Salmon salad: real omega-3, a lot of sodium, no trial of its own

Nobody has run a study on salmon salad itself, so this page leans on salmon and on fish in general. The strongest result is one small trial. In 38 women aged 18 to 30 with a BMI of 25 or more, 7.1 oz (200 g) of smoked farmed salmon a week for 8 weeks lowered LDL cholesterol by 8.2 mg/dL. In the control group it rose by 9.5 mg/dL, and at the end the two groups did not differ in total cholesterol, HDL or triglycerides. A cup of salmon salad (208 g) in the one USDA recipe gives about 0.4 g EPA, 0.7 g DHA and 15.4 mcg vitamin D. The same cup brings 443 calories, 36 g fat and about 1055 mg sodium, and home versions vary with the amount of mayonnaise. The vitamin D did less than its number suggests. Over one autumn, in an unblinded trial in 120 young women, salmon sausage giving about 5 mcg a day only slowed the seasonal drop in blood vitamin D, by 4.3 against 15.0 nmol/L in controls, and smoked salmon made no significant difference.

As people eat it, per 3.5 oz (100 g)

How much is actually in it

• USDA's survey recipe for salmon salad is canned pink salmon mixed with regular mayonnaise, celery, sweet pickle relish and salt, so it combines fish with a mayonnaise dressing. — USDA FNDDS 2021-2023 FDC 2706826 Salmon salad (food code 27450030) (n = one survey food) Evidence E source
  Recipe: 300 g canned pink salmon, 110 g regular mayonnaise, 120 g celery, 30.6 g sweet pickle relish, 1.5 g salt

What a real portion looks like

• One cup of salmon salad (208 g) provides about 443 calories, 36 g fat and 22.5 g protein in the USDA FNDDS recipe. — US recipe-based food code, Salmon salad Evidence E source
  Per 100 g: 213 calories, 17.36 g fat, 10.82 g protein
• One cup of salmon salad (208 g) carries about 1055 mg sodium in the USDA FNDDS recipe. — US recipe-based food code, Salmon salad Evidence E source
  507 mg sodium per 3.5 oz (100 g), 1054.6 mg per 1 cup
• One cup of salmon salad (208 g) supplies about 0.4 g EPA and 0.7 g DHA, plus 15.4 mcg vitamin D, in the USDA FNDDS recipe. — US recipe-based food code, Salmon salad Evidence E source
  Per 100 g: EPA 0.172 g, DHA 0.358 g, vitamin D 7.4 mcg, selenium 18.2 mcg

What your body absorbs

• In an 8-week RCT in 120 young women in autumn, salmon products giving about 5 mcg vitamin D a day only slowed the fall in blood 25(OH)D, by 4.3 versus 15.0 nmol/L in controls for salmon sausage. — non-obese women aged 20-25, autumn, 8 weeks, smoked salmon 25 g/day or salmon sausage 100 g/day vs control (n = 120) Evidence B source
  25(OH)D change -4.3 vs -15.0 nmol/L (salmon sausage vs control, p < 0.05); smoked salmon no significant difference

What cooking and storage change

• In a crossover RCT in 13 healthy women, intact salmon raised plasma EPA and DHA more over 6 hours than the same meal made from minced salmon or defatted salmon plus oil. — healthy female participants, postprandial crossover, blood sampled for 6 h (n = 13) Evidence B source
  Plasma EPA and DHA significantly higher after intact salmon (covariate analysis p < 0.001)

What it does to your health

• In an 8-week RCT in 38 young women with excess weight, 7.1 oz (200 g) of smoked salmon a week lowered LDL by 8.2 mg/dL while controls rose by 9.5 mg/dL. — women aged 18-30 with BMI 25 or higher, 200 g smoked farmed salmon weekly vs control, 8 weeks (n = 38) Evidence B source
  LDL change -8.2 +/- 20.7 vs +9.5 +/- 20.0 mg/dL (p = 0.011); no difference in TC, HDL, TAG at end
• Observational data from 35 studies link the highest fish intake with an 18% lower risk of cognitive impairment or decline in older adults. — 35 observational studies of older adults (n = 35 studies) Evidence C source
  RR 0.82 (95% CI 0.75-0.90) cognitive impairment/decline; RR 0.82 (0.73-0.93) dementia

