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

Vital Choice smoked Salmon is far superior to the notably greasy stuff made with farmed fish.  

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.
 

Don't overlook our Smoked Salmon Sampler, which is our best smoked value by far. It has just one drawback: you'll get hooked on every part, and especially on our addictive Yukon King Salