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Our wild Alaskan Sockeye Salmon offers special appeal to those—like many of us here at Vital Choice—who like their wild salmon firm and flavorful.

These sustainably harvested fish are a super-healthy source of protein, rich in long-chain omega-3 essential fatty acids, and potent natural antioxidants.

And sockeye is a nearly unrivalled food source of bone-saving, cancer-curbing vitamin D, with a whopping 1,100 IU per 6-oz serving, or nearly triple the US RDA.

Our flash-frozen portions come vacuum-sealed for superior quality and convenience. Certified Kosher by EarthK

If you haven't tried our Wild Red Sockeye Salmon you're in for a treat, because it tastes much fresher and firmer than standard supermarket brands.

The rich, red color of the meat and oil is unlike any you're likely to have had before. And minimal processing ensures that you'll get the maximum amount of nutrients naturally abundant in Sockeye Salmon: omega-3s, vitamin D, and astaxanthin (a potent orange-red antioxidant pigment).

Choose Skinless-Boneless Wild Red, or Traditional Style with skin and soft edible bones for extra flavor and ample calcium.

Both kinds are available with or without added salt ... and several varieties come in EZ-Open pull-tab tops.

“You are providing a wonderful health-giving service to the planet with your business. And it is a pleasure to bring this information to my audience. It is also a pleasure to snap open these little cans of salmon and have an instant healthy meal!”

-- Dr. Christiane Northrup

Sablefish is rarely seen in standard fish markets, but this buttery, flaky, white fish boasts its own rich texture and mind-blowing flavor ... and even more omega-3s than wild Salmon!

In addition to our certified Earth Kosher Sablefish, we feature golden Oven-Ready Smoked Sablefish: scrumptious, steaks infused with delicate alder wood smoke flavor, which cook fully from frozen in just a few minutes.

Berries display a range of potential benefits in test tube, animal, and human studies.

And there is little doubt that most of the credit goes to the polyphenol antioxidants in these colorful fruits, some of which do double duty as red and blue pigments.

(To see our past articles about berrries, search our newsletter archive for “berries”.)

Recent studies in animals and humans add to the positive indications concerning cardiovascular health and cancer.

Key Points Berries improve heart health measures in clinical trial. Berries reduce risk of chemically induced esophageal cancer in rats. Human study shows that berries lower levels of free radicals associated with esophageal cancer while raising levels of an enzyme that helps prevent it.

Let’s take a fast look at the findings, which suggest that it’s smart to eat ample amounts of berries.

Berry-rich diets show cardiac benefits in clinical trial

Two weeks ago, Finnish researchers published the results of a study in which volunteers consumed a combination of bilberries, lingonberries, black currants and strawberries.

As they wrote, “Previous studies indicated that the consumption of polyphenol-rich foods (e.g., cocoa, tea, and red wine) may induce beneficial changes in pathways related to cardiovascular health. Whether the consumption of berries has similar effects is unknown.” (Erlund I et al. 2008)

To find out, they recruited 72 middle-aged people (average age 58), including 46 women and 26 men. The participants were randomly assigned to eat either a moderate amount of berries or comparably sweet control foods for eight weeks.

On alternate days, the berry group consumed one of two regimens:

• 3.5 ounces of whole bilberries and 1.8 ounces of a lingonberry-rich nectar.
• 3.5 ounces of blackcurrant or strawberry purée and raspberry or chokeberry juice.

The control foods – chosen because they were low in polyphenol antioxidants – were sugar water, sweet rice porridge, marmalade, and sweet semolina porridge.

The results were encouraging, with the berry-eaters showing several benefits:

• Systolic blood pressure dropped by 7.3 mm of mercury in people with high blood pressure.
• Levels of HDL (“good”) cholesterol rose by 5.2 percent, compared with a negligible 0.6 percent increase in the control group. (Total cholesterol and triglyceride levels were not changed.)
• The “stickiness” (adherence and aggregation) of blood platelets  fell by 11 percent, compared with a 1.4 percent rise in stickiness among the control group.

Their conclusion was straightforward: “The results indicate that regular consumption of berries may play a role in the prevention of cardiovascular disease.” (Erlund I et al. 2008)

And they were clear about the reason for these beneficial effects: “According to the intake and bioavailability data obtained in this study, polyphenols and vitamin C are the most likely berry constituents to exert [beneficial] effects ...” (Erlund I et al. 2008)

Raspberries reduce acid reflux and deadly associated risks

If you watch TV or read newspapers magazines, it’s pretty near impossible to miss the ads for drugs designed to treat the super-indigestion disorder called acid reflux.

Officially called gastro-esophageal reflux disease or GERD, it manifests as a burning sensation below and behind the lower part of the breastbone.

GERD can lead to Barrett's esophagus: a condition in which the esophagus – that is, the throat and its extension to the stomach – changes so that some of its lining is replaced by tissue like that found in the intestine.

Barrett's esophagus (BE) is not a major problem in itself, but about one in 200 patients with BE develop a deadly cancer called esophageal adenocarcinoma, which is frequently ...

