Go wild

By Michael Roizen, M.D. and Mehmet Oz, M.D. on Apr 15, 2024

These days, almost 50% of all fish (like salmon, branzino, catfish and rainbow trout), crustaceans (lobster and shrimp) and mollusks (clams and oysters) are farm-raised, not caught in the wild. When done correctly, that can provide a steady supply of many varieties of those tasty proteins that are in ever-decreasing supply in our oceans. But ... and there is always a but ... it turns out that far too often, the farm-raised swimmers are short of the healthy nutrients that are found in their wild-caught cousins.

Research published in Nature Food says that farmed salmon in particular has less calcium, iodine, iron, omega-3, a healthy fatty acid, vitamin B12 and vitamin A than wild-caught salmon. Overall, wild-caught salmon has five times more calcium than farmed salmon, and 150% more iron, omega-3, B12 and vitamin A. Such a dramatic difference in nutrients in farmed and wild-caught fish appears the case for herring and anchovies as well.

You can enjoy wild-caught Pacific coho and sockeye salmon and Arctic char (a northern cousin of salmon), along with salmon burgers made from wild salmon, in recipes like BBQ Arctic Char, Harissa-Baked Wild King Salmon Fillets and Dr. R's Famous Salmon Burger, along with Mixed Radicchio Salad with Warm Anchovy Dressing in Dr. Mike's "The What to Eat When Cookbook." And learn more about omega-3s (healthy fats in salmon) and how taking supplements can help you make sure you get their benefits at iHerb.com's blog, "Omega-3 Fatty Acids: Benefits + Why They Are So Important."

Dr. Mike Roizen is the founder of www.longevityplaybook.com, and Dr. Mehmet Oz is global advisor to www.iHerb.com, the world's leading online health store. Roizen and Oz are chief wellness officer emeritus at Cleveland Clinic and professor emeritus at Columbia University, respectively. Together they have written 11 New York Times bestsellers (four No. 1's).

Distributed by King Features Syndicate, Inc.