Fat in Salmon

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Hey, ive been eating this salmon and it is a 7 ounce frozen piece and contains 20g of fat. 7g of that fat is saturated but on the label it does not say what the other 13g are because for polyunsaturated, monounsaturated, and trans fats it says has 0g. What type of fat is the other 13g, is it healthy?

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  • ninehours
    ninehours Posts: 41 Member
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  • ipag
    ipag Posts: 137
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    From my understanding, which I maybe completely wrong and someone correct me if I am, the remainder fat is just unsaturated fat that is divided up between omega 3's (good) and omega 6's (bad). Salmon is full of omega 3's (good) and it is very, very good for you, provided you don't bread it and deep fry it. Wild caught salmon is traditionally though of as better for you than farmed, but either way you buy it, it's better than a big mac or a whopper.
  • CoderGal
    CoderGal Posts: 6,800 Member
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    'good' depends on the rest of your diet really. If you don't get that fat, then yes, it's good. If you do, then probably not so much.
  • PJYoung2012
    PJYoung2012 Posts: 191
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    Wild caught salmon is traditionally though of as better for you than farmed, but either way you buy it, it's better than a big mac or a whopper.

    This is absolutely correct. I work in aquaculture and have a little experience in Salmon production ( I work in rainbow trout farming as opposed to salmon). The feed given to the farmed salmon consists mostly of fish meal, fish oil and food colouring. If given the choice wild caught salmon is far better for you. The pink colouration of the wild fish comes from a diet consisting of a high percentage of fresh water shrimps. The farmed salmon are kept in cages which encourages the fishes instinct to shoal. This basic lack of any great movement and a high fat diet to speed up production is what's responsible for the high fat levels. Any salmon is healthy but I'd always pay that little extra and get wild caught. And be careful of salmon that's claimed to be organic. The requirement for organic status is a massive grey area and can be as little as a slightly reduced stocking density.
  • Batmanlovesrobin
    Batmanlovesrobin Posts: 8 Member
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    That's fascinating information about salmon - thanks PJ.
  • TheVimFuego
    TheVimFuego Posts: 2,412 Member
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    The day anyone passes up eating Salmon, wherever it comes from, due to fat content will be a sad one.

    There is nothing wrong with dietary fat as long as you avoid the man-made trans fats.

    Nothing.

    It won't make you fat (on it's own, stick a slab of fat in a big bun and that is a different story) and it won't 'clog your arteries'.

    Fat phobia is part of the problem, nature is not out to kill us.
  • PJYoung2012
    PJYoung2012 Posts: 191
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    The day anyone passes up eating Salmon, wherever it comes from, due to fat content will be a sad one.

    There is nothing wrong with dietary fat as long as you avoid the man-made trans fats.

    Nothing.

    It won't make you fat (on it's own, stick a slab of fat in a big bun and that is a different story) and it won't 'clog your arteries'.

    Fat phobia is part of the problem, nature is not out to kill us.

    Agreed, butter is a prime example of this. In a well controlled diet butter is actually better for you than the processed margarine products that although lower in calories consist of fats that our bodies are ill equipped to convert to energy. It's produced from natural products and contains almost no additives. I have a small amount of butter every day with breakfast and i maintain my weight with no problem at all.

    Everything in moderation and all that.
  • EnterFitness
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    'good' depends on the rest of your diet really. If you don't get that fat, then yes, it's good. If you do, then probably not so much.

    True that. While salmon is a healthy fat, our healthy fat intake shouldn't exceed 40-51 grams each day.

    So yes, but remember, even to much good fat, is a bad thing.
  • PJYoung2012
    PJYoung2012 Posts: 191
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    That's fascinating information about salmon - thanks PJ.

    No problemo :-). Nice to use the knowledge I've built up over 2 decades of working in the industry for good for once ;-).
  • EnterFitness
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    No problemo :-). Nice to use the knowledge I've built up over 2 decades of working in the industry for good for once ;-).

