis. Though snow was limited, there was no lack of ice. Usually, I use the winter months to let my joints recover from the summer running season, but this season, there wasn’t a break and mid-day runs during the limited daylight were a must to maintain my sanity. It was more important than ever to make sure my body was getting what it needed to recover from long, winter runs, often in icy conditions. Thankfully, it’s not too difficult here- our freezers (yes, freezerS- we have four of them) are full of wild fish, game, and berries, so fortunately I’m set. Because we own a direct market seafood company called Smart Source Seafood, we have literal tons of Wild Alaska Sockeye Salmon around, which has become my go meal before and after runs. Here’s why:

Not only is Wild Alaska Salmon a wonderful source of high-quality protein to help with muscle recovery, building, and preserving, but it’s also rich in super healthy Omega-3 fatty acids, which have been shown to help build muscle, burn fat, and help you react quicker. The Omega-3s in Wild Alaska Salmon contain EPA and DHA, while plant-based Omega- 3s only have ALA, which is much less potent. DHA in particular decreases inflammation. Wild Alaska Salmon is also is high in Vitamin D, which helps build strong bones. It’s also high in phosphorus and potassium, both which supply essential electrolytes. All that AND it tastes really, really delicious!

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So why should you choose Wild Alaska Salmon over farm-raised salmon?
Farmed fish are mass produced in an unnatural habitat. Most of the industry uses open net cages in the ocean. These floating feed lots hold millions of fish in a very small area- usually the size of 2-4 football fields. These fish create a significant amount of waste and disease in the waters surrounding their pens, threatening the surrounding ecosystem. When you choose to eat farmed fish, you may be eating fish containing antibiotics, pesticides, chemicals used in production, dyes, and growth hormones. When you buy salmon at the supermarket or eat it at a restaurant, you’re most likely purchasing farm-raised fish, unless otherwise specified. The practice of farming fish is not sustainable and it has a negative impact on the ecosystem and the independent fisherman, as they are mass produced and able to undercut wild caught fish in the marketplace.

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Taking it a step further, knowing the source of your Wild Alaska Salmon is essential to getting great tasting fish. While we’re happy to see Wild Alaska Salmon available in supermarkets, there have been reports of supermarkets scamming consumers into believing they’re purchasing wild caught salmon, when they’re really selling farmed fish. Check out this article from the New York Times that explains more. Also, consider this- China is a major importer of Wild Alaska Salmon. A lot of the salmon on the U.S. market is flash frozen whole in Bristol Bay right after it’s caught, then shipped to China where it’s thawed, processed into fillets, then refrozen and sold in supermarkets as frozen fish, or even previously frozen “fresh” fish. These repeated heating and cooling cycles greatly compromise the quality and texture of the fish. Plus, it’s giving frozen Wild Alaska Sockeye Salmon a bad rap.

When you buy straight from the source, not only do you know the face of your fisherman (see below!), but you can also be assured that your fish is getting special treatment. As a result, it tastes significantly better. Wild Alaska Salmon available from fisherman year round is “fresh frozen.” It’s handpicked, then cooled immediately. Then, it’s brought to shore where it’s processed, filleted, vacuum packed and blast frozen at -40 degrees to lock in the fresh taste just hours after it’s caught. This process locks in the “just caught” taste for you to enjoy year-round. Everyone we know that’s tried fresh-frozen salmon direct from the fisherman, says they’ll never buy supermarket salmon again. There’s just nothing quite like it!

Add salmon to your diet for excellent results in your training regimen. Wild Alaska Salmon, steamed veggies, and potatoes have become my go to dinner the morning before a big race, and I challenge you to see what a difference it makes in your training and recovery. We offer bulk “Fill Your Freezer” boxes of our Wild Alaska Sockeye Salmon, along with Monthly Salmon Shares- 3, 5, or 10 lbs. of salmon shipped to your front door every month for a year. We take preseason orders through June 1st and fill them at the end of our season in July, just days after the salmon is plucked from our nets. Ordering early gets you the freshest, most delicious salmon of the year. Even if you choose not to purchase salmon directly from us, please always choose Wild Alaska Salmon over farm-raised salmon.

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For more information visit www.smartsourceseafood.com or Find us on Facebook at Smart Source Seafood.

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