A typical 3-ounce serving of cooked salmon delivers roughly 1,000 to 1,800 milligrams of EPA and DHA, the two omega-3 fatty acids your body uses most. That single serving covers or exceeds the amount most health organizations consider beneficial for heart health. The exact number depends on the species, whether it’s wild or farmed, and how you cook it.
Omega-3 Content by Salmon Species
Not all salmon is created equal when it comes to omega-3s. USDA data breaks down EPA and DHA content per 100 grams (about 3.5 ounces) of raw fish:
- Farmed Atlantic salmon: 1.91 g combined EPA and DHA (0.62 g EPA, 1.29 g DHA)
- Coho salmon: 1.56 g (0.18 g EPA, 1.38 g DHA)
- Wild Atlantic salmon: 1.41 g (0.29 g EPA, 1.12 g DHA)
- King (Chinook) salmon: 0.83 g (0.12 g EPA, 0.71 g DHA)
- Sockeye (Red) salmon: 0.69 g (0.04 g EPA, 0.65 g DHA)
- Pink salmon: 0.69 g (0.10 g EPA, 0.59 g DHA)
Farmed Atlantic salmon tops the list because farmed fish carry more overall fat. That extra fat means more omega-3s per bite, even though wild salmon is leaner. Coho is a standout among wild species, packing nearly as much DHA as the farmed variety.
Wild vs. Farmed Salmon
Farmed Atlantic salmon contains about 35% more combined EPA and DHA than wild Atlantic salmon per serving. The reason is straightforward: farmed fish are fed controlled diets and move less, so they accumulate more fat throughout their flesh. According to the Washington State Department of Health, farmed salmon fillets contain as many or more grams of omega-3s as wild salmon specifically because of this higher fat content.
That said, wild salmon is lower in total calories and saturated fat. If your main goal is maximizing omega-3s per serving, farmed Atlantic salmon gives you the most. If you prefer a leaner protein source that still delivers a solid dose, wild species like coho or king are strong choices. Both farmed and wild salmon earn the FDA’s “best choice” rating for low mercury, so safety isn’t a meaningful differentiator between them.
How Much You Need Each Day
There is no single official recommendation for daily EPA and DHA intake in healthy adults. The American Heart Association recommends eating fatty fish like salmon at least twice per week, which works out to roughly two 3.5-ounce servings. For people with existing heart disease, the AHA suggests about 1,000 milligrams of EPA plus DHA daily. A single serving of farmed Atlantic salmon covers that in one meal.
The FDA caps its recommended supplemental intake at 2,000 milligrams of EPA and DHA per day. Eating salmon two to three times a week comfortably keeps you within these ranges without supplements. Even the lower-omega-3 species like pink or sockeye deliver 700 to 900 milligrams per cooked 3-ounce portion, enough to make a meaningful contribution to your weekly intake.
Canned Salmon Holds Up Well
Canned salmon is a surprisingly good source of omega-3s. USDA data shows that canned pink salmon contains about 0.80 g of combined EPA and DHA per 100 grams, which is actually slightly higher than raw pink salmon at 0.69 g. Canned sockeye does even better at 1.03 g per 100 grams, compared to 0.69 g raw. The canning process concentrates the fish and locks in the fats rather than destroying them.
The National Lipid Association groups canned salmon in the 1,000 to 1,500 milligram range per 3-ounce cooked serving, right alongside wild king and farmed Atlantic salmon. For the price, canned salmon is one of the most cost-effective ways to hit your omega-3 targets. It also includes soft, edible bones that add calcium.
How Cooking Affects Omega-3 Levels
Cooking does reduce omega-3 content, but the method matters a lot. Steaming preserves the most EPA and DHA, retaining roughly 55 to 60% of the original levels. Baking in foil keeps about 37 to 38%. Grilling and deep-frying lose the most, though exact numbers vary by study. The key factor is temperature: steaming tops out around 100°C (212°F), while baking and grilling push well above that, breaking down more of the delicate fatty acids.
In practical terms, this means a 3.5-ounce serving of farmed Atlantic salmon that starts with 1.91 grams of EPA and DHA raw might deliver around 1.0 to 1.1 grams after steaming, or roughly 0.7 grams after baking in foil. Even with those losses, a single portion still provides a meaningful amount. If you want to maximize omega-3 retention, keep cooking times short and temperatures moderate. Poaching and steaming are your best options, followed by baking. Save the deep fryer for something else.
Mercury Is Not a Concern With Salmon
Salmon sits in the FDA’s “best choice” category for mercury, the lowest-risk tier. This applies to all species: farmed Atlantic, wild Atlantic, pink, sockeye, coho, and king. Unlike larger predatory fish such as swordfish or king mackerel, salmon are relatively short-lived and eat lower on the food chain, so mercury doesn’t accumulate to concerning levels. You can safely eat two to three servings per week without worrying about mercury exposure, which makes salmon one of the rare foods where the omega-3 benefits come with essentially no toxicity tradeoff.