Safety, limits and interactions

• CDC tells pregnant women, people 65 or older and people with weakened immunity to avoid refrigerated smoked fish and premade deli salads. Safer choices are smoked fish cooked into a dish, shelf-stable sealed smoked fish, and homemade salads. — women who are pregnant, newborns, people 65 or older, people with a weakened immune system Evidence E source
  Refrigerated smoked fish and premade deli salads listed under Avoid; shelf-stable sealed smoked fish, smoked fish cooked in a dish, and homemade deli salads listed as safer choices
• CDC says about 1 in 25,000 pregnant women in the US get a Listeria infection each year, and 1 in 4 of them lose the pregnancy or the baby shortly after birth. — pregnant women in the United States, CDC page on people at increased risk for Listeria infection Evidence E source
  About 1 in 25,000 pregnant women infected each year; 1 in 4 of them lose the pregnancy or the baby shortly after birth
• FDA lists fish and eggs among the nine major food allergens, and labels must name the source of each one, including the species of fish. — US consumers with food allergy Evidence E source
  Fish and eggs among the nine major food allergens; fish species must be declared on the label
• According to FDA and EPA advice, people who are pregnant or breastfeeding should eat 8 to 12 ounces of lower-mercury seafood a week. — pregnant or breastfeeding adults (US federal advice) Evidence E source
  8-12 oz per week of lower-mercury seafood

What people believe that the data does not support

• The EU rejected the claim that a salmon oil supplement supports normal blood cholesterol, and no salmon claim is authorized in the EU register. — EU Register on nutrition and health claims, snapshot 2026-09-21 Evidence E source
  Status Non-authorized

Who this works differently for

• Observational data from 430 mother and child pairs link eating fish more than once a week in pregnancy with higher odds of food allergy in the child, while overall Mediterranean diet adherence was linked to slightly lower odds. — 430 mother-offspring dyads from the MEDALLION study (n = 430) Evidence C source
  Maternal fish intake above 1 serving a week in pregnancy associated with higher odds of food allergy in offspring (size not given in abstract); MedDiet adherence aOR 0.94 (95% CI 0.89-1.00)
• Observational data from 31 studies link higher fish intake in pregnancy with lower food allergy risk in children, with no link to asthma. — 31 observational studies of maternal fish intake and offspring allergy (n = 31 studies) Evidence C source
  Food allergy 0.75 (95% CI 0.64-0.88); asthma 0.99 (0.89-1.11)

What is still unknown

• Observational data pooled from 7 case-control studies link canned fish intake with no change in gastric cancer risk. — 4525 gastric cancer cases and 8073 controls with canned fish data, StoP Project (n = 12598) Evidence C source
  OR 0.96 (95% CI 0.82-1.13) for canned fish

The bottom line

How the fish reaches the plate may matter for its fats. In a crossover trial in 13 healthy women, intact salmon raised blood EPA and DHA more over 6 hours than the same meal made from minced salmon or from defatted salmon with oil added, and the abstract gives only a p value, with no size. We found no test of salmon salad in this design. Two findings on fish in general are observational. Across 35 studies of older adults, people eating the most fish had an 18 percent lower likelihood of cognitive impairment or decline (RR 0.82, 95% CI 0.75 to 0.90), with moderate inconsistency between studies. Seven case-control studies found no link between canned fish of any kind and stomach cancer (OR 0.96, 95% CI 0.82 to 1.13), in a design that relies on recalling past diet. The EU rejected a claim that a salmon oil supplement supports normal blood cholesterol, and no salmon claim is authorized in its register. Who should be careful: CDC tells pregnant women, people 65 or older and people with weakened immunity to avoid refrigerated smoked fish and premade deli salads, because of Listeria. A store-bought salmon salad falls under premade deli salads. Safer choices are a homemade salad, smoked fish cooked into a dish, or shelf-stable sealed smoked fish. CDC says about 1 in 25,000 pregnant women in the US get a Listeria infection each year, and 1 in 4 of them lose the pregnancy or the baby shortly after birth. FDA and EPA advise people who are pregnant or breastfeeding to eat 8 to 12 ounces a week of seafood lower in mercury, but that advice is about seafood in general, not about ready-made salads. The USDA recipe is canned pink salmon mixed with regular mayonnaise, and FDA lists fish and eggs among the nine major food allergens that labels must name, so people allergic to either should check the label or the recipe. A salad version also carries the sodium above. Across 31 observational studies, more fish in pregnancy went with less food allergy in the children (0.75, 95% CI 0.64 to 0.88) and no change in asthma. A later cohort of 430 mother and child pairs, MEDALLION, linked fish more than once a week in pregnancy with higher odds of food allergy in the child, without giving the size. We have no card on drug interactions for this dish.

