Publisher/Editor
Randy Hartnell
Producer
Craig Weatherby
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VitalChoices
NEW Herbs & Spices
Certified Organic and Kosher
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Customers had often asked us to expand our seasoning offerings beyond our Organic Salmon Marinade blend. We thought they had a good idea, but it took time to secure superior sources.
Each fresh, flavorful seasoning in our new line of 10 Organic Herbs & Spices is certified Organic and Kosher (OU), and is naturally rich in beneficial “phytoceutical” compounds.
And if, like many, your pantry harbors some old, faded seasonings, our Herbs and Spices Medley package—which includes our Organic Salmon Marinade blend—will upgrade your seasonings scene in one fell swoop!
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Vital Choices!
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Like Your Lox Luscious?
Ours Makes Mouths Water
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Vital Choice smoked salmon is far superior to the preservative-laden farmed product found in most grocery stores.
After curing in natural alder wood smoke, our Smoked Sockeye Portions and silky, Cold-Smoked Sliced Nova Lox are immediately vacuum-packed and flash-frozen. Thawed and served, they taste as though they came fresh out of the smoker.
"I am in love with the hot-smoked salmon. It is fabulous flaked and scrambled with eggs and onions. They give the eggs a lovely zing." — Dana Jacobi, author of 12 Best Foods Cookbook.
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The World's Finest Fish Oil
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We put only whole, unrefined oil from wild Alaskan sockeye salmon in our premium salmon oil supplements. Wild Alaskan sockeye salmon is one of the cleanest fish in the sea: a trait reflected in the purity of our unrefined sockeye oil, which is now certified by NSF: one of the best-respected independent labs in the U.S.
Because our naturally pure salmon oil does not need to be distilled, it provides the essential omega-3 fatty acids (EPA & DHA), plus 30 other natural fatty acids and astaxanthin: the potent antioxidant that gives sockeye its distinctive deep-red color.
Last, but not least, ours comes in pure fish-gelatin capsules and it is the only salmon oil supplement certified as sustainably sourced by the Marine Stewardship Council (www.msc.org).
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Why Our Albacore Tuna's A Cut Above
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Our young, low-weight Pacific Albacore Tuna—fresh or canned—is simply superior!
Smaller means safer: Vital Choice troll-caught tuna weigh just 12 lbs. or less, so they contain less mercury, and more omega-3s, than the larger troll-caught tuna touted by other “minimal mercury” vendors.
No loitering allowed: Our tuna are hauled in fast, bled, and flash-frozen within about two hours. (Standard long-line-caught albacore spend 12 hours in the water.)
Better, fresher flavor, even in the can: Unlike standard canned albacore—which is cooked twice at great cost to flavor and omega-3 content—Vital Choice tuna is cooked only once (in the can) to preserve its healthful oils and fresh flavor.
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The Vital Choice Advantage
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Click here to learn about the Vital Choice Advantage ... the many reasons why William Sears, M.D. — renowned as "America's Baby Doctor"— calls Vital Choice his favorite salmon source.
Vital Choice was founded by two longtime Alaska fishermen—Randy Hartnell and Dave Hamburg—who know where to get the highest quality fish. And they test it periodically to ensure your safety.
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Berries to Live For!
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Vital Choice fresh-frozen organic blueberries, strawberries and red raspberries are rich in anti-aging antioxidants, and draw customer comments like this:
“OH MY GOODNESS! I cannot believe the flavor ... the taste reminds me of something from my childhood. Thanks for a great product!
Berries are incredibly healthful foods, and it's smart to seek out organic berries, grown without synthetic pesticides.
Our organic berries come in convenient one pound bags, each yielding about 3-1/2 cups. They freeze well, so you can keep plenty on hand!
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Savor the "Chocolate of the Sea"
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Sablefish is rarely seen in standard fish markets, but is highly prized in Japan, which corners almost the entire North American catch.
This buttery, flaky, white fish boasts its own rich texture and mind-blowing flavor—and even more omega-3s than wild salmon!
We also offer irresistible smoked sablefish. Boasting a rich golden color, these scrumptious, oven-ready steaks are infused with delicate alder wood smoke flavor—and cook fully from frozen in mere minutes!
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Kosher Fish, Berries, Spices, Chocolate, and More
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Did you know that most of our key offerings are certified Kosher? The roster of Kosher-certified Vital Choice foods includes most of our premium canned seafood * (Tuna, Sardines, Wild Red Sockeye, and Foil-Pouch Sockeye) most of our fresh-frozen wild Alaskan Salmon* (Sockeye, Silver, King), all of our Organic Herbs & Spices and Organic Chocolates*, and all of our Organic Berries.
*EarthKosher, which certifies the asterisked products, strives to make more healthy foods available to Kosher consumers by providing certification to companies that meet its halakhic, health, environmental, and social standards. EarthKosher's Rabbinic Counsultant, Rabbi Zushe Yosef Blech, is considered one of the world’s leading experts. For more information on EarthKosher, click here.
