Hello,
In the lesson, you mention that high temperatures, such as during grilling salmon, destroy omega-3. At what temperature does this occur? If I want to bake salmon in the oven, at what temperature does it retain all its essential nutrients? Thank you.
The specific temperature is relative for several reasons:
- Each fatty acid or group has a different smoke point, but in foods, they are always found in a complex with others, not independently.
- The smoke point is affected (i.e., lowered) by the presence of other substances in the food (phospholipids, salt, etc.).
- During the thermal processing of food, the exact temperature is not usually monitored.
In general, the more omega-3 fatty acids a food contains, the less suitable it is for heat manipulation. The smoke point of omega-3s themselves ranges from 110-130 °C. If you aim to preserve the stability of omega-3s, it is advisable to prepare salmon, which is a relatively rich source of these fatty acids, by steaming or briefly simmering at lower temperatures.
Questions answered by
Mgr. Martin Jelinek
Lecturer and author of the educational system
Nutrition educator, lecturer, and author of the educational system and the ZOF learning application.
Mgr. Martin Jelínek has been systematically involved in nutrition education since 1999. He is the founder of ATAC, the educational company behind NutriCourses, and the author of an educational system focused on nutrition, healthy lifestyle, and the practical application of nutrition knowledge.
He graduated from the Faculty of Science at Masaryk University in Brno. Throughout his professional career, he has combined nutrition, education, and the practical application of acquired knowledge. His educational system also includes the ZOF (Zone of Optimal Functioning) learning application, where students turn theory into practical work with meal plans.
In 2007, he launched the first intake of a six-month course focused on the education of nutrition advisors. Over time, this course became the foundation for the further development of the educational system and a range of specialised courses.