Know2eat

Trout

Oncorhynchus mykiss

What trout has been studied for

3 associations assessed — 2 with at least some human evidence behind them. Strongest first.

  • 2 Moderate
  • 1 Insufficient
3 things to know first — allergies, interactions and intake limits

About trout

Salmonid freshwater fish, now mostly farmed in raceways and cages, with flesh ranging from white to pink depending on diet. The pink colour comes from carotenoid pigment in the feed rather than from the species itself.

Also known as Rainbow trout, Brown trout, Steelhead, Freshwater trout

Heart HealthMuscle & Physical PerformanceAntioxidant & Oxidative Stress

The evidence in depth

Best supported: Moderate

What each association actually rests on, and the papers behind it. A rating describes the state of the research, not how impressive the food is. How we rate evidence.

Blood lipid profile

Heart Health
Moderate evidence

May support lower fasting triglycerides as part of regular oily fish intake. Trout is a moderately oily fish, so it contributes to that category, but the trials underlying the effect used oily fish or fish oil in general and the omega-3 content of farmed trout varies widely with feed.

Moderate evidence. Several human studies point the same way, with real caveats.

2 sources

Deep research mode adds each paper’s own conclusion and stated limitations.

Muscle protein synthesis

Muscle & Physical Performance
Moderate evidence

May support muscle protein synthesis as a complete protein source. Fish protein produces post-meal amino acid responses comparable to other high-quality animal proteins in feeding studies, which are run on fish protein generally rather than on trout.

Moderate evidence. Several human studies point the same way, with real caveats.

1 source

Deep research mode adds each paper’s own conclusion and stated limitations.

Oxidative stress markers

Antioxidant & Oxidative Stress
Insufficient evidence

Evidence is limited for trout affecting human oxidative-stress markers. The interest comes from astaxanthin in pink-fleshed fish, but the human research uses isolated astaxanthin at doses far above what a portion of trout supplies, and results there are inconsistent.

Insufficient evidence. Not enough human research to say anything useful yet.

4 sources

Deep research mode adds each paper’s own conclusion and stated limitations.

Ask about Trout

Ask about Trout

Answers are written only from the entries on this page — the same nutrients, compounds, claims and citations you can read above. Nothing is added from outside the database, and every answer lists what it was built from.

AI explanations are not switched on for this site, so there is nothing to ask here. Everything above is read straight from the database and does not need them.

Key nutrients

Nutrient content per 100 grams
NutrientAmount% DV
Macronutrients
Calories148 kcal7%
Protein20.8 g42%
Total fat6.61 g8%
Carbohydrate0 g0%
Fibre0 g0%
Total sugars0 g—
Water71.4 g—
Fats
Saturated fat1.15 g6%
Monounsaturated fat3.25 g—
Polyunsaturated fat1.5 g—
Cholesterol58 mg19%
EPA (omega-3)0.202 g—
DHA (omega-3)0.528 g—
DPA (omega-3)0.183 g—
Linoleic acid (omega-6)0.175 g—
Vitamins
Vitamin A17 µg2%
Vitamin C0.5 mg1%
Vitamin D3.9 µg20%
Vitamin E0.2 mg1%
Vitamin K0.1 µg0%
Thiamin (B1)0.35 mg29%
Riboflavin (B2)0.33 mg25%
Niacin (B3)4.5 mg28%
Pantothenic acid (B5)1.94 mg39%
Vitamin B60.2 mg12%
Folate13 µg3%
Vitamin B127.79 µg325%
Choline65 mg12%
Minerals
Calcium43 mg3%
Iron1.5 mg8%
Magnesium22 mg5%
Phosphorus245 mg20%
Potassium361 mg8%
Sodium52 mg2%
Zinc0.66 mg6%
Copper0.188 mg21%
Manganese0.851 mg37%
Selenium12.6 µg23%
Other measured compounds
Beta-carotene0 µg—
Alpha-carotene0 µg—
Lycopene0 µg—
Lutein + zeaxanthin0 µg—
Caffeine0 mg—
Ash1.17 g—

Nutrient values are per 100 g of the USDA reference entry named on this page and vary with variety, growing conditions, storage and preparation.

Source record: Fish, trout, mixed species, raw (USDA FoodData Central, FDC ID 175153).

% DV uses the FDA Daily Values for adults and children aged 4 and over. A dash means no Daily Value has been established for that nutrient.

Bioactive compounds

Compounds present in meaningful amounts. Presence is banded rather than quantified, because whole-food levels vary enormously with variety, growing conditions, storage and preparation.

How preparation changes things

Only effects with real support are listed. If a preparation method is missing, it is because nothing dependable is documented — not because it makes no difference.

  • cookedReduces tapeworm and nematode larvae

    Cooking to a safe internal temperature inactivates the parasites found in salmonids. Where trout is served raw or cured, commercial freezing at the specified temperature and holding time is the recognised alternative.

Things to know

Allergies, interactions and intake concerns. Every food gets this section — a reference where everything is uniformly good is not a reference.

  • Allergy

    Fish allergy

    Salmonids are a common trigger in finfish allergy. Parvalbumin is heat-stable, and some highly sensitised people react to cooking vapours as well as to the flesh.

  • Worth knowing

    Wild freshwater trout and local advisories

    Wild trout from lakes and rivers can carry mercury, PCBs and, in some catchments, PFAS. Many regions publish species-specific and water-body-specific consumption advice for anglers, which farmed trout is not subject to.

  • Worth knowing

    Parasites in raw freshwater fish

    Freshwater and anadromous salmonids can carry Diphyllobothrium tapeworm larvae. Cooking inactivates them, as does commercial freezing before raw service.