Salmon - Good for your skin, joints, thyroid and brain!

Salmon has always been my favorite fish.  Growing up, my mom always made salmon and then made it when we came home from college.  It has been known to have a high omega-3 benefit, but there are other unique health benefits from salmon that may have been inadvertently overlooked. One fascinating new area of health benefits involves the protein and amino acid content of salmon. Several recent studies have found that salmon contains small bioactive protein molecules (called bioactive peptides) that may provide special support for joint cartilage, insulin effectiveness, and control of inflammation in the digestive tract. One particular bioactive peptide called calcitonin (sCT) has been of special interest in these studies. The reason is because a human form of calcitonin is made by the thyroid gland, and we know that it is a key hormone for helping regulate and stabilize the balance of collagen and minerals in the bone and surrounding tissue. This in turn could help people with thyroid disorders.  As researchers learn more and more about salmon peptides - - including sCT - - we expect to see more and more potential health benefits discovered related to inflammation, including inflammation of the joints.

Omega 3 has also had a benefit in prevention of Alzheimer's disease or to help with "brain help".  Omega-3 fatty acids reduce inflammation of the arteries and digestive system, reduce chances of cancer of colon, prostrate and kidneys etc., improve skin texture, add shining to eyes, skin, hair and nails and help in the growth of beneficial bacteria in the colon.  

Concerns about salmon
I don't want to be crazy about the food I eat, but I am concerned about the contents in farm raised salmon vs wild salmon.  Farmed salmon has less flavor, less protein, and more fat than wild salmon, and its high ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids may not be as favorable. It likely also contains residues of pesticides, antibiotics and other drugs used to control diseases that occur when fish are crowded together in the pens of fish farms. Some even have arachonic acid which can be carcinogenic. 

So here is a fantastic recipe for salmon that we ate tonight.  Plus it's full of omega 3's, ginger and garlic which are all good for your health!

Honey Ginger Baked Salmon

Mix together the following ingredients:
3 Tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons Organic honey
1/2 tablespoon grated ginger
3 garlic cloves finely minced
juice of 1 lemon
cayenne pepper - just enough to make your nose burn

Sprinkle 4 salmon fillets with sea salt and pepper.  Place fillets in baking dish and drizzle with honey/ginger mixture.  Bake at 350 degrees for about 15 minutes.