Fast Five: Why Smoked Salmon Could Be Bad For Your Health

September 15, 2015

There’s no doubt that smoking your fish and meats gives them a certain flavor that’s distinct, and gives you that much sought-after dining pleasure.

The sad truth, however, is that smoking your fish, or even your meat for that matter, makes your food unhealthy, and can even turn it into a potential health risk.

Here’s why you’re better off bidding adieu to your smoked salmon:

Sodium Overload

Smoked salmon contains a much higher amount of sodium than is recommended by the US Department of Health and Human Services, with a three-ounce serving loaded with 1,700mg sodium, as opposed to the 1,500mg that is recommended. Such high levels of sodium can increase your risk of heart disease, diabetes and kidney problems.

Increased Risk Of Cancer

When you smoke your food at very high temperatures, it produces a chemical known as acrylamide, which nearly doubles the risk of cancer. Whenever you brown your salmon by smoking, it becomes carcinogenic, giving rise to the cancer inducing chemical.

Increased Risk Of Infection

Raw food like ready-to-eat smoked salmon sometimes contains the bacteria Listeria monocytogenes. This bacteria leads to an infection called listeriosis, which in turn causes diarrhea, high fever and body ache. Consuming smoked salmon right out of the packet without cooking or heating it could put you at a risk of getting infected. Freezing or storing the smoked fish doesn’t guarantee protection from the bacteria either, as it tends to survive in cold temperatures.

Reduces Nutritional Value

Cooking your foods beyond a certain point and temperature, as is needed during smoking, depletes its nutritional value. So even though salmon is a rich source of protein, omega 3 fatty acids and more, smoking strips it of all these nutrients.

Risk Of Ingesting Chemicals

Eating smoked salmon can put you at a higher risk of ingesting polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, a chemical compound that can also increase the risk of cancer, especially breast cancer.

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