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Our brand new holiday catalog, which features several exciting new offerings. To receive yours, click here.
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NEW! Organic Strawberries and Red Raspberries
Bountiful anti-aging benefits from delicious natural delights
by Randy Hartnell
Sweet, succulent, certified-organic Vital Choice wild blueberries deliver bountiful anti-aging benefits in superbly delicious fashion. As famed nutrition expert Andrew Weil, M.D. explains, "Blueberries pack the most powerful antioxidant punch of any fresh vegetable or fruit because they contain plentiful amounts of anthocyanins, which are the pigments that give red and purple fruits their color."
Like blueberries, strawberries and red raspberries are rich in anthocyanin pigments, ranking #5 and #6 for antioxidant capacity respectively. This is just one reason why we’re very pleased to introduce certified-organic Vital Choice strawberries and red raspberries. Flash-frozen right after harvest, they retain all of the vibrant color, rich fragrance, and intense flavor and you expect from premium quality berries—minus the heavy pesticide residues that characterize their conventionally grown counterparts. (To get started enjoying them, see "Berry Good Recipes" in this issue.)
Sweet, succulent anti-aging superstars
Strawberries and red raspberries—especially organically grown ones—are considered some of the best anti-aging allies you can put on a plate. The benefits of these berries flow largely from their strong antioxidant action against free radicals: the unstable oxygen compounds produced as a normal byproduct of metabolism. Left unchecked, free radicals can damage the body’s own cells.
Normally, the body's own internal antioxidant system can keep free radicals under control. However, the sugars and refined starches in modern diets and the pollutants common in today's air and water generate abnormally large amounts of bodily free radicals. Without help from antioxidant-rich fruits and vegetables, this excess of free radicals can overwhelm the body’s antioxidant defense network: an imbalance that inevitably results in age-accelerating free radical damage to the body’s cells.
The results of numerous studies* indicate that berries offer powerful protection against cardiovascular disease, senility, and cancer—thanks in large part to their extraordinary antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. In particular, their anthocyanin pigments help the body block, detoxify, and eliminate carcinogens, and repair DNA damage. Berry anthocyanins also reduce inflammation in arteries, prevent oxidation of cholesterol, and enhance vascular dilation and flexibility.
Strawberries are also high in folic acid, dietary fiber and potassium, while red raspberries contain calcium, vitamins such as A, C, E, folic acid, and cholesterol-lowering fiber.
The pesticide problem
Unfortunately, strawberries and red raspberries rank high on another, less desirable scale. Because these delicate berries are highly vulnerable to fungi and speedy spoilage, they’re heavily sprayed with anti-fungal pesticides—which their pebbled surfaces trap and make very hard to wash off. In fact, according to research by the well regarded non-profit Environmental Working Group, strawberries and raspberries rank #3 and #11 among the "dirty dozen" produce items with the highest levels of pesticide residues.**
Our certified-organic solution
To enjoy all the culinary and health benefits of berries, it’s smart to pick fruits grown organically, in rich, healthy soil, without petrochemical pesticides. Naturally, all of our new Vital Choice strawberries and raspberries are certified organic. Enjoy!
*Berry references
- Hannum SM. Potential impact of strawberries on human health: a review of the science. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr. 2004;44(1):1-17.
- Xu JW, Ikeda K, Yamori Y. Upregulation of Endothelial Nitric Oxide Synthase by Cyanidin-3-Glucoside, a Typical Anthocyanin Pigment. Hypertension. 2004 Jun 28
- Xue H, Aziz RM, Sun N, Cassady JM, Kamendulis LM, Xu Y, Stoner GD, Klaunig JE. Inhibition of cellular transformation by berry extracts. Carcinogenesis. 2001 Feb;22(2):351-6.
- Bickford PC, Shukitt-Hale B, Joseph J. Effects of aging on cerebellar noradrenergic function and motor learning: nutritional interventions. Mech Ageing Dev. 1999 Nov;111(2-3):141-54.
- Joseph JA, Shukitt-Hale B, Denisova NA, Bielinski D, Martin A, McEwen JJ, Bickford PC. Reversals of age-related declines in neuronal signal transduction, cognitive, and motor behavioral deficits with blueberry, spinach, or strawberry dietary supplementation. J Neurosci. 1999 Sep 15;19(18):8114-21.
- Bickford PC, Gould T, Briederick L, Chadman K, Pollock A, Young D, Shukitt-Hale B, Joseph J. Antioxidant-rich diets improve cerebellar physiology and motor learning in aged rats. Brain Res. 2000 Jun 2;866(1-2):211-7.
**The EWG’s rankings were based on an analysis of more than 100,000 tests for pesticides on these foods, conducted from 1992 - 2001 by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Food and Drug Administration. Contamination was measured in six different ways and crops were ranked based on a composite score from all categories (see http://www.foodnews.org/reportcard.php for details).
[PRINTER FRIENDLY VERSION]
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