Vital Choices Newsletter

Our "whole food" Omega-3 Salmon Oil supplements contain only unrefined oil from wild Alaska Sockeye Salmon: a fish whose renowned purity is reflected in the pristine contents of our naturally colorful capsules.

Unlike standard fish oils, our naturally pure Sockeye Salmon Oil does not need to be chemically refined: a process that can damage omega-3s. Instead, our oil's purity and potency are certified by NSF.

As a result, our whole, unrefined Sockeye Salmon Oil retains all of the omega-3s (EPA & DHA), vitamin D, phospholipids, and fatty acids natural to whole Sockeye Salmon.

The rich orange hue of our Salmon Oil comes from its natural complement of astaxanthin: the super-potent antioxidant pigment that gives Sockeye their distinctive color and protects our Salmon Oil's abundant omega-3s from oxidation.

In addition, ours was the first Salmon Oil supplement certified as sustainably sourced by the Marine Stewardship Council.

We encapsulate our Salmon Oil in pure fish gelatin, and offer special varieties for special needs:

• Smaller Softgels (500 mg)
• Liquid Salmon Oil for children and folks who may have trouble swallowing our 1,000 mg softgels
• Lemon-Flavored Salmon Oil for folks who experience bounce-back.

Vital Choice Salmon Oil (top left) vs. two standard fish oils

Vital Choice and Vital Green

Environmental
Stewardship Program

Vital Green™ is our pioneering environmental program that does 4 things:

1) Fights global warming by offsetting the impacts of shipping.

2) Enables recycling of foam shipping cubes via our innovative FREE program.

3) Supports seafood sustainability and promote a green partnership with our customers.

4) Offers an online, clickable e-Catalog to save trees and energy.

To learn more, and get instructions for recycling foam shipping cubes from Vital Choice, visit our Vital Green™ page.

Berries May Beat Back Wrinkles
Twin studies support the notion that colorful antioxidants in fruits, veggies, cocoa, and tea help reduce wrinkles
by Craig Weatherby and Linda Sparrow

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Growing evidence suggests that the omega-3s from fish can help protect skin from sun damage.

For more on that, see “Dietary Fish Oil Found to Deflect Sun Damage” and “Fish Fats Called Credible Foes of Skin Aging and Skin Cancer.

And there is even more evidence that dietary antioxidants help slow the aging of skin ... welcome news that's been spread in several bestsellers by dermatologist Nicholas Perricone, M.D.

Many studies indicate that oral doses of vitamins C and E, which possess antioxidant properties, provide some protection against sunlight.

And research indicates even more skin-protective benefits may flow from consumption of a particularly potent class of antioxidants called flavanols, which abound in berries, grapes, tea, red wine, and cocoa. (S

ee “Edible Sunscreen? Colorful Foods Seen to Deter Sun Damage”.)

In addition to neutralizing skin-cell-damaging free radicals, antioxidants turn off genetic switches that can perpetuate a cycle of free radical-driven inflammation, which in turn generates more free radicals.

This, loading up on antioxidant-rich foods should help prevent skin damage and the fine lines and wrinkles that follow.

Two years ago, German researchers penned this succinct summary of the abundant research conducted on this topic:

“Plant constituents such as carotenoids and flavonoids are involved in protection against excess light in plants and contribute to the prevention of UV damage in humans … they are [naturally] distributed into light-exposed tissues, such as skin or the eye where they provide systemic photo-protection.” (Stahl W, Sies H 2007)

By “photo-protection”, they meant protection of skin against excess sunlight. And carotenoids and flavonoids belong to the larger antioxidant family called polyphenols.

While they can't substitute for sunscreen, new research from Korea supports the notion that food-borne antioxidants offer substantial protection from sun-related skin aging and wrinkle formation.

Korean study finds berries benefits human skin cells and live mice

Researchers at Hallym University in Korea conducted a two part study, whose results support the skin benefits of berries.

First, they exposed human skin cells to a polyphenol antioxidant from berry extracts, called ellagic acid, and then to UVB rays like the ones in sunlight that cause ...

