Smoked Salmon. Nature’s Anti-Aging Cream?

Salmon is known for a wide variety of health benefits. It is rich in heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids. It's low in calories and packed with nutrients. These include vitamins A, E, which strengthen the antioxidants, and vitamins B12, which support red blood cell formation and the nervous system.

And beyond that (smoked salmon in particular is a great source of omega-3 fatty acids), salmon has shown:

• Lower your risk of cardiovascular disease
• Improve your brain health and prevent cognitive deterioration
• Reduce your anxiety
• Maintain a healthy weight
• Fight cell inflammation

Eating salmon also provides you with tons of protein (25.2g per 100g), which is great for keeping your bones strong and muscles big. Protein also helps your body repair itself and heal better.

But salmon is also rich in an antioxidant called astaxanthin, which has an impact on the elasticity of your skin.

In addition, astaxanthin can help reduce the signs of aging (ok, that's subjective … 30 people we tested found they looked younger!) They slide over next to the fountain of youth and dump it down the drain before the liquid has touched your lips).

So what is astaxanthin?

You may have heard that flamingos are pink because they eat shrimp … and that's in part due to carotenoids. Carotenoids are pigments that give pumpkins and carrots, for example, a striking orange color.

The yellow of daffodils and canaries is due to carotenoids. And the pink color of smoked salmon and unsmoked salmon comes from these two.

Astaxanthin is a red pigment that occurs naturally in freshwater microalgae and yeasts.

When the algae are stressed (e.g. due to a lack of nutrients or too much sun), they form astaxanthin. Animals that then eat the algae are given this astaxanthin pigmentation color.

It is worth noting that the amount of astaxanthin found in any animal depends to some extent on its diet and environment.

Astaxanthin and Healthy Aging

There are various studies on astaxanthin, and the results generally show that astaxanthin improves the moisture levels and elasticity of your skin, and can smooth out wrinkles.

For example, this 2012 study by Fuji Chemical Co found that astaxanthin from the alga H. Pluvialis, either applied or consumed, can improve the condition of the skin in both men and women. It concludes:

“These results may suggest that H. pluvialis astaxanthin can improve skin condition in all layers such as the corneocyte layer, epidermis, basal layer and dermis by using a combination of oral supplement and topical treatment and oral supplementation of astaxanthin to improve skin condition can "not only women, but also men."

Other benefits of salmon

Photo credit: Unsplash

Heart health

The omega-3 fatty acids found in oily fish such as salmon cannot be produced by the body and must be taken in with food. These fatty acids promote heart health and help prevent heart disease.

Healthy brain

Consuming fish regularly appears to reduce age-related brain deterioration and may also help your memory. Again, it is the omega-3 fatty acids that are responsible.

Reduces inflammation and protects the brain and nervous system

Inflammation is believed to be a key element in a number of chronic diseases, including diabetes and cancer, and rheumatoid arthritis. Oily fish has been shown to have a depressant effect on the markers associated with this inflammation.

Combined with the effects of the omega-3 fatty acids, the antioxidant properties of astaxanthin can also help protect your nervous system and brain.

Final thoughts

All in all, these are good reasons to eat smoked salmon. Okay, you'd have to be eating salmon daily to get the amount you need, but it's a case of any little help.

When combined with brightly colored foods like blueberries and tomatoes, eating oily fish – especially salmon – can have a huge impact on your health.

About the author:

Matt Lyle is Content Marketing Executive at Revive.Digital. Matt has experience writing content for marketing purposes on behalf of B2B and B2C organizations ranging from legal services, insurance brokerage, financial services to the music and entertainment industries. He researches and writes on a wide variety of topics. Matt wants to educate his readers through his creative writing by providing them with informative and valuable content. He tries to simplify complex topics for general readers and write technical content for well-informed people.