Is Salmon Good For Cutting?
Table of Contents
Introduction
Is salmon useful in helping you to get leaner? This is what I will be exploring. A well balanced diet should consist of fish, meat, vegetables and carbohydrates. There are still many people who don’t consume enough fish in their diet.
Is Salmon Good For Cutting?
Salmon is a great food for cutting and this is why so many bodybuilders include it in their contest prep before bodybuilding shows.
It is high in protein and low in calories, typically just 200 calories per serving. It also helps to speed up your metabolism. Good quality sources of protein in general are great for satiation and can help to reduce body fat.
This is why so many diets call for high protein and lower carb approaches. This formula works very well when it comes to fat loss.
Salmon Is High In Protein
Salmon is a great choice for a cutting diet as it is high in protein. There is around 20g protein per 100g serving of salmon. This figure can vary slightly depending on the type of salmon, however it serves as a good baseline.
You could easily consume two fillets of salmon three or four times a week to get the benefits. Salmon also contains selenium, which is very important for thyroid health.
With respect to protein there is a debate regarding cost. Some people feel salmon is too expensive and that it is better to go for cheaper alternatives for protein.
This depends on your own budget. Mackerel and tuna are cheaper than salmon and contain a similar amount of protein per 100g serving. Tuna actually contains more protein than salmon.
Rich In Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Another huge benefit of salmon is the concentration of omega-3 fatty acids. Farmed salmon contains more omega-3 than wild salmon.
Salmon contains over 2000mg of EPA and DHA combined in a 100g serving. Omega-3 has been proven to be very good for your brain health and body in general.
It can help to protect against heart disease and improve cognitive function. It can also be very beneficial for skin health, among a host of other benefits. The omega-3 can aid in weight loss by boosting your metabolism.
There are different types of salmon as well. Many people enjoy sockeye salmon, which has a moderate amount of fat. King salmon is even fattier, however the fat is good fat.
The taste of salmon is great which is why so many people enjoy eating it. There are a multitude of benefits that salmon can provide you with.
Seafood Study
There is a good study into the relationship between seafood intake and obesity. I will summarise some of the key findings here for you.
Firstly, many publications have found that fatty fish like salmon have a high content of marine n-3 PUFA. This compound has been shown to have positive effects on obesity related disorders.
In a study by Mori et al. [2] 63 overweight patients that were being treated for hypertension were randomised to a daily fish meal, a weight loss regime, the two combined or a control group for 16 weeks.
The findings were very interesting. The fish meals were comprised of turbot, canned sardines, canned salmon or canned tuna. The weight loss groups were assigned to a program where their individual daily energy intake was decreased by 2000-6500 KJ for 12 weeks.
The results showed that the biggest weight loss was seen in the groups that had the daily fish meals and restricted calories. Therefore, it is important to note that consuming fish like salmon daily will not automatically reduce your weight a lot.
You need to also ensure that you are in a caloric deficit as well to aid in fat loss. When bodybuilders cut and have a super clean diet and are in a caloric deficit, including salmon and other fatty fish in their diet will be highly advantageous in getting leaner.
Lee Hayward Salmon Recipe
A very simple way of cooking salmon is to bake it. I like Lee Hayward’s salmon recipe personally and you can see how Lee makes this in the video below.
Lee Hayward is well known in the fitness community. He is an amateur bodybuilder that is very knowledgeable when it comes to all aspects of fitness and personal transformation.
This salmon recipe is baked salmon fillet and it is very healthy. It is important to season the salmon well for maximum flavour. The seasonings you choose to put on the salmon are entirely up to you.
But you really can’t go wrong with sea salt, garlic and herbs and turmeric. If you like an extra kick then you could put some paprika on as well. All that you need to do after seasoning is put your salmon fillet in the oven for 15-20 minutes.
You can serve it with some vegetables and a source of carbohydrates like a sweet potato.
Final Thoughts
Is salmon good for cutting? The research shows that salmon is great for cutting. It is a fatty fish that will aid massively in fat loss when combined with a clean diet and caloric deficit.
This is the reason why many bodybuilders swear by salmon when they are cutting weight in preparation for bodybuilding shows. Salmon also tastes great and is rich in protein and omega-3 fatty acids.
If you have any experiences with salmon that you would like to share, please leave a comment below.
As always, stay safe and enjoy your training!
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