Health Benefits of Smoked Salmon

smoked fish, including smoked salmon, could contribute to colon and stomach cancers. The good news is that the nitrates and nitrites which it contains after the smoking process are at such low levels that you would have to eat more than you could manage at one sitting for them to cause you any significant harm. It is good for you, although it is best for women past childbearing age and for men. Children and pregnant women are advised to only eat two portions (140 gram portions) of it a week.

Fresh salmon contains more Omega-3 fatty acids than smoked salmon, but as people in the West tend not to have enough of these in their diets, smoked salmon and other oily fish are very good sources. These Omega-3 fatty acids help keep the skin from aging and are beneficial for the heart and brain.

Smoked salmon also contains some of the B-complex vitamins, notably vitamins B1, B6 and B12, making it good for the nerves and bones. It also contains the "sunshine vitamin," vitamin D, so is a useful way of getting this vitamin in the long cold winters of the Northern Hemisphere. It contains selenium too, a mineral which is useful for women going through the menopause, and post-menopausal women. It is also a source of phosphorus, copper, potassium, iron and calcium as well as smaller amounts of other minerals.

The smoking process, if it is hot smoked, means that the parasites which are present in fresh salmon are killed. However, fresh wild salmon is a healthier option. The problem with smoking any fish is that it contains higher amounts of sodium than fresh fish. Therefore it is not recommended that people with heart disease or high blood pressure eat this fish. One portion of smoked salmon contains just a little less sodium than the recommended daily dose for those with heart problems and hypertension. If salt is not a problem in your diet, then go ahead and eat smoked salmon (if you like it) in moderation.

Smoked salmon is very low in calories and perfect for a diet, as it provides you with protein as well as vitamins and minerals. In fact you can add smoked salmon to sauces and serve it with pasta, or simply put it on some brown bread spread with cream cheese and top it with a teaspoonful of black caviar. You can substitute the cream cheese with natural cottage cheese if you are on a calorie controlled diet.

Smoked salmon is healthy and of course very tasty, so as long as you are not pregnant or a child, you can eat it twice a week in moderation. Enjoy it! Personally I can't get enough of it!