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
Doctor Rhonda Patrick here today I'm making some salmon roe stacks. Many of you may know I'm a huge fan of salmon roe because it contains the omega 3 fatty acid DHA in phospholipid form. In fact, around 40 to 70% of fish roe in general contain their DHA in phospholipid form compared to fish, which only has about 1 to 3% of the DHA in phospholipid form. Some animal studies are suggestive that DHA in phospholipid form may get into the brain better than DHA in other forms. Salmon row also is really high in astaxanthin, which is an antioxidant that has been shown in animal studies to activate the longevity gene FoxO3, and in human studies it's been shown to decrease markers of oxidative stress and also improve blood lipid markers as well. It's a really easy snack to make and personally I think it's very healthy.
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