Sources

1. hf2-salsd-3 · food composition table metadata
   fdc_id 2706826 · 300.0 GM 15084 Fish, salmon, pink, canned, total can contents · 0.5 C (110.0 g) 4025 Salad dressing, mayonnaise, regular · 120.0 GM 11143 Celery, raw · 30.625 GM 11945 Pickle relish, sweet · 1 teaspoon (1.5 g) 2047 Salt, table
   USDA FoodData Central, FNDDS survey food CSV 2024-10-31 (FNDDS 2021-2023), input_food.csv, FDC 2706826 · checked 2026-10-08
2. salsd-r7-01 · dataset
   FNDDS 27450030 Salmon salad (fdc 2706826): Energy 213 KCAL per 100 g · Total lipid (fat) 17.36 G per 100 g · Protein 10.82 G per 100 g · 1 cup 208 g · Quantity not specified 104 g
   USDA FNDDS 2021-2023 (FoodData Central), food code 27450030, fdc 2706826 · checked 2026-10-01
3. salsd-r7-02 · dataset
   FNDDS 27450030 Salmon salad (fdc 2706826): Sodium, Na 507 MG per 100 g · 1 cup 208 g 1054.6 MG
   USDA FNDDS 2021-2023 (FoodData Central), food code 27450030, fdc 2706826 · checked 2026-10-01
4. salsd-r7-03 · dataset
   FNDDS 27450030 Salmon salad (fdc 2706826): PUFA 20:5 n-3 (EPA) 0.172 G · PUFA 22:6 n-3 (DHA) 0.358 G · Vitamin D (D2 + D3) 7.4 UG · Selenium, Se 18.2 UG per 100 g · 1 cup 208 g
   USDA FNDDS 2021-2023 (FoodData Central), food code 27450030, fdc 2706826 · checked 2026-10-01
5. salsd-r7-05 · RCT
   The 8-week intervention involved 120 non-obese women, aged 20-25 years. Participants were randomly assigned to one of three groups: smoked salmon (25 g/day), salmon sausage (100 g/day), or a control group. Both intervention products provided approximately 5 µg of vitamin D daily. ... While all groups experienced a decrease in 25(OH)D serum concentrations, the decrease was significantly smaller in the salmon sausage group compared to the control group (-4.3 vs. -15.0 nmol/L, p < 0.05), and no significant difference was observed between the smoked salmon and control group after 8 weeks (p > 0.05).
   Nutrients, 2024 · checked 2026-10-01
6. salsd-r7-04 · RCT, crossover
   Healthy female participants (n = 13) consumed the meals in a postprandial crossover study and blood was collected at regular time points for 6 h post meal consumption. ... Results: showed that plasma concentration of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) were significantly higher after participants consumed intact salmon compared to the other meals (covariate analysis p < 0.001).
   Food Funct, 2021 · checked 2026-10-01
7. salsd-r7-06 · RCT
   The 8-week intervention involved 38 pair-matched women aged 18-30 years with excessive body weight defined as BMI ≥ 25.0 kg/m2. Participants were randomly assigned to the intervention (200 g of smoked salmon weekly) or the control group. ... However, differences in the change of the LDL concentration were noted, with a decrease of 8.2 ± 20.7 mg/dL in the intervention group compared to an increase of 9.5 ± 20.0 mg/dL in the control group (p = 0.011)
   Nutrients, 2024 · checked 2026-10-01
8. salsd-r7-08 · meta-analysis of observational studies
   Individuals reporting the highest vs. the lowest fish consumption were associated with a lower likelihood of cognitive impairment/decline (RR = 0.82, 95% CI: 0.75, 0.90, I2 = 61.1%), dementia (RR = 0.82, 95% CI: 0.73, 0.93, I2 = 38.7%), and Alzheimer's disease (RR = 0.80, 95% CI: 0.67, 0.96, I2 = 20.3%).