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Breathy Asthma Therapy Gains Credibility
Breathing technique passes most clinical tests; Use may allow sufferers to drastically reduce drug reliance
by Craig Weatherby

We were struck by a recent column from New York Times health reporter Jane Brody.

Ms. Brody, who we met at a 2005 conference on seafood and health, brings to attention an obscure breathing technique that seems to hold real promise for asthma sufferers.

Developed in the early 1950’s by Russian doctor Konstantin Buteyko, M.D., Ms. Brody relates the dramatic improvements experienced by a friend who tried it.

And as Ms. Brody writes, the approach has substantial support from clinical trials:

“… various trials, including a British study of 384 patients, have found that, on average, those who are diligent about practicing Buteyko breathing can expect a 90 percent reduction in the use of rescue inhalers and a 50 percent reduction in the need for steroids within three to six months.”

She notes that “… the British Thoracic Society has given the technique a “B” rating, meaning that positive results of the trials are likely to have come from the Buteyko method and not some other factor.”

The conclusions of a recent Canadian trial echo those of most – albeit not all – other clinical trials: “… a large majority of subjects … displayed control of their asthma with the additional benefit of reduction in inhaled corticosteroid use in the Buteyko group.” (Cowie RL et al. 2008)

Jane Brody ends her account with this prod to lung doctors: “Now, perhaps, it is time for the pharmaceutically supported American medical community to explore this nondrug technique as well.”

Anyone who suffers from asthma or know someone who does should read the article … it could be a life-changer. And we should note that omega-3s also hold promise as ...

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Vital Recipes from MyFoodMyHealth.com

Mussels with Raisins, Walnuts, and Basmati Rice
by Rosalinda Paez

Mussels are easy to cook, and the cooking broth becomes part of the flavorful sauce in this delicious recipe from Rosalinda Paez and our friends at MyFoodMyHealth.com. (Photo: Lori Eanes Photography)

Attractive offer from MyFoodMyHealth.com

MyFoodMyHealth is the premier source for people and families who struggle to cook delicious, healthy meals for family members have allergies and other health concerns.

Their site provides a customizable online meal planner for families with health conditions and food allergies, or that want to support their health by eating whole, natural and delicious food.

Click the image above, and then enter the Promo Code

"vitalchoice" to save 15%

And it’s filled with flavorful recipes created by professional chefs and nutritionists, and provides online tools to make it simple to prepare nutritious meals everyone can enjoy.

To sign up and save 15% off your subscription, visit them online at MyFoodMyHealth and enter the Promo Code: vitalchoice.

Basmati Rice with Mussels, Raisins, and Walnuts

By Rosalinda Paez

4 servings

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

9 cups water, divided

Sea salt

1 cup white basmati rice

2 pounds mussels, debearded* and rinsed

1 organic bay leaf

2 lemons, quartered

5 black peppercorns

2 tablespoons organic extra virgin olive oil

1/4 cup chopped shallots

2 garlic cloves, pressed or minced

1/2 cup tomato paste

1/2 cup raisins

1/3 cup chopped organic walnuts

*Vital Choice mussels come de-bearded.

Instructions

Bring 8 cups of the water with 1 teaspoon of salt to a boil in a large pot. Add the basmati rice and cook uncovered on high heat for 10 minutes. (If the rice is not done, cover the pot, reduce heat and simmer until just cooked.) Drain the rice well, return the rice to the same pot, and cover to keep warm.
Meanwhile, add the mussels to a medium skillet with 1 cup water, the bay leaf, the lemons, and the whole peppercorns. Cook covered for 5-7 minutes on medium-high heat, until all shells are open. Discard any mussels that do not open, and transfer all the open ones to a bowl. Strain the cooking broth and reserve. Squeeze the cooked lemons into the broth.
Heat the olive oil in a medium skillet. Add the shallots and sauté over medium-low heat for 5 minutes, then add the garlic and sauté for 30 seconds. Add the reserved broth, the tomato paste, the raisins, and ½ teaspoon salt. Stir until the tomato paste dissolves. Simmer rapidly, uncovered, for about 10 minutes to reduce and concentrate the sauce. Divide the rice and mussels onto plates, pour the sauce over the mussels, and sprinkle with the walnuts.

