Just about everyone has heard that salmon can be a very healthy addition to your diet due to high levels of beneficial Omega 3 Fatty Acids and a unique Anti-Oxidant called Astaxanthin which gives Salmon its color (NOTE: Farm-raised salmon contains very little Omega 3 fatty acids, so choose Wild Alaskan Salmon whenever possible).
Health/Fitness presented by Workout Anytime
Salmon roe may be one of the best kept secrets out there. Salmon roe – often known as salmon caviar – is Salmon eggs from female salmon. Like most eggs salmon roe is incredibly nutritious and delicious!
Salmon Roe is high in protein, vitamins, and a particularly potent form of Omega 3 Fatty Acids. The two most bio-active types of Omega 3 Fatty Acids are eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). EPA and DHA are present in fatty fish such as salmon, but Salmon Roe contains these essential fatty acids in phospholipid form. Our cell membranes are composed of a phospholipid layer. The phospholipid form of EPA and DHA is much easier to absorb into your cells which is where the benefits are derived.
Salmon Roe and prevention of Dementia and Alzheimer’s
The highly bioavailable form of DHA in salmon roe allows it to be transported efficiently across the blood/brain barrier. People prone to dementia have an impaired ability to transport DHA across the blood/brain barrier so DHA is not able to get to the brain cells. DHA is vital for the brain and its development. Regular DHA from fish oil is often not able to get past the blood brain barrier in people prone to dementia, but salmon roe can deliver this critical nutrient to brain cells.
If able to get across the blood/brain barrier, DHA promotes brain glucose uptake (blood sugar uptake) by regulating the structure and function of special proteins called glucose transporters located in the blood-brain barrier. Getting enough glucose into brain cells is critical for preventing the build up of Amyloid-Beta Plaque and Tau tangle formation which is the hallmark of Alzheimer’s Disease.
Other Nutrients in Salmon Roe
As mentioned above salmon roe contains highly bioavailable EPA/DHA – in fact salmon roe has 3.5 times the amount of these essential fatty acids than salmon itself! One ounce of salmon roe contains 6 grams of protein and high amounts of vitamins B12, C, E, Folate, Thiamine and the critical mineral selenium. Like salmon – salmon roe contains high amounts of the highly effective antioxidant Astaxanthin. If you are not familiar with Astaxanthin check out this previous blog-post on its many benefits:http://workoutanytime.blogspot.com/2017/04/astaxanthin-anti-oxidant-superstar.html