Alaska Salmon: Boost Your Family’s Immune System with Fish Omega-3
Of the five fish that are extremely high in omega-3 fatty acids, salmon is the most kid-friendly one.
The immune system protects the body from foreign invaders such as bacteria, viruses and allergens by producing specific antibodies for each invader. Once an antibody latches on to the intruder, it becomes marked for destruction and removal by other immune cells. Another part of the immune system removes infected cells and generates inflammation—the swelling, pain, heat, redness and sometimes itching—that develops around an insect bite, wound, or the body’s own tissue (e.g., rheumatoid arthritis). Inflammatory responses promote healing and limit tissue damage from an injury or harmful agent.
Excessive immune responses pave the way to several chronic diseases, such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, rheumatoid arthritis and multiple sclerosis. They underlie allergies or hypersensitivity to foreign irritants (antigens) like pollen or certain food proteins. Common allergies produce inflammatory responses in skin, nose and eyes. In chronic diseases, inflammation is responsible for the joint pain of rheumatoid arthritis, the breathing difficulties of asthma and the itchy red skin of psoriasis and eczema.
Polyunsaturated fatty acids greatly affect inflammatory responses because of substances made from them. Products from arachidonic acid, derived from vegetable oils, usually increase inflammatory responses. In contrast, the omega-3 fatty acids from fish and shellfish, EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid), help restrain runaway inflammation. EPA reduces the amount of inflammatory products made from arachidonic acid and is converted to compounds that are weakly anti-inflammatory. Other newly discovered substances made from seafood omega-3s have potent effects in ending inflammatory responses.
Allergic diseases are increasing in western countries. Some experts have suggested that declining consumption of omega-3s and antioxidants (e.g., vitamins E and C), along with the high intake of omega-6 fatty acids from vegetable oils favor the development of allergies such as eczema, asthma and hay fever. (Omega-6 fatty acids are polyunsaturates with a slightly different structure from omega-3s.) Eating less fat of all kinds and more seafood omega-3s has been associated with improved immune function and less severe symptoms in some people with these allergic conditions.
Of the top five fish with very high omega-3 content, salmon is the most accessible and kid-friendly one. The other four fish high in this immune-strengthening “good fat” are sardines, smelt, shad and anchovies.
Try this immune-boosting recipe from WildAlaskaFlavor.com – your family will love this recipe!
Alaska Salmon in a Blanket
Seriously kid-friendly and yummy: Salmon in a Blanket. Photo: Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute (ASMI)
Ingredients:
Alaska Salmon
- 8 oz. of Alaska Salmon fillets, cut in 1″ x 3″ pieces, about 1 oz. ea.*
- Canola oil spray, as needed
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Honey Barbecue Sauce
- 3 ½ oz. mild barbecue sauce
- 1 oz. ketchup
- ½ oz. honey
Maple Syrup Mustard
- 1 oz. maple syrup
- 2 ½ oz. yellow mustard
Assembly (for the “blanket”)
- 1 8-oz. package of 8 crescent rolls or pizza dough
- Egg wash, as needed
Alaska Salmon
- Spray baking sheet with oil. Place Alaska salmon pieces on baking sheet and spray with oil. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Roast at 350°F for about 8 minutes. Cool.
Condiments
- Honey Barbecue Sauce: Whisk barbecue sauce, ketchup and honey together.
- Maple Syrup Mustard: Whisk maple syrup and yellow mustard together.
Assembly
- Unwrap rolls and spread out in triangles. Brush ½ tsp. of Honey Barbecue Sauce on each of the triangles. Place a strip of fish at the wide end of each triangle and roll up to enclose. Place point side down on the baking sheet.
- Whisk egg and water together to make an egg wash. Brush the tops of the rolls with the egg wash. Bake at 350°F for 15-17 minutes.
- Serve with Honey Barbecue Sauce, Maple Syrup Mustard, or other various prepared sauces.
Pizza Dough Variation
- Roll dough to a 2 ½” x 2 ½” square. Brush with ½ tsp. Honey Barbecue Sauce, leaving ½” at the bottom edge. Brush bottom edge with water. Place fish on one end and roll up. Place seam side down on baking sheet. Bake at 350°F for 15-17 minutes.
More on Zissle: How Eating Salmon Can Help Children with Asthma and Eating Omega-3-rich Fish Can Help Children with Eczema.
ZisBoomBah would like to thank the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute (ASMI) for letting us share this article and recipe with our readers. Both were originally published at Wild Alaska Flavor.
[...] Alaska Salmon: Boost Your Family’s Immune System with Fish Omega-3 [...]