Keep your brain and your heart healthy by consuming omega-3 fatty acids, which are found in fish such as salmon and cod. Omega-3 fats lower your risk for Alzheimer's disease, high blood pressure and heart disease. The American Heart Association recommends consuming fish at least twice a week to get the benefits provided by these essential fatty acids. While both salmon and cod are healthy protein sources, salmon is a better option overall, even though it contains more calories, because it also contains higher levels of many essential nutrients.
A 3-ounce serving of cooked wild Atlantic salmon contains 160 calories, 22 grams of protein and 5 grams of fat, including 1 gram of saturated fat and 1,564 milligrams of omega-3 fat. A 3-ounce serving of cooked Atlantic cod contains 90 calories, 19 grams of protein and only trace amounts of fat, including 134 milligrams of omega-3 fat. Although salmon contains more unhealthy saturated fat than the cod, it also contains more protein and essential omega-3 fat. Consuming saturated fats can increase your risk of heart disease, but omega-3 fats have a protective effect against heart disease.
Salmon is a better source of the essential vitamins than cod. Eating 3-ounces of salmon will provide you with 45 percent of the daily value for niacin and vitamin B-12, 40 percent of the DV for vitamin B-6, 25 percent of the DV for riboflavin, 15 percent of the DV for thiamine and 6 percent of the DV for folate. The same size serving of cod will provide you with 15 percent of the daily value for vitamin B-12, 10 percent of the DV for niacin and vitamin B-6, 6 percent of the DV for thiamine, 4 percent of the DV for riboflavin and 2 percent of the DV for folate. These B vitamins are essential for creating energy for your body from the foods you eat, as well as keeping your skin, eyes and hair healthy. Vitamin B-12 is especially important, since it only comes from animal-based protein sources, and a deficiency of this vitamin can cause anemia.
Cod provides more magnesium than salmon, but salmon is a better source of the other essential minerals. A 3-ounce serving of salmon contains 20 percent of the DV for phosphorus, 8 percent of the DV for magnesium and 6 percent of the DV for zinc and iron. Three ounces of cod provides 10 percent of the DV for phosphorus and magnesium, 4 percent of the DV for zinc and 2 percent of the DV for iron. Your body uses phosphorus to produce energy, form strong bones and create DNA. Magnesium keeps your heartbeat steady, assists in immune function and helps keep your blood sugar and blood pressure within normal levels.
While you can safely consume up to two 6-ounce servings of salmon per week, cod tends to be slightly higher in mercury, so consume only two 6-ounce servings per month. Choose wild salmon, as farmed salmon is higher in unhealthy contaminants, such as PCBs, notes an article published in "Science" in January 2004. Mercury interferes with your nervous system and with brain development, and PCBs, or polychlorinated biphenyls, are a group of substances that can interfere with your immune system, hormones and nervous system and increase your risk for cancer.
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