We all have heard the phrase, ‘you are what you eat’. Sadly, this is what most of us are eating when we are purchasing Salmon at the grocery store.

Farmed fish are often living in unhealthy and unnatural environments. These fish are usually fed GMO corn, soy and other seed oils, that are far from their natural diet. (Since when have you seen a fish eat corn in the wild?) These farm fish are also living in confined spaces, making them highly susceptible to parasites, disease and infections. Most of these fish are also dyed with food coloring to help give them their pink color.

If you are anything like me, our bodies can tell the difference between high quality and low quality produce, meats and seafood. If you are struggling with Autoimmune disease and are in the process of eliminating soy and seed oils from your diet, consuming farmed fish could be a secret culprit that is contributing to your body’s inflammation.

So what do you buy?

Look for Wild Caught and Sustainably Caught Fish. These fish are caught in their natural habitats, and are eating what is naturally occurring in their ecosystem. When they eat what is naturally in their habitat, plankton, algae and smaller fish, they are able to develop their pink hue, and have a natural balance of omega 3 and omega 6.

I personally like to limit my salmon fish consumption to once a week, focusing on high quality and the freshest possible. I always recommend eating what is locally sourced (even if it’s not salmon) to help support local farmers, fisherman and natural ecosystems. Unless you are in an area where you don’t have access to fresh fish, there are many companies that sell and ship wild caught fish to your door. I personally drive across town to get the highest quality meats/fish possible from grocery stores/farmers markets.

(Also, these fish farms can also cause major harm to the ecosystem from over farming, disrupting the natural habitats of the salmon and the locations of the fish farms. They run the risk of the fish escaping, disrupting the natural habitats and not interacting well with the other fish in the local environment.