While canned salmon might not receive the same attention as canned tuna, it's just as
affordable, nutritious, and versatile an ingredient.
Keep watching, and by the end, we bet you'll be hooked on canned salmon.
Salmon is one of the healthiest fish options out there.
It's packed with protein and omega -3 fatty acids, as well as several vitamins and minerals.
The high levels of omega-3 fatty acids make it an especially heart-healthy food, with
the American Heart Association recommending at least two servings of fatty fish like salmon
per week.
While the word "fatty" might scare you off, it shouldn't — omega-3 fatty acids are known
to help decrease the risk of stroke and heart disease.
Salmon is high in fat, but it's the unsaturated kind.
Unsaturated fat, according to the Harvard School of Public Health, can help lower blood
cholesterol and inflammation.
Harvard Health Publishing puts canned fish on the same level as fresh health-wise, and
a USDA study found slightly higher levels of omega-3 fatty acids in some canned salmon
than in fresh salmon.
Want specific numbers?
One serving of canned salmon will provide at least 40% of the recommended daily intake
of protein, at least 42% of the recommended daily intake of selenium, and at least 63%
of the recommended daily intake of omega-3 fatty acids.
It's high in vitamin D, which helps maximize calcium absorption, and is a good source of
B vitamins that support skin and nerve health.
Most canned salmon contains only salmon and salt.
The added salt acts as both a preservative and flavor enhancer, but if you're watching
your sodium intake, take a look at the nutrition label.
One serving of most canned salmon brands contains somewhere between 200 and 300 milligrams of
sodium or around 10% of the recommended daily intake.
Chicken of the Sea canned salmon, and Kirkland Signature canned salmon all range between
200 and 240 milligrams of sodium per serving.
While Bumble Bee canned salmon creeps up to 250 milligrams.
Starkist canned salmon contains a whopping 320 milligrams of sodium per serving.
To reduce sodium levels, you can always rinse your canned salmon after draining the liquid;
per food scientist Dr. Andrew Clarke, this shouldn't reduce the levels of omega-3 fatty
acids in the fish.
While the importance of flavor can't be understated, it's also useful to know whether canned salmon
is better for you than canned tuna or vice versa.
Nutritionally speaking, they're both pretty healthy, with high amounts of protein that
are roughly equivalent, though salmon contains a little more.
Tuna, whether fresh or canned, is leaner than fresh or canned salmon, but as previously
mentioned, the fat in salmon is the good kind — and it contains higher levels of those
beneficial omega-3 fatty acids than tuna does.
Interestingly, tuna packed in water retains more of its omega-3 fatty acids than tuna
packed in oil.
Canned salmon is rarely packed in oil, but if you have the option, you should go for
a brand packed in water to get the most health benefits.
Per Healthline, canned salmon is also the winner when it comes to vitamin D but otherwise,
tuna fish is on fairly equal footing - or should we say finning….
"Was I funny?"
"No."
Salt content varies widely from brand to brand, but generally speaking, canned tuna and canned
salmon contain comparable amounts of sodium.
There is one other notable factor: mercury.
Canned tuna infamously contains high levels of this metal, so the Environmental Defense
Fund recommends limiting consumption — and suggests canned salmon as a healthier alternative.
Canned salmon does contain mercury as well but at much lower levels.
Per the Alaska Historical Society, the first salmon cannery in Alaska started in 1878.
The salmon canning business expanded rapidly; in 1936, 8 million cases of canned salmon
came out of Alaska alone.
That's not to say the booming American industry was cause for unmitigated celebration — overfishing
in the absence of strict regulations was a real concern, as were the impacts upon Indigenous
people who traditionally relied on salmon stocks.
Regardless of what was happening behind the scenes, by the early 1900s, canned salmon
was popular among American consumers and people across the globe.
It was around this same time, writes Slate, that canned tuna was initially introduced.
Previously, tuna had not been valued or considered desirable.
While tuna became a huge business in America by the 1950s and '60s, as of 2020, Americans
were consuming 40% less tuna per capita than they were in the 1980s.
The beginning of the pandemic boosted its profile as people were stocking their pantries
with shelf-stable options.
It did the same for its predecessor, canned salmon.
Canned salmon is always salmon, but there's more than one variety of this fish.
The six types of salmon found in North America are chinook, coho, chum, sockeye, pink, and
Atlantic salmon.
Each kind of salmon varies in taste, texture, and appearance, ranging from pale pink, comparatively
low in fat, and relatively mild to deep orange-red, quite oily, and strong in salmon flavor.
You can find most of these salmon varieties as fresh or frozen steaks and filets, but
canned salmon is almost always labeled either pink salmon or red salmon.