   Aging Clin Exp Res, 2024 · checked 2026-10-01
9. hf2-salsd-1 · agency advice
   You may be at higher risk if you are in one of the following groups: ... Women who are pregnant ... If you are in any of these groups, choose safer foods to protect your health or your pregnancy. ... Premade deli salads, such as coleslaw and potato, tuna, or chicken salad ... Homemade deli salads ... Refrigerated smoked fish ... Smoked fish cooked in a casserole or other cooked dishes
   CDC, Listeria Prevention Steps and Strategies, Safer Food Choices table, last reviewed 2025-01-16 · checked 2026-10-08
10. hf2-salsd-2 · agency advice
    Every year in the United States, about 1 in 25,000 pregnant women are infected with Listeria. Sadly, 1 in 4 pregnant women who get this illness lose their pregnancy or their baby shortly after birth.
    CDC, People at Increased Risk for Listeria Infection: Pregnant Women and Newborns, last reviewed 2025-09-24 · checked 2026-10-08
11. hf2-salsd-4 · agency advice
    The major food allergens are milk, eggs, fish, Crustacean shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, soybeans, and sesame. ... The law also requires that the type of tree nut (for example, almonds, pecans, walnuts), and the species of fish (for example, bass, flounder, cod) and Crustacean shellfish (for example, crab, lobster, shrimp) to be declared.
    US FDA, Food Allergies: What You Need to Know, content current as of 2026-03-11 · checked 2026-10-08
12. salsd-r7-11 · agency guidance
    Those who are pregnant or breastfeeding consume between 8 and 12 ounces per week of a variety of seafood from choices that are lower in mercury.
    US FDA and EPA, Advice about Eating Fish · checked 2026-10-01
13. salsd-r7-10 · regulatory register
    POL-HC-7853 Pure salmon oil 500 mg. D alpha tocopherol10 mg.-cps Supports the normal level of blood cholesterol. Non-authorised
    EU Register on nutrition and health claims, claim POL-HC-7853, snapshot 2026-09-21 · checked 2026-10-01
14. hf2-salsd-5 · prospective cohort
    A total of 430 mother-offspring dyads were included in the analysis. Higher maternal adherence to the MedDiet was associated with reduced odds of FA in offspring during both pregnancy (adjusted OR 0.94, 95% CI 0.89-1.00) and lactation (adjusted OR 0.94, 95% CI 0.88-1.00). ... Conversely, higher intake of poultry and red meat (> 3 servings/week) during both periods, and fish consumption during pregnancy (> 1 serving/week), were associated with increased odds of FA.
    Allergy, 2026 · checked 2026-10-08
15. salsd-r7-09 · meta-analysis of observational studies
    Greater maternal fish intake was associated with a reduced risk of wheeze (Pooled effect size: 0.97; 95% CI: 0.96-0.99) and food allergy (0.75; 95% CI: 0.64-0.88). Maternal fish consumption was not associated with risk of asthma (pooled effect size: 0.99; 95% CI: 0.89, 1.11)
    Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr, 2022 · checked 2026-10-01
16. salsd-r7-07 · meta-analysis of case-control studies
    Seven studies collected information on canned fish (4525 cases and 8073 controls). No association was found for canned fish (OR = 0.96, 95% CI 0.82-1.13).
    Sci Rep, 2025 · checked 2026-10-01