The corporate owners of Salmon farms would rather forget February, 2008 … a month that’s delivered them one public relations disaster after another.

We're not opposed to aquaculture in principle. Fish farming probably is needed to supplement dwindling natural stocks of fish.

But aquaculture must be practiced much more carefully, to prevent the serious, ongoing problems caused by industrial Salmon farming.

(To see our past reports on problems at Salmon farms and other aquaculture operations, search our newsletter archive for “farm”.)

Key Points Salmon farms suffered three big scientific blows this month. New review confirms that fish farms near Salmon rivers pose a grave threat to wild Salmon. Study affirms conclusions of recent Greenpeace report. Canadian science panel now acknowledges that some of British Columbia's Salmon farms pose a serious threat to wild Salmon stocks.

Let’s take a look at the three separate blows suffered by industrial Salmon farmers.

Salmon-farm strike #1 – the Greenpeace report

The first blow that Salmon farms suffered this February came from a review of the current scientific literature by the Greenpeace Research Laboratories at Britain’s University of Exeter.

The Greenpeace scientists’ review documented, among other problems, the un-sustainability of current methods of farm-raising Salmon, and the coastal destruction wrought by farming of shrimp. (See “Devastating Report Details Aquaculture Dilemmas”.)

Among other problems, the report cites research proving that farming of Salmon is a grossly inefficient way to get protein from the sea. In fact, it takes from three to six pounds of small fish (herring, sardines, etc.) to produce one pound of Salmon.

As the authors wrote, citing UN data, “… farming of carnivorous species results in a net loss rather than a net gain of fish protein. Instead of alleviating pressure on wild fish stocks, therefore, aquaculture of carnivorous species increases pressure on wild stocks of fish, albeit of different species.” (Greenpeace 2008)

Fish farmers can lessen this inefficiency by feeding their Salmon less fish meal and fish oil and more grain and vegetable oil.

A sustainability-driven shift toward plant-based feed can reduce the protein-wasting problem inherent to farming of predatory species like Salmon, Cod, Sablefish, and Tuna … but it remains to be seen whether it will totally eliminate it.

 

Support wild Salmon preservation We are donating a portion of our profits to the Raincoast Research Society, founded by noted wild Salmon researcher Alexandra Morton, M.S.   Please join us in supporting the important research activities of this small, non-profit organization.   Send your tax-deductible donations to:   Raincoast Research Society General Delivery Simmon Sound, BC Canada V0P 1SO

However, such a shift will worsen the fatty acid profile of farmed Salmon, which are high in omega-3s, but also – unlike wild Salmon – high in pro-inflammatory omega-6 fatty acids, which compete with omega-3s for space in our cell membranes.

This nutritional problem can be partially surmounted by giving the Salmon “finishing feed” that is high in fish meal or oil during the last two to three weeks of life.

But it is not certain that Salmon farmers will bother to blunt the negative nutritional impact of any shifts they might make to plant-based Salmon chow.

Salmon-farm strike #2 – Report affirms that wild Salmon harmed by nearby farms

Salmon farmers’ bad month peaked (they must hope) with the release last week of the first study to document the negative impact of Salmon farming worldwide.

Researchers Jennifer Ford and Ransom Myers of Canada’s Dalhousie University compared the survival rates of wild Salmon near Salmon farms to the survival rates of wild Salmon in areas with no Salmon farms (Ford JS, Myers RA 2008).

Ford and Myers studied five species of wild Salmon and trout in five regions of Europe and Canada, including areas in British Columbia, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Newfoundland.

Their results showed that wherever wild Salmon come into close contact with Salmon farms, the numbers of wild Salmon decline by up to half, from one generation to the next.

As they wrote, “We show a reduction in survival or abundance of Atlantic Salmon, sea trout and pink, chum, and Coho [Silver] Salmon in association with increased production of farmed Salmon. In many cases ...

Today’s recipe is adapted from one by Jimmy Schmidt, chef/owner of the Rattlesnake restaurants in Detroit and Palm Desert, California, which specialize in sustainable and organic foods and contemporary American cuisine.

Schmidt says that using locally produced foods is the secret to his recipes. So it comes as no surprise that he’s the founder of Chef's Collaborative, and a member of the Seafood Choices Alliance.

As he told the Alliance in an interview, “I’ve been interested in sustainability, both land- and water-based, for many years. I had been watching what was going on with pesticides and pollution and it seemed to me that as a chef, I had a duty to make other chefs and our customers aware of environmental issues.

“My philosophy is to sustain the current fish population and biodiversity through choosing fish for my customers that can be harvested in a manner that is beneficial to the environment.” (SCA 2006)

Crimped Salmon with Warm Napa Cabbage Slaw

Like poaching, “crimping” involves cooking the fish in liquid – in this case, a flavored broth – except that you turn the heat off once the fish has been added to the simmering broth.

Season the broth with at least a little salt, so it doesn’t suck all of the natural salts from the fish by osmosis.

Makes 4 servings.

Broth ingredients

8 cups cold water

2 cups white wine vinegar

1 cup onions, cut into 1/4-inch batonettes*

1/2 cup shallots, peeled and ...