Salmon Roe Stacks Recipe
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This short recipe video shows a fun, tasty way to eat salmon roe. Click To Tweet
A form of DHA, an omega-3 fatty acid, with its own transporter.
Salmon roe is rich in the omega-3 fatty acid, docosahexaenoic acid, or DHA. Not all DHA forms are created equal, however. The DHA in salmon roe is in phospholipid form, which may play a unique role in human physiology. It turns out that humans and some animals have a transporter, called Mfsd2a, in their brains. This transporter targets the phospholipid form of DHA and moves it into the brain. Research has shown that animals that have been genetically modified to lack Mfsd2a transporters have 60% less DHA in their brains compared to normal animals. Other research shows that humans who have a mutation in the gene that encodes for the Mfsd2a transporter develop early neurodegeneration.
Not just a pretty fish – salmon roe is rich in other nutrients.
Not only is salmon roe a good source of DHA, it also provides protein, vitamins, minerals, and astaxanthin – an antioxidant compound that gives salmon its reddish or pinkish tint. In human studies, astaxanthin reduces biomarkers of oxidative stress.
Relevant studies
- Marine Omega-3 Phospholipids: Metabolism and Biological Activities
- Mfsd2a is a transporter for the essential omega-3 fatty acid docosahexaenoic acid
- Inactivating mutations in MFSD2A, required for omega-3 fatty acid transport in brain, cause a lethal microcephaly syndrome
- Antioxidant effect of astaxanthin on phospholipid peroxidation in human erythrocytes
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I have tried getting my kids to try this and they all seem to love flying fish roe, the much smaller roe. Is it as good as Salmon Roe for health concerns? Great article.
I also would like to know the suggested serving size a day and/or in a week for salmon roe. I am 59 years old about 90 lbs.
Hello Rhonda, thank you so much for the article. What quantity a day/ week would you recommend?
I am a complete newbie to Salmon Roe. I went on https://www.red-caviar.com/ website as suggested but even then there are so many different options and nothing that uses the words “salmon roe.” I’m assuming it is the salmon red caviar but isn’t that different from Roe? I know this could be a stupid question but I’m just a little lost.
No Increase in Colon Cancer Risk Following Induction with Neu5Gc- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6162487/
best source of salmon roe-organic alaska wild only check also their face book for monthly coupons order during winter to minimize spoiling due to heat –3 days shipping https://www.red-caviar.com/
Hi. What is the recommended amount of salmon roe per serving? How many times a week?
Hi Rhonda, I am very curious about this as well as it is my first time supplementing with Salmon Roe. Ie. About how many tablespoons should we take daily or weekly? I am 28 yrs. old if that makes a difference. Many thanks for all the work you do and share with us!
Tried this today. I think next time I’m going to wrap it up in a nori and slice it into bite sized pieces. It won’t be as messy that way. Also I know I need to add something to it but I’m not sure what yet. Maybe a little bit of cucumber for a crunch factor.
A fellow ApoE4 has brought up this concern: your opinion, Rhonda?
“I would be curious if there’s any concern over the Neu5Gc content of fish roe (a complaint I’ve read about beef / red meat.) While ground beef and bison supply ~25-29ug/g of Neu5Gc, fish roe is in the 400-500ug/g range. From this perspective, a prophylactic 0.5oz serving of roe (which barely provides 1 gram of total polyunsaturated fats) would be about like eating a bison steak every day."
Corrected link: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5767959/
No Increase in Colon Cancer Risk Following Induction with Neu5Gc- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6162487/
Hi Rhonda! I’m preggers, and want to give this a try. Do you worry at all about listeria contamination? What if you buy it from a sushi place? I found some lumpfish but sadly it had added food coloring… Any thoughts on the effects of food coloring on a pregnancy? Thank you for everything, I love your stuff!
Rhonda, thanks. Do you have a secondary go-to source for quality roe (when vital choice inevitably sells out)?
https://www.red-caviar.com/
So, I have found salmon roe at whole foods, but sprouts doesn’t have it. can lumpfish be used in a pinch? I only ask because not everyone has a whole foods near them. and most grocery stores do have the lumpfish caviar
Lumpfish roe is actually a great source!
https://www.red-caviar.com/