Wild at Heart or Farmed by Law? Let’s Settle the Salmon Debate!

And the debate continues... should you go wild or go farm? 🐟 It’s the ultimate salmon showdown! While the answer might seem like a "no-brainer," many shoppers are still caught in the middle. If you’re looking for the healthiest catch in 2026, here is the nutritional "tea" on wild versus cultivated salmon. 

Round 1: The Calorie & Fat Face-Off

Let’s talk stats! Wild salmon is the lean, mean, swimming machine of the sea, packing fewer calories per bite. On the flip side, cultivated salmon can be quite the "fatsuit" fish—it often contains more than double the saturated fat of its wild cousins. According to MedlinePlus, saturated fat is the "unhealthy" kind that stays solid at room temperature (think butter or cheese) and can clutter up your heart health. 

• Winner: Wild Salmon! 🏆

Round 2: The "Clean Eating" Challenge

In a world full of daily pollutants, our fish are swimming in the same "toxic soup" as everything else. The World Health Organization (WHO) warns that we encounter persistent organic pollutants (POPs) everywhere—from the air we breathe to the food on our forks. Because farmed salmon are raised in dense enclosures and fed concentrated pellets, they can harbor significantly higher levels of unwanted chemicals and industrial toxins like PCBs. 

• Winner: Wild Salmon! 🏆

Round 3: The Poison Punch

Last but not least, let's talk about what's inside. Farmed salmon often deal with a "crowded house" vibe, leading to higher levels of antibiotics and pesticides to keep sea lice away. Their specialized diet is designed to fatten them up fast, but it often invites a bigger guest list of toxins compared to their free-roaming, wild-caught partners. 

• Winner: Wild Salmon! 🏆

The Final Verdict

In this 2019 fish-off, Wild Salmon takes the crown! 👑 It’s generally the safer, leaner, and cleaner choice for your body. Want to see which other fish are making a splash on the "safe to eat" list? Check out the video below for more!

Farmed Raised Salmon = 0. Wild Salmon = 3/3.

Enjoy,

Simply Pescatarian!