    "Like"!
  • yarwell
    yarwell Posts: 10,477 Member
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    http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/finfish-and-shellfish-products/4102/2 says

    12.6g total fat
    1.9g saturated fat
    4.2g mono-unsaturated fat
    5.0g polyunsaturated fat

    of which 4g are Omega-3

    The farmed one at http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/finfish-and-shellfish-products/4258/2 is higher in fat and has a fair bit of omega-6
  • speediejane
    speediejane Posts: 496 Member
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    GOOD FATS
  • ShannonMpls
    ShannonMpls Posts: 1,936 Member
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    True that. While salmon is a healthy fat, our healthy fat intake shouldn't exceed 40-51 grams each day.

    So yes, but remember, even to much good fat, is a bad thing.

    I'd like to see something to back this statement up. The Harvard School of Public Health, which bases its recommendations on the most recent peer reviewed research, states that the percentage of calories that come from fat in one's diet is not what matters; it's the mix of fats in one's bloodstream that really impacts health.

    http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/what-should-you-eat/fats-full-story/index.html

    The only way I can see too much healthy fat negatively impacting your health is if (1) you exceed the calories necessary to maintain your weight, which is easy to do with calorie-dense fat; or (2) you eat the proper amount of calories to maintain optimum health, but because you are eating so much fat, it's impossible for you to consume enough food variety to meet your other macro- and micro-nutrient needs.

    For a completely anecdotal example, I eat at least 40% of my 2100 calories per day from fat, primarily nuts, nut butter, avocado, and other similar sources of fat - a decision I made after reading relevant research on fat vs carb intake. My cholesterol is, in the words of my doctor, "impressive" with higher HDL than LDL, my blood pressure is great, and as you can see from my ticker, it hasn't impacted my weight loss in any negative way.
  • EnterFitness
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    True that. While salmon is a healthy fat, our healthy fat intake shouldn't exceed 40-51 grams each day.

    So yes, but remember, even to much good fat, is a bad thing.

    I'd like to see something to back this statement up. The Harvard School of Public Health, which bases its recommendations on the most recent peer reviewed research, states that the percentage of calories that come from fat in one's diet is not what matters; it's the mix of fats in one's bloodstream that really impacts health.

    http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/what-should-you-eat/fats-full-story/index.html

    The only way I can see too much healthy fat negatively impacting your health is if (1) you exceed the calories necessary to maintain your weight, which is easy to do with calorie-dense fat; or (2) you eat the proper amount of calories to maintain optimum health, but because you are eating so much fat, it's impossible for you to consume enough food variety to meet your other macro- and micro-nutrient needs.

    For a completely anecdotal example, I eat at least 40% of my 2100 calories per day from fat, primarily nuts, nut butter, avocado, and other similar sources of fat - a decision I made after reading relevant research on fat vs carb intake. My cholesterol is, in the words of my doctor, "impressive" with higher HDL than LDL, my blood pressure is great, and as you can see from my ticker, it hasn't impacted my weight loss in any negative way.

    WHATEVER. just trying to contribute. And re: "I'd like to see something to back this statement up"... I don't feel the need to back up my statements and I'm sure the group will appreciate your more factual data from the Harvard School of Public Health.

    Will keep my trap shut from now on.
  • ShannonMpls
    ShannonMpls Posts: 1,936 Member
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    WHATEVER. just trying to contribute. And re: "I'd like to see something to back this statement up"... I don't feel the need to back up my statements and I'm sure the group will appreciate your more factual data from the Harvard School of Public Health.

    Will keep my trap shut from now on.

    Well, you gave very specific advice ("healthy fat intake shouldn't exceed 40-51 grams each day"). Given the precise range, I thought there might be some evidence to back up the statement. Guess I was wrong :)
  • EnterFitness
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    WHATEVER. just trying to contribute. And re: "I'd like to see something to back this statement up"... I don't feel the need to back up my statements and I'm sure the group will appreciate your more factual data from the Harvard School of Public Health.

    Will keep my trap shut from now on.

    Well, you gave very specific advice ("healthy fat intake shouldn't exceed 40-51 grams each day"). Given the precise range, I thought there might be some evidence to back up the statement. Guess I was wrong :)

    Nope, none for you.

    I was given this range of healthy fat for my food intake from a well known weight loss site (specifically in the words; "shouldn't exceed 40-51 grams each day". That site well-known and is an older site than MFP. But, that said, just picture me as knowing nothing at all about anything and again, and that I am committed to stop contaminating this site with bogus information.

    RE: I thought there might be some evidence to back up the statement. Guess I was wrong :)" ... Just stop being a bully!