Pink salmon is the most common species found in the Pacific Ocean.
Canned pink salmon is on the milder side, so it's great for those who find stronger-tasting
salmon too fishy.
However, it can be a bit on the mushy side.
Canned red salmon is sockeye salmon, and is often labeled as such.
According to the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, sockeye is nicknamed red salmon
because of the color the fish turn when they swim upriver to spawn.
The flesh of sockeye is more vivid in color than pink salmon.
Its taste is stronger and its texture richer and firmer.
Another thing canned salmon has going for it is its sustainability, particularly compared
with many brands of canned tuna.
In either case, it's important to look for wild-caught and sustainably-harvested fish
to ensure the least environmental impact.
Most canned salmon is made from wild-caught Alaskan salmon, in which case the label will
note that fact.
According to The Atlantic, these salmon populations are far easier to keep tabs on than tuna,
which means they're not in danger of being overfished, although other factors like climate
change do impact their numbers.
Modern methods of fishing for salmon are also more environmentally friendly, and less likely
to result in unintended catches compared to tuna fishing — although canned tuna that
is sustainably harvested in certain waters is almost on par with canned salmon, per the
Environmental Defense Fund.
The EDF rates wild Alaskan salmon as the best choice, ecologically speaking, and also notes
its low mercury content.
Farmed salmon that is raised in net pens is labeled the "worst" choice from an environmental
perspective.
Even if your salmon was caught in Alaska, that doesn't necessarily mean it was packed
in the United States.
Many brands process at least some of their catch in factories in Thailand, Vietnam, and
China, which of course means greater carbon emissions associated with transportation.
As with canned tuna, canned salmon is fully cooked and ready to eat right out of the tin.
Unlike tuna, canned salmon sometimes contains skin and bones — primarily because the fish
are smaller overall and it's more difficult to cut portions of boneless flesh from them.
This can actually be a good thing, nutritionally speaking.
Canned salmon with bones contains a higher amount of calcium, and the cooking process
softens the bones so they're easily crushed with a fork or your fingers when breaking
up the meat.
Any gelatinous skin can be picked out, but per Healthline it has more omega-3 fatty acids
than the meat does.
If the skin and bones gross you out, skinless and boneless canned salmon is widely available.
Naturally, it costs a bit more due to the additional processing, but not so much that
it's likely to be a deal-breaker.
Wild Planet's skinless and boneless sockeye salmon, for instance, costs about 25 cents
more per ounce than its sockeye with skin and bones.
If you're curious about how canned salmon is made, the Bumble Bee description of their
salmon canning process is pretty standard: Heads, fins, tails, scales, and other unwanted
parts are removed before the fish are cleaned, cut to size, and added to cans along with
salt.
Lids are sealed and stamped, and the canned salmon is cooked, cooled, labeled, and packaged
for shipping.
Need some ideas about how to eat canned salmon?
"Make yourself a dang quesadilla!"
Uh, sure?
But why not start by treating it any way you would tuna.
Try a salmon salad sandwich, with or without mayo.
You can serve it on crackers or greens if you're avoiding bread.
You can add canned salmon to pasta to bulk it up and boost the flavor.
It's also great on top of a simple garden salad, or you can make a salmon Caesar if
you're feeling fancy.
Salmon patties are another easy way to transform canned salmon into a meal.
Experiment with different spices to change them up.
At breakfast time, try stirring canned salmon into scrambled eggs or quiche to start the
day swimmingly.
Any time you need to incorporate a low-effort protein into something you're cooking, canned
salmon is a great choice.
Canned salmon's shelf life can easily extend past the use-by date, which is primarily there
to indicate how long it will taste its best.
And do you know how long canned it last under good conditions?
"I don't know?"
Generally, canned salmon will keep at least three to five years unopened and properly
stored.
Ditto for salmon that comes in a vacuum-packed pouch.
Store canned salmon in a cool, dark place with a fairly constant temperature and throw
away any cans that develop leaks, bulges, rust spots, or severe dents.
If the can looks fine, even if it's several years out of date, go ahead and open it.
As long as the salmon still smells good and looks normal, it should still be safe to eat.
Once you've opened canned salmon, store any leftovers in the fridge for no more than a
few days.
You may have heard that keeping opened cans in the refrigerator can leach metals into
your food.
While that is possible, especially for higher-acid foods, the USDA says it's safe to do so for
at least a few days.
However, your canned salmon will probably taste better and worry you less if you transfer
it to a glass or plastic container first.
Still Tasty says you can freeze canned salmon in an airtight container for up to three months.
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