Farmed salmon provides more than complete protein. It is a nutrient-dense food that also contributes essential nutrients like omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin D which are part of a healthy, balanced diet. GSI members help ensure farm-raised salmon is one of the most eco-efficient animal-based proteins available, while maintaining salmon’s nutritional integrity and reducing pressure on the ocean’s resources.
Today’s global food systems face unprecedented challenges, and at the same time, offer many opportunities to drive widescale health, social and environmental progress. As the world’s population is projected to grow by billions in the coming decades, so too will the pressures on our planet’s resources. The status quo is no longer an option.
The link between environmental challenges, climate change, malnutrition, diseases and economic inequality is becoming clearer. Society is looking to the convergence of nutrition and sustainability for solutions. Change at speed and scale is essential to ensure global food systems can provide healthy, sustainable foods.
Sustainable aquaculture, including responsibly farmed salmon, can help support global dietary recommendations while contributing to a more resilient food system.1
Nutrient profile
Farmed salmon is a complete source of protein, provides healthy fats in the form of omega-3 and several essential vitamins and minerals. The average 3.5 oz. (100 g) portion of farmed salmon contains 41% of the recommended daily intake of protein and at least 20% of the recommended daily intake of vitamins B3, B5, B6, B12, vitamin D, vitamin E, and selenium.2
On average a 3.5 oz. (100 g) portion of farmed salmon also contains ~2 g of the omega-3 fatty acids eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). Unlike alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), which is found in plant oils like flaxseed, EPA and DHA are unique to seafood; the best dietary sources are found in oily fish, like farmed salmon.
Understanding Salmon's Role in Nutrition
Scientists continue to examine how fish, seafood and omega-3 fatty acids fit into healthy eating patterns across the lifespan. Heart health is one of the most established areas of evidence, with recognized health authorities acknowledging that the omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA can support heart health as part of a balanced diet.3,4,5
Other areas of ongoing research include:
- The role of seafood intake during pregnancy and early-life development6
- Possible contributions of omega-3 fatty acids to cognitive health and healthy aging7
- Potential relationships between omega-3 fatty acid intake, mood and depression8
- How omega-3 fatty acids interact with inflammatory processes in the body9
Frequently asked…
Are farmed salmon dyed pink?
Both wild and farmed salmon get their coloring from what they eat - specifically from an antioxidant called astaxanthin. Astaxanthin is even sold as a health supplement for humans. In the wild, salmon get astaxanthin from the krill and crustaceans they eat. On the farms, astaxanthin is added to to the feed to replicate the wild salmon's diet. In either case, it's an essential component to maintain the salmon's health.
Salmon in dietary guidelines
Global food-based dietary guidelines are evidence-based recommendations developed by government agencies that provide advice on maintaining a healthy diet and lifestyle. Around the world, these guidelines recommend regular consumption of fish, and particularly oily fish like salmon, due to its nutrient-rich profile, including protein, high levels of EPA and DHA, and other micronutrients.
Some guidelines – including those published by the Nordic Council of Ministers, Australia, Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Qatar and Sweden – are starting to recognize the importance of responsibly-sourced seafood in helping to meet nutritional needs. However, more awareness is needed around sustainable seafood certifications, and the contributions seafood makes to a safe, sustainable and healthy diet. One way to do this is for guidelines to consistently recommend third-party sustainability labels, such as Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) certification. ASC is among the most rigorous of farmed seafood labels based on environmental and social measures.
Spotlight on the Nordic Region
The Nordic Council of Ministers published its latest healthy eating advice in June 2023, via the Nordic Nutrition Recommendations (NNR). The NNR serve as the scientific foundation for nutrient intake recommendations and the development of food-based dietary guidelines in the Nordic and Baltic regions. The guidelines recognize that seafood is an important source of nutrition and the current average intake of fish and seafood in the region ranges from 5.3-17.6 ounces per week. This is below the NNR recommended 10-16 ounces (2.5 to 4 servings) of fish per week, of which at least 7 ounces should be fatty fish, including salmon.
The report concludes that the benefits of fish consumption on heart health, cognitive decline and metabolic syndrome have been mainly associated with omega-3 fatty acid content, but that fish proteins may also be important. The report recommends eating fish and seafood from environmentally sustainable sources and notes that aquaculture, already the main global seafood supplier, is expected to expand to satisfy increasing demand. It notes that consumers should prioritize fish and seafood purchases from sustainably managed farms and wild stocks.
Sustainable nutrition
Nutrition and sustainability are increasingly considered together in discussions about the future of food systems. This creates an opportunity to look beyond individual nutrients or production metrics and consider how foods can contribute to both dietary needs and broader environmental goals.
Research from the Blue Food Futures (formerly Blue Food Assessment) suggests that incorporating more blue foods into food-system policies and programs could support nutrition outcomes while helping reduce the environmental footprint of food production. Global organizations, including the UN Food and Agriculture Organization and the High Level Panel for a Sustainable Ocean Economy, have also highlighted the role responsibly managed aquatic foods can play in future food systems.
Through ongoing improvements in areas such as feed efficiency, resource use and fish health, GSI members are working to strengthen the environmental performance of farm-raised salmon while maintaining its nutritional value.
