A study has concluded that vitamin D3 from animal-based foods is more effective at boosting vitamin D levels in the blood than D2, which is found in plant foods like mushrooms and added to some brands of bread, cereal, and yogurts.
The study reported that vitamin D2 had the opposite effect and instead appeared to suppress the interferon genes.
Separately, a recent analysis by the University of Stirling’s Nutritional Analytical Service collected 15 samples of farm-raised Scottish salmon and put them through a variety of laboratory tests to assess nutrient levels.
The percentages of an adult’s daily recommendation from one serving were as high as 71 percent for vitamin D.
The study also showed salmon has 4.5 times the daily recommendation for special omega-3 fats found in marine foods, more than half our protein needs, and 42 percent of the vitamin E recommendation.
The new figures for vitamin D and omega-3s were 7 to 8 percent higher than in previous tests conducted in 2003 and 2020.
Vitamin B12 in salmon keeps blood and nerve cells humming and helps you make DNA. But for your health, the true beauty of salmon is its wealth of omega-3 fatty acids. Most omega-3s are “essential” fatty acids. Your body can’t make them, but they play critical roles in your body. They can lower the chance that you’ll have:
Cardiovascular disease (including heart attack and stroke)
Some types of cancer
Dementia
Alzheimer’s and other cognitive diseases
Experts recommend all adults eat at least two portions (a total of 8 ounces) of seafood a week, especially fish that are high in omega-3s like salmon. The FDA and the EPA both suggest that children eat 1-2 servings (about 2 to 4 ounces) of seafood a week starting at age 2. Pregnant women and young children should avoid fish with the most mercury. Luckily, salmon is not one of them
