Is salmon good for you? Are there possible side effects? How can you avoid these without risking the benefits to your health?
Is salmon good for you? We know that it contains nutrients that will significantly benefit your health. Also, these nutrients provide anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant to our body. But, are these enough for us to consider it as healthy food?
Eating salmon is a great way to keep our body healthy, especially our skin. It is considered as a superfood for our skin health because of the omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3 fatty acids act as anti-inflammation for our skin that prevents the breakdown of collagen and elastin. Collagen and elastin maintain our skin’s youthful look.
Aside from looking attractive, many consider the significant impact on our health for having youthful looking skin. Healthy skin will protect our body from illnesses and other health problems. It has natural oil to keep its moisture and to stay hydrated. So, how do we keep our skin’s natural oil? There are plenty of ways to keep the natural oil in our skin. You can use skincare products. But, eating it will make it possible.
When eating, it will make our skin looks healthy from inside and out. Aside from omega-3 fatty acids, it contains vitamin D. Vitamin D helps in the growth and repair of our skin cells. It increases our protection against free radicals. These free radicals cause illnesses, so keeping our body to its utmost protection is significant.
How to keep our body healthy by eating salmon? There are many recipes that you can learn in this article. But, before the recipes, first, we should know how to prepare it.
First, you have to select fresh salmon. How to choose fresh catch? Like other fishes, it has no stinky smell. Whole or uncut salmon should have bright and clear eyes. Its skin should be firm to touch with shiny and silvery color. If you want to have fresh cut salmon, look for the edges. It should not be discolored. The flesh should be bright and moist.
Preparing fresh fillet
If you went out and buy uncut whole salmon, here is your guide for making a fillet salmon. Fillet cuts can be used in many recipes. After you learn how to fillet it, you will then determine the recipes.
Get a chopping board and sharp knife with no curves and edges on its blade. If your fish is big, get a larger knife.
Place the fish on the chopping board and start scraping the scales of the fish. Then rinse it thoroughly and dry. Make sure no scales will be left on the fish.
Next thing you need to do is cutting it. Place your knife behind the collarbone. Start by cutting diagonally down towards the head. When you reach the head, turn the blade away from it. Cut along the backbone down to the tail. Turn over the fish and do the same on the other side.
The belly bones should be kept apart from the flesh of salmon. Place the blade of the knife beneath the bones to cut it away. Make sure the belly bones and the flesh are separated thoroughly. You don’t want to find fish bones in your fillet. Then get a pair of tweezers or small tongs to pin out remaining bones in the flesh. You can find this in the thick part of the fillet.
After putting away the belly bones and pinning out the remaining bones, you can choose whether to cut the skin away or include it in your recipes.
Is it right for you when cooked…properly?
Cooking salmon has many variations. You can try grilled, roasted, poached and pan-seared. But to maintain the nutrients, make sure that you prepare it in the right way. Otherwise, it will lose all its nutrients and get wasted.
So here’s what you need to know in cooking it perfectly. No one wants to ruin the most straightforward salmon recipes.
Its Skin is Good for You
The skin is one of the tastiest parts of the fish. Then there is no harm in keeping the salmon skin. Besides, it is right for you; it is the protective layer between the fish and the pan or grill. So, it’s best to start cooking with the skin at the bottom, touching the pan or skillet. Let the skin crisp up a little. In this way, sliding your spatula under the fish will be easier.
For poached or roast recipes, you can remove the skin. In these recipes, the skin will end up in gummy and unpleasant texture. But if you want to cook it, disregard it before eating.
Stop overcooking, know the doneness
The technique of frying salmon is to give more time in cooking the skin side of the fish. As you fry the skin side of your salmon, let the flesh turn into opaque white. If you can see it has this color, turn off the stove. Flip it over and let the residual heat of the pan cook its fleshy side.
Is salmon good for you when it’s medium-rare or medium cooked? Many will choose this doneness. It gives a satisfying flavor, and the flesh is tender and juicy. But if you want the traditional way of cooking it; you can poke the center of the fillet. Use a fork to do this and see how it turns to flaky pieces before serving. If you are cooking a thick fillet, use a chopstick or any thin piece of metal, probably a cake tester will do. Slide the metal or chopstick into its flesh. Then pull out the metal and see its temperature. If it’s cool or barely warm, it still needs more time cooking. When it feels hot, then it is ready to be served.
Aromatic slow-roasting with salmon and spices
A plain salmon may look sad, and you will need a side dish or spices to add a twist on its taste. Will aromatic spices do the trick with your salmon? So, marinate it with fennel, chilies, citrus and herbs. Then slow roast your salmon. First, you need to set your oven at 275 degrees. Then, place the salmon inside the oven for about 30 minutes. Serve immediately to enjoy the aromatic taste of roast salmon.
Use flavor water for poached salmon
It’s a myth that you can poach salmon by using plain water. Adding flavor to it is a must! Then to make a flavorful poached salmon, add some lemon and garlic to plain water. You can also use dry white wine for a more aromatic taste.
How do you keep its benefits when cooking it? Can you tell if the salmon is healthy for you after cooking? And the answer is yes! The health benefits will always be good for us if we know how to cook it properly. Here are some simple home-cooking recipes.
Salmon in Salt and Pepper
Prepare your salmon fillets, salt and pepper, butter, olive oil, lemon and a skillet. Place your skillet over medium-high flames. Pour some olive oil and a little butter. While waiting for the skillet to heat up, season your fillets with salt and pepper. Then place the skin side to your skillet. If you get a crispy skin, turn it over not more than 3 minutes. When done, get your fillet and place it in a dish. You can now drizzle it with some lemon to spike the flavor and aroma.
Oven + Skillet Salmon Fillet
Oven and skillet salmon fillet is the recipe for those who want to fry and bake it at the same time. Well, there’s no punishment from doing that. You will need an oven-proof skillet and butter or olive oil.
Make sure your oven is set to 275 degrees.
Place your salmon fillet in the skillet with butter and olive oil. Sizzle it for about three minutes. Then place in the oven and let it cook for about 20 minutes.
For final crisping, set the oven temp to 400 degrees F. Cook it about three to 10 minutes in the oven.
Healthy Poach Salmon
What makes salmon suitable for us are the natural fats in salmon or the omega-3 fatty acids. To maintain the natural oil, we can have poached salmon recipe. It is a fat-free cooking method.
You will need water, white wine or chicken stock. Add some pinch of salt, whole peppercorns and bay leaf but not too much of it. Simmer the sauce and slice the fish in. Cover the pan until the heat turned off. Let your fillet gently cooked for about 25 minutes. Then you can have one of the healthiest recipes.
Salmon in Parchment
When you love baking, this recipe is for you. Salmon in parchment is a cooking method in which you will use parchment or foil.
To cook, prepare the parchment or foil. Place the fillet in the foil or parchment, with seasonings and lemon slices for aromatic, flavorful taste. After you put all the flavors you need, close the parchment and put in the oven for baking. Set the temperature to 400 degrees F for about 12 to 15 minutes. Then you can enjoy the juiciness of this recipe.
Homemade Cured Salmon
Homemade cured salmon needs flavorful brine. Making your brine needs water, kosher salt and sugar. Prepare the fillets to ¼-inch thick. Soak it in brine for 3 minutes and pat the fish to dry. After you finished all the fillets, you can put it in the refrigerator to firm up the flesh. You can add some smoked salt or paprika to the brine for more smoked aroma. The secret to this recipe is the brine. Make your brine special; it will sink deep into its flesh.
The art of eating salmon for your health
Eating salmon in a healthy way like the recipes mentioned above will give a guilt-free feeling. Among the fishes, why choose salmon? Is it good for you?
The goodness of salmon is enjoyable when you know that you have purchased fresh. Fresh salmon should be eaten the same day. The most extended shelf life it has in the refrigerator is about 6 months only if it is vacuum-sealed.
Many have great desires to be physically fit and healthy. To be in good shape while indulging mindlessly with junk foods can harm your health eventually.
So eating salmon can make a change to your body without giving you a drastic meal plan. Enjoy healthy recipes without sacrificing your happiness. Life is good, so keep your lifestyle in good shape.
