Go WILD with your fish!

So, Wild or Farmed you ask...I mean whats all the hype?

I've shared the importance of ensuring that your fish is WILD (low mercury and wild caught), but lets look at why.



Farmed vs. Wild Salmon

There is somewhat of a controversy about eating wild vs. farmed salmon. The issues fall into three main categories:

Contamination: Most of the salmon available for human consumption today is farmed, but several independent studies have found concentrations of PCBs and other contaminants at levels of up to 10 times higher in farmed salmon. In Europe, there have even been situations where farmed fished tested at high levels of heavy metals such as lead and cadmium. These contaminants seem to be getting to the fish through the feed, which become concentrated in the oil of the salmon.


Farmed salmon in the U.S. are regulated through the USDA and FDA, which allows much higher levels of these contaminants than are allowed than with wild salmon, which is regulated by the EPA. A common argument about this is that the EPA has reviewed the scientific literature and made new recommendations much more recently than the FDA. FDA regulations have not been updated since 1984, when people in the U.S. were eating much less salmon and other fish. More information about contaminants in farmed salmon.

Omega-3’s: Farmed fish is fattier -- much as farm animals are “fattened up," the same is true of salmon. This means that there are higher levels of omega-3 fats. But there are caveats regarding this:
1.Because of the contaminants, it is often recommended that farmed salmon be cooked in ways that reduce the fat content.
2.New feeds are being developed with less fish meal in them and more plant foods. In general, the more plant-based ingredients, the lower the level of omega-3 fats in the salmon. (Note that in the ocean, salmon are carnivores: they eat no plants at all.)
3.Even today, the percentage of omega-3 fats is lower in farmed salmon, apparently because of the soybean, wheat, etc., in the meal fed to them.
Environmental Issues: Farmed fish produce a bunch of environmental problems. Read about them at the Seafood Watch site. But there’s good news: Both wild and farmed salmon have low levels of mercury. Also, salmon is not being over-fished – especially salmon from Alaska is in good shape. More about this from Seafood Watch. Additional Note: Most canned salmon is wild.


Here is a wildly delicious recipe that I found on wellsphere. It is simple and perfect for summer dining



4 fillets fresh or frozen (defrosted) wild caught Alaskan salmon with skin
lemon juice
squeeze lime juice
sea salt and pepper
4 T. organic virgin coconut oil (or olive oil) for frying

Seasonings:
Fresh dill and lemon

Coconut Lime Sauce:
1 can organic coconut milk
1/3 c. lime juice
peel of fresh lime, grated for zest
handful organic no-sulfur shredded coconut (extra for garnish)
slices of fresh lime, garnish

Prepare your coconut sauce by combining and stirring all the lime sauce ingredients in a large bowl. Once mixed, poor roughly two-thirds of the glaze and salmon in a leak proof bag or a glass container (if you avoid plastics, like I do)and let marinate for at least 30 minutes for the flavors to meld.

Coat your grill with olive oil (spray or otherwise). Grill the salmon for 2-3 minutes per side - we like our salmon rare-medium, depending on freshness. Once the salmon is done to your liking, remove it from the grill and drizzle over the remaining coconut lime sauce. Sprinkle the coconut flakes on top and serve hot with a wedge of fresh lime.