Salmon oil is a marine oil “fish oil” which is a rich and good source of n-3 fatty acids “omega-3”, especially Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), which are known to reduce heart disease, improve brain health, and reduce inflammation. In addition, these fatty acids may play important roles in brain, nerve, and retina development. It may also be helpful in reducing forgetfulness during ageing, Salmon oil is extracted from salmon fish, which has many health benefits.
Salmon fish belong to the order Salmoniformes and the family of ray-finned fish, and it is one of the large predatory fish whose nutrition system depends mainly on smaller fish. Salmon is a common name for several types of fish that spread in each of the Atlantic Ocean, Pacific Ocean, and the Great Lakes.
Salmon is a river fish, it is born in fresh water and then migrates to the oceans, returning to fresh water only when they reach adulthood to reproduce.
Pacific female’s salmon lay eggs once throughout their lives, and then die in days or weeks later after mating, females of salmon lay 3000-8000 eggs, depending on the type and size of the fish, the color of the eggs ranges from orange to red, and fertilization happens in the water where the males secrete semen fluid to fertilize it, then the females cover the fertilized eggs with gravel to protect them.
Salmon fish age ranges between 2-7 years, depending on type, young salmon feed on insects, snails, and other crustaceans, while older and larger fish feed on other fish.
Types of Salmon
There are many types of salmon, the most important of it are:
- Atlantic salmon: it is the salmon that travels between the northern rivers into the Atlantic Ocean, It is the 3rd largest of the Salmonidae and it is scientifically known as (salmo salar)
- Pacific salmon: it belongs to the genus Oncorhynchus, and it includes six species:
- Masu salmon: it lives in the western Pacific Ocean, around the beaches of Korea, Russia, and Japan, as well as in the closed lakes of Taiwan.
- Chinook salmon: It is called the “king of salmon”, scientifically known as (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha), it is the largest species in the Pacific Ocean, weighing about 15 kg, and its spread extends from northern Canada to California in the south.
- Chum salmon: or dog salmon, scientifically known as (Oncorhynchus keta), It is widespread in the Pacific Ocean, starting from the island of Kyushu in Japan to the Sacramento River in California, and is also found in the rivers of Canada and Siberia.
- Coho salmon: It is also known as silver salmon, scientifically known as (Oncorhynchus kisutch) it is widespread in the coasts of Alaska, British Columbia, and reaches Monterey Bay in California.
- Pink salmon: or humpback salmon scientifically known as (Oncorhynchus gorbuscha), it is one of the smallest types of salmon, the weight of the fish does not exceed 1.8 kg, and it spreads from the North Atlantic in Alaska, to California.
- Sockeye Salmon: It is known as red salmon, scientifically known as (Oncorhynchus nerka), it lives in the rivers of California and in the eastern Pacific Ocean and north of the Japanese island Hokkaido.
- Danube salmon: Or known as Huchen, it is named after the European Danube River, and it always lives in its fresh water, that is, it is a non-migratory species of salmon, and the largest one.
Properties of Salmon oils:
| Feature | Value | ||
| Iodine Number | 130 – 160 | ||
| Peroxide value | 2.5 – 3.5 | ||
| Saponification Value | 183 -186 | ||
| EPA+DHA | 10-30 (g/100) |
Fatty acid profiles of Salmon oils:
| Saturated Fatty acids | Number of carbon atoms | Value |
| Myristic | C14 | 3.7 |
| Pentadecanoic | C15 | 0.5 |
| Palmitic | C16 | 15 |
| Stearic | C17 | 2 |
| Stearic | C18 | 4 |
| Nonadecanoic | C19 | 1.8 |
| Polyunsaturated fatty acids | Number of carbon atoms | Value |
| Myristoleic | C14-1 | 0.1 |
| Pentadecanoic Cis | C15-1 | 0.3 |
| Palmitoleic | C16-1 | 7 – 12 |
| Hexadecatrienoic | C16-2 | 1.2 |
| Oleic | C18-1 | 18.5 |
| Linoleic | C18-2 | 5 – 11 |
| Linolenic | C18-3 | 0.6 |
| Octadecatetraenoic | C18-4 | 2.2 |
| Gadoleic | C20-1 | 8.5 |
| Eicosadienoic | C20-2 | 0.4 |
| Eicosantrienoic | C20-3 | 0.1 |
| Arachidonic | C20-4 | 3 |
| Eicosapentaenoic | C20-5 | 12 |
| Docosenoic Cis | C22-1 | 6.5 |
| Docosateuraenoic | C22-4 | 0.5 |
| Docosapentenoic | C22-5 | 3 |
| Docosahexaenoic | C22-6 | 14 |
| Tetracosanoic | C24-1 | 0.7 |
Salmon oil benefits:
Salmon oil is one of the most important fish oils. It contains a rich nutritional value in healthy fats, omega-3, which is one of the essential acids that the body can’t make and many important vitamins for the body. It contains the antioxidant Astaxanthin, which protects from heart disease by reducing oxidative bad cholesterol and increase good cholesterol, also it prevents skin damage.
