Over the course of two five-week sessions, 41 participants diagnosed with overweight or obesity maintained a Mediterranean diet that included two servings of salmon weekly (via The Journal of Nutrition). Testing revealed that salmon contained two metabolites and two salmon food-specific compounds known to support heart health. The research revealed a connection between these four compounds and short-term improvements in participant total cholesterol levels, LDL “bad” cholesterol levels, triglycerides, and apolipoprotein B, a protein that moves plaque-making substances through the bloodstream (via Cleveland Clinic).
These study findings build upon the results of earlier research highlighting salmon’s potential benefits for cholesterol levels. This includes a 2007 study published in the scientific journal Atherosclerosis where over 40 non-obese adults ate 125 grams of salmon daily for four weeks, after which time they abstained from eating fish for the next four weeks. Compared to blood test results taken during the no-fish-eating period, daily salmon consumption was shown to lower LDL cholesterol by 7% and boost HDL cholesterol by 5%.