Salmon · cooked

Salmon provides 24 g of complete protein per 100 g, but its real strength lies elsewhere: its 12 g of fat (205 kcal) are rich in omega-3s (EPA and DHA), fatty acids the body makes poorly that support recovery, cardiovascular and joint health.

It is one of the few foods to combine so much protein and healthy fat. More calorie-dense than white fish, it fits naturally when bulking and in balanced eating.

When bulking, its calorie density is an asset: a portion brings protein and quality energy. When cutting it remains an excellent choice, but watch the portion since its fat weighs on your calorie total — 100 to 130 g is often enough.

Benchmark: 130 g of cooked salmon provide about 31 g of protein and ~265 kcal. Pair it with carbs and green vegetables.

Salmon cooks fast and dries out if overcooked: in the oven (~180 °C, 12-15 min), pan-fried skin-side down, or in a parcel to stay tender, the flesh should remain glossy in the centre. No drizzle of oil is needed, it has enough fat.

Fresh, frozen or canned, it keeps its omega-3s. The canned version (with soft bones) also provides calcium and costs less.

Farmed or wild, both are excellent sources of protein and omega-3s. Wild is a bit leaner and pricier; farmed salmon, fattier, stays very rich in omega-3s and far more affordable — choose by budget, without guilt.

On format, frozen salmon (often frozen at sea) is as good as 'fresh' and cheaper. Smoked salmon is a handy fallback but saltier: watch the sodium if you eat it often.

Not every form of salmon serves your goals equally. The cooked fillet, the reference of this page, remains the most versatile: you control seasoning, cooking and portion. Canned salmon is very practical, keeps for a long time in the cupboard and slips into a salad, an omelette or a wrap in thirty seconds. Smoked salmon and gravlax, on the other hand, are prepared with salt: perfect for a breakfast or a savoury snack, but less suitable if you eat them every day or if you watch your blood pressure.

Also remember that nutritional values vary slightly depending on the species, the farming, the cut (back or belly, which is fattier) and the cooking method. The catalogue macros (205 kcal, 24 g of protein, 12 g of fat per 100 g cooked) are average benchmarks: if you weigh your food precisely, always weigh it in the same state, cooked or raw, so that your tracking stays consistent from one day to the next.

Fresh salmon is a fragile product: keep it in the refrigerator, well wrapped, and eat it within one or two days of purchase, or freeze it quickly. Once cooked, it keeps for about two days in the cold in an airtight box, which lets you prepare two meals at once. To reheat it without drying it out, use a gentle microwave setting or a brief pass in the oven, and do not heat it for long. Thaw it in the refrigerator rather than at room temperature.

The most frequent mistakes: overcooking it (dry, chalky flesh), drowning it in sweet or creamy sauces that double the calories without you noticing, or eating it only once a month while hoping for an effect on omega-3s. Regularity matters more than the quantity on a single day. Finally, pregnant women, young children and vulnerable people should follow health guidelines on raw or lightly cooked fish: if in doubt, ask a healthcare professional.