How Healthy Is Steelhead Trout?
Steelhead trout is the commercial market name often used for rainbow trout. According to the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch, steelhead trout farmed in the United States is one of the healthiest types of seafood that you can eat. It is rich in lean protein, vitamins, minerals and omega-3 fatty acids while containing a low level of contaminants like mercury, pesticides, dioxin and polychlorinated biphenyls, or PCBs. Read on to learn more about what it can do for you.
A 3-ounce, 85-gram serving of cooked steelhead trout contains 645 International Units of vitamin D. This amount supplies over 100 percent of the recommended daily allowance of vitamin D for healthy adults following a 2,000-calorie diet. Vitamin D aids in the growth, development and maintenance of bones and helps regulate the activity of the immune system. A diet that contains plenty of vitamin D-rich foods like steelhead trout may help decrease your risk of cancer, hypertension, diabetes, osteoporosis and heart disease. Vitamin D is fat soluble and must be accompanied by dietary fat to be absorbed by the intestines. Try serving broiled steelhead trout drizzled with olive oil, or top a grilled fillet with a sauce made from avocados.
Each 3-ounce serving of steelhead trout has 3.49 micrograms of vitamin B-12, or 58 percent of the RDA of the vitamin. Also known as cobalamin, vitamin B-12 plays a crucial role in energy metabolism and in the synthesis of red blood cells, DNA and RNA. It supports the function of the immune and nervous systems and, along with other members of the B family of vitamins, helps keep homocysteine levels under control. A high blood concentration of the amino acid homocysteine is linked to an increased risk of heart disease. Adequate vitamin B-12 intake may also lower your risk of certain types of cancer and age-related macular degeneration.
Adult men and women need about 55 micrograms of the mineral selenium daily, and a 3-ounce serving of cooked steelhead trout fulfills approximately 34 percent of this requirement. Selenium acts as an antioxidant, inhibiting the ability of free radical compounds to damage DNA and cellular tissue. It promotes immune system health and plays an important role in the function of endocrine glands like the thyroid. If your diet lacks adequate selenium, you may be more likely to develop rheumatoid arthritis, cancer, frequent infections or heart disease. Eating foods with a high concentration of selenium is especially important if you take birth control pills, smoke or drink alcohol, since these activities can decrease your selenium level.
Omega-3 Fatty Acids
A 100-gram portion of steelhead trout contains 0.6 grams of total omega-3 fatty acids. Of this amount, 0.1 grams are provided by eicosapentaenoic acid, or EPA, and 0.4 grams come from docosahexaenoic acid, or DHA. According to the American Heart Association, a high dietary intake of omega-3 fatty acids, particularly EPA and DHA, may significantly decrease your risk of heart disease by lowering your triglyceride levels, blood pressure and the amount of plaque buildup in your arteries. Steelhead trout is not as high in omega-3 fatty acid content as fish like mackerel or tuna, but it is less likely to contain contaminants. Per serving, steelhead trout is comparable in omega-3 fatty acid content to halibut, pollock and smelt.
Michelle Kerns writes for a variety of print and online publications and specializes in literature and science topics. She has served as a book columnist since 2008 and is a member of the National Book Critics Circle. Kerns studied English literature and neurology at UC Davis.