Health experts unanimously agree that salmon is one of the healthiest foods you can eat. It’s full of beneficial Omega-3 Fatty Acids and delicious. Besides, calories in lox are low compared to many other fatty foods. For example, one ounce of it comprise of only 33 calories, as opposed to 89 calories in 1 ounce of french fries.
However, many of us tend to mix up different types of prepared salmon. So, let‘s set the record straight so that you won‘t end up a fish in troubled waters!
To smoke or not to smoke?
The name Smoked Salmon is often used for any type of salmon processed with smoke. Meanwhile lox requires special preparation: firstly it is brined or cured in salt-sugar rub, and only after that, it is smoked in a cold temperature for a couple of days.
While all salmon is generally believed to be good for your health, lox takes the cake in this department: the combination of brining and cold smoke makes the health benefits of lox especially abundant.
Lox nutrition facts
Since salmon lives in cold waters, it tends to accumulate fat. Don’t shrink away from the word – some fat is actually good for you, and that happens to be the unsaturated fat of a salmon. Moreover, it’s full of wondrous omega-3 – that’s great for your heart, brain and guts!
Unlike many other types of fat, it’s also low in cholesterol. But it doesn’t mean you can eat unlimited amounts of lox without any consequences – 2 ounces (around 57 milligrams) of it contains about 12% of recommended daily value of cholesterol. Don’t worry, you probably won’t eat much at a time anyway – salmon is really satiated!
Protein and vitamins
If you want to cut down on meat consumption, salmon is a great choice. Its protein levels are almost as high as those found in meat. And you know how important protein is for healthy living! Lox nutrition levels are pretty high, as consuming 3 ounces of it makes about 30% of your daily protein intake.
Since we’re fishing around for health benefits, let’s look at the vitamins. Salmon is packed with vitamins B-6 and B-12, both of which lower your risk of a heart attack. B-6 also participates in the production of serotonin – ‘happiness hormone’ – that regulates your mood and sleep cycles. And I’m pretty sure we could all benefit from that!
Is everything so perfect?
All the compliments directed to lox might seem a little fishy – after all, there’s no food that’s perfect. The (however small) risk of it is its high sodium levels. If you’re eating a lot of processed food, you probably don’t need any more sodium than you already have.
And, even though salmon lox calories are low, the same can't be said about bagels and cream cheese that it‘s often eaten with. Remember – it‘s not only the salmon that counts!