Salmon Oil benefits for hair:
- It helps in hair growth and reduce scalp inflammation.
- Reducing hair loss and helping to increase its density.
- It increases the strength and gloss of hair in a healthy way.
- Helps to increase the activation of blood circulation in the scalp and moisturize it.
- Helps prevent hair from drying out and protects it from dandruff.
- It reduces premature graying of hair.
Salmon oil recipe for hair:
• Mix 3 capsules of salmon oil by grinding them by a spoon with 3 tablespoons of olive oil and mix them well.
• Massage the hair with the mixture from the roots to the ends, cover the hair with a hat, and leave it for half an hour to an hour, then wash the hair by shampoo and lukewarm water.
Salmon oil benefits for skin:
- Salmon oil helps to moisturize the skin well and protect it from dryness.
- Keeping hydration of the skin, that protects it from the appearance of acne.
- Reducing the formation of wrinkles and the effects of aging on the skin, which are caused by the lack of collagen in it.
- Rejuvenating skin cells and helping to unify their color.
- Getting rid of acne and pimples on the skin.
- Reducing dark circles that appear around the eyes.
- Preventing skin diseases, such as psoriasis and cancer because fish oil is an antioxidant and protects the skin from ultraviolet rays.
- Helping to reduce and treat inflammation that affects the skin.
Reducing symptoms of arthritis:
Omega-3 fatty acids in salmon oil help to prevent inflammatory genes, which helps fight many infections like arthritis and related chronic diseases.
Maintaining cardiovascular health:
As it is known that omega-3 fatty acids are beneficial for heart health; These are polyunsaturated fats, which are important for building cells, and for other functions, plus to its help to reduce the risk of heart attacks.
And it improves heart health if a person has heart disease and help to slow the buildup of plaque in the arteries and fight inflammation in the body, plus to its role in keep the blood vessels healthy and preventing its blockage.
Salmon oil for dogs
Salmon oil contains fatty acids known as omega-3, and these acids are not produced by the dog’s body, so veterinarians recommend adding salmon or salmon oil to a dog’s daily diet because of its many benefits
benefits of salmon oil for dogs:
Boosts immunity: Salmon oil has been shown to boost the activity of B cells, a type of white blood cell that helps with the immune response
Helps relieve arthritis pain
With their powerful anti-inflammatory properties, the omega-3 fatty acids in salmon oil can have great benefits for aging dogs with joint problems. Even if your dog doesn’t have arthritis, adding salmon oil supplements as your dog ages can help prevent joint problems and keep your dog comfortable for longer.
Promotes the growth and development of the nervous system of puppies:
DHA is an important component as it promotes nerve growth, brain development, and vision in mammals. Just like babies, puppies benefit from this Omega-3 fatty acid while they are in the womb and it helps them as they grow and develop into adults.
Get healthy skin:
Salmon oil helps reduce skin sensitivity and protects it from dandruff, which makes the dog get a smooth skin
Best salmon oil for dogs:
There are many types of salmon oil available in the market and the most popular and used for dogs and cats are: