Modified Lunch: Fruit & Salmon Salad

Tuesdays are my busy days; I usually am on campus from 8am to at least 7pm. I don't always want to buy lunch on campus, but there aren't too many substantial gluten-free options to bring from the dorms.

One salad I can bring to campus from the dorms is the Mixed Field Greens with Apples and Berries Salad.

This salad looks and sounds pretty good, and it is! It has cranberries and sunflower seeds as well as the fruit and greens, which makes a nice touch.

However...it's not very filling at all. There's no way I can survive on just greens and what's equivalent to 1/2 an apple and a couple strawberries, especially on such a busy day when I'm running around between class and meetings. To make it more substantial, I like to add......

SALMON!

This can from Trader Joe's is great. I don't need a can opener to get at it--there's a little pop-top like what is on a soda can (what are those things called anyways!?) Salmon is full of protein, iron, calcium, vitamins A, B, and D, and most notably, Omega-3 fatty acids. Our body cannot synthesize Omega-3 fatty acids, so we must get them from our diet. Fish oil specifically contains DHA and EPA forms of Omega-3 fats, which are considered to have stronger health benefits than the ALA form found in seeds, veggies, and nuts. There is so much literature on the benefits of Omega-3's, but some of their notable properties include:
-reducing inflammation, especially in blood vessels and joints, which may lower the risk of heart disease
-lowering triglyceride levels. Triglycerides are a type of blood fat that is linked to heart disease.
-working with other compounds such as vitamin D and selenium to increase sugar absorption to lower blood sugar level. This in turn reduces the risk of type II diabetes.
-lowering blood pressure. (but it's not enough to just eat fish and expect chronically high blood pressure to suddenly go down...that requires lifestyle modification!)
-helping to reduce macular degeneration--aging processes such as vision damage.
-Omega-3's appear to be highly concentrated in the brain, and are important to cognitive function. They may help improve your memory, slow aging effects, and keep you awake...all things I wouldn't mind an extra boost of, especially between classes!
(sources: webmd, the AHA, organicfacts.net)