A lot of questions I get pertain to organic vs non organic, or grass-fed over not. I always try to explain it it terms of good, better best. Take an apple for example. Apple juice is good (or actually I should just label it OK, since juices usually contain a lot of calories that you drink quickly, and spike your blood sugar so you get a rush of energy then a crash…), an apple is better (lots better… you’re getting the fiber that the juice is lacking which will slow down your sugar spike) and an organic apple is best (apple’s are one of the “dirty dozen” that you should buy organic if you can… see the Dirty Dozen)
However, the post takes on another similar topic… farm raised salmon vs wild. We’ve all heard (at least I think we’ve all heard) that wild salmon is better for us than farm raised. Wild salmon has a 20% higher protein content and a 20% lower fat content (WOW, right?). Also, farm raised salmon are given lots of antibiotics (YUCK) and are exposed to more pesticides than wild. But here’s the part that sent me over the edge…
Farm raised salmon lack the natural ‘salmony’ color of wild salmon. They are white. Here’s the kicker… since salmon farmers believe consumers buy with their eyes (meaning that we look for the pinkest, “healthiest” looking filet), they use a DYE to give their ghostly fish a natural salmon color. Farmers literally look at swatches (think paint samples) and pick out which color they’d like their fish to be. That’s another manufactured chemical (called canthaxanthin to be exact…in addition to the pesticides and antibiotics) that you are ingesting.
Next time you are buying salmon, look for the words “color added” on the farm raised salmon; it will be labeled. Then, do yourself (and your family) a favor and ask for the WILD salmon.
PS- I’m not made of money and I know that wild salmon is pricier (sometimes significantly) than wild caught. Look for specials, or look in the frozen section. I’ve found great deals before on flash frozen wild salmon. It keeps for a long time, and just defrost when you want it! (Secret… the stuff in the glass cases… most of it used to be frozen anyways… the store just defrosts it for you).
So now I have a question for you… does this change your opinion at all on whether or not you’ll buy wild or farm raised fish? Why or why not?
Sherry says
Very informative article. For those of us who do not have access to a variety of organic products (usually can get celery, but not apples, strawberries, bell peppers), is it better to eat non organic or skip all together? Only wild fish for me now!
Brittany says
Good Question, Sherry 🙂 It is DEFINITELY better to eat non-organic than to avoid all together. Some experts even question whether organic is healthier at all… I just personally believe the less chemicals I can put in my body, the better! Thanks for your question
Jane Preston says
Brittany,
Loved the article. I had heard about the food coloring and antibiotics..it’s scarey what most food companies try to pull over on us. Thanks for the great information!