Inflammation is your body’s natural response to injuries, irritations, and infections. It is a biologically normal and natural way of healing. However, persistent and chronic inflammation can directly affect your body and health negatively.
If you understand which foods promote an inflammatory response in the body, you can actually reduce or alleviate the effects of chronic inflammation. In order to achieve this though, you need to eat a diet full of anti-inflammatory foods. Even though inflammation is a natural process in your body, chronic inflammation is often caused by an unhealthy diet and lifestyle. Which, good news everyone, makes it preventable!
When the body experiences persistent and chronic inflammation it can lead to diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, and obesity. It can even cause chronic join and muscle pain and damage healthy tissue cells. Over time this can lead to DNA damage. DNA damage is directly linked to cancer and neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.
Therefore, it’s super important to educate yourself on all the foods you eat on a day to day basis to help you make better choices. This will overall help you live a healthier lifestyle. Remember that “what you are is what you eat”. And that it directly impacts your mind and bodies’ overall health. So you’re probably wondering, is salmon an anti-inflammatory food? And how does Salmon impact inflammation in the body.
Is Salmon Anti-inflammatory?
The short answer to this question is yes. Salmon is a great source of anti-inflammatory nutrients that our bodies need. There are tons of other sources of omega-3’s, like plant-based omega-3. However fish-based omega-3s are much more coveted. Let’s discuss to know why.
Omega-3s DHA, EPA, and Other Fatty Acids Help Reduce Inflammation
Salmon is a fatty fish. This means it contains copious amounts of Omega-3 fatty acids such as eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). These are the good kinds of fat that your body appreciates, unlike saturated fats. These good fats boost the body’s heart, brain, and lung function. And it also benefits the body’s circulation!
One study showed that the EPA elicited anti-inflammatory effects directly related to the heart when introduced to one’s diet. In addition to EDA and EPA, there’s also ALA (Alpha Lipoic Acid) found in salmon. ALA is considered another anti-inflammatory nutrient and works similar to a vitamin-like acid. It is a potent antioxidant that can also be found in spinach, and broccoli.
Omega-3s Reduce Inflammatory Skin Issues
Since we covered so much about the body’s internal anti-inflammatory benefits of salmon, let’s acknowledge the benefits of the body’s largest organ. The skin! The fatty acids in salmon promote wound healing and reduce the symptoms associated with dermatitis, an inflammatory skin disease too.
Omega-3s Help Fight Autoimmune Inflammatory Diseases
In a report published by the National Center of Biotechnology Information, rheumatoid arthritis is categorized as an autoimmune inflammatory disease. This disease mistakenly damages your own cells. In their report, the results suggested that omega-3 fatty acids’ consumption seems to prevent or even improve the conditions of those who suffer from the said disease. Clinical results have shown that EDA and EPA may have a gradual effect on disease activity, namely the decrease in the number of swollen joints.
Therefore, the EPA and DHA’s capability to control and reduce the chances of having chronic inflammation has been a well-studied topic in medicine. These fatty acids are essential to your health, not only because these compounds can reduce inflammation and prevent heart disease, but it can also improve your eye health and get rid of the bad cholesterols in your body.
Is Salmon Safe To Consume Daily?
Short answer, yes. Recent studies have found that regular consumption of salmon can help satisfy your body’s daily needs regarding protein and fatty acid content. Because unlike other fat types, your body relies on omega-3 fatty acids simply because your body cannot create them.
However, the most important thing to consider if you’re eating salmon regularly is the quality of the fish. Always look for ocean-raised, ocean- loved, sustainable, high quality salmon.
We recommend Oshēn Salmon.
Now that you know the true anti-inflammatory powers of salmon and why you should work more of it into your diet, will you? If you need some cooking inspiration, check out our recipes. There are so many different ways to prepare salmon you can grill it, steam it, bake it, or eat salmon raw. Each way is delicious and beneficial to your health. Let us know how you like your salmon!