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Consumer Mag Finds BPA in Many Canned Foods
Consumer Reports finds traces of BPA in Vital Choice tuna, but admits BPA isn't used in our kind of cans; New EPA study eases some BPA fears
by Craig Weatherby and Randy Hartnell

After striving to replace all of our fish cans with BPA-free alternatives, we were dismayed to see a press release issued by Consumer Reports magazine on Monday, November 2.

Consumer Reports claims that their tests of three sample cans detected traces of the common packaging chemical in our canned Albacore Tuna.

Bisphenol-A or BPA is a chemical used to make the epoxy resins that line most food cans ... and very few companies have even tried to use packaging free of BPA, with Vital Choice being among the very first.

Our policy is to err on the side of caution, which is why we offer only low-mercury seafood, despite compelling research showing that fears about mercury in ocean fish have been greatly exaggerated and based on very weak evidence.

Key Points

Consumer Reports found traces of BPA in most canned goods tested for its December, 2009 issue.
Our canned albacore tuna showed traces of BPA, even though our suppliers affirm that our current cans are BPA-free ... we will test the linings to confirm those pledges.
Consumer Reports admits that the tuna they tested came from Vital Choice cans with linings that do NOT normally contain BPA.
We are probing the reasons for this odd test outcome, and await information from Consumer Reports concerning the lot number(s) of the cans they tested … their findings would make sense if the tuna came from older cans sold before the BPA-free switch.
Chemists we've consulted say our tuna could have been exposed to traces of BPA at various points in the canning process because BPA is widely used in such facilities.

So when research published in 2007 indicated that BPA might pose greater health risks than previously believed, we acted quickly to start the lengthy process of switching to BPA-free cans.

And we immediately began insisting our canned fish suppliers switch to cans with BPA-free linings. Since the fall of 2008, we’ve been assured by our suppliers that the cans they used for our products no longer contained any BPA.

What Consumer Reports' tests showed

Consumer Reports say that their tests found an average of 20 parts per billion (ppb) of BPA in Vital Choice tuna after testing three cans.

We are very surprised by the test result, because we demanded BPA-free cans from our suppliers more than a year ago ... and these reputable companies pledged that they had switched our cans as requested.

Consumer Reports’ finding is odd, as they admitted in their press release: “… tests of the inside of the [Vital Choice tuna] cans found that the liners were not epoxy-based, suggesting BPA was not used …” (CR 2009)

Dr. Urvashi Rangan, director of technical policy at Consumers Union (publisher of Consumer Reports), told The Los Angeles Times that the BPA may have leached into Vital Choice tuna cans at the factory where they were made, or may have come from environmental sources – seawater or the fish itself.

We are scrutinizing every step of our process, from catch to shipment, to find out how BPA may have entered a product that could not be expected to contain it, packed in cans certified to be free of it. (As far as we can determine, BPA is not found in ocean fish or seawater at levels high enough to account for Consumer Reports' test results.)

From the day we started Vital Choice, it has been our mission to provide the healthiest, purest foods for our customers, employees, friends, and family members, including our own children, grandchildren, and parents.

We were among the first companies to tackle the issue of BPA head-on, and we’ve worked hard ...

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Our Community Connections

Vital Choice contributes a portion of its net profits to the Weil Foundation, Raincoast Research Society, the Live Strong Foundation, The Monterey Bay Aquarium, the Natural Resources Defense Council, and other causes devoted to improving the health and well being of people and the planet that sustains us.

Published by Vital Choice Seafood
Copyright © 2009 Vital Choice Seafood, Inc.. All rights reserved.
Information in this newsletter is not meant to substitute for the advice provided by medical professionals, nor is it intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent disease. Copyright is held by Vital Choice Seafood, to which all rights are reserved. Other than personal, non-commercial use or forwarding, no material in this newsletter may be copied, distributed, or published without the express permission of Vital Choice Seafood.