Researchers are improving preventive measures of cancer as the disease overwhelms health services after COVID-19 disruptions threw health facilities into chaos. Healthy food intake is paramount for both healthy people ad cancer patients, but some foods, such as salmon hailed for protective effects, may induce cancer.
Scientists claim that farm-raised salmon, a widely consumed food worldwide, could double the risk of developing prostate cancer if taken regularly.
Wild Salmon vs. Farm-Raised Salmon
Salmon is loaded with omega-3 fatty acids that help with cellular function, regulate the nervous system, fight inflammation, and are good for the heart, according to Healthline. However, they are not all the same because some are caught in the wild while others are bred on fish farms.
Wild-caught salmon came from natural environments, such as oceans, rivers, and lakes. But today, about 50% of the salmon sold in the market came from fish farms. Breeders use a process called aquaculture for breeding fish for human consumption, and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations predicted that fish farms will provide close to two-thirds of global fish food by 2030.
Experts said that whereas wild-caught salmon eat other organisms in their natural habitat, farm-raised salmon eat processed. high-fat, high protein diets cause their larger size.
In terms of nutritional value, both types of salmon have notably different fat content. For instance, wild-caught salmon has 5 grams of fat, while farmed salmon has 15 grams of fat for every 113 grams. Meanwhile, wild-caught salmon offers high calcium with 39mg and only 10mg for farm-raised salmon.
Wild salmon also have higher natural minerals, like iron, than farm-raised salmon. But aside from nutrition, the real issue between them is the contaminants they consume that significantly differ in where they are caught.
Contaminants in Farm-Raised Salmon
Farm-raised salmon may have health implications based on a 2005 study, titled "Risk-Based Consumption Advice for Farmed Atlantic and Wild Pacific Salmon Contaminated With Dioxins and Dioxin-Like Compounds," was published in Environmental Health Perspectives.
Researchers found high concentrations of man-made chlorinated industrial chemicals called polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB). Daily Express reported that these chemicals were banned for commercial use for decades, but they can still be found in the environment through the food consumed by humans.
According to the Environmental Defense Fund, PCBs were released into the environment in the past from hazardous waste sites. They warn that regular consumption of farmed salmon could increase the risk of developing cancer due to high concentrations of the chemical after discovering multiple cases.
In the UK, salmon raised in fish farms are identified to be contaminated with carcinogenic chemicals. Those sold heap in supermarkets are especially found to do more harm than good to the body. Risk analysis showed that eating farm-raised salmon regularly doubles the risk of cancer, detracting its beneficial effects. Experts said that eating them more than once a month is enough to increase the risk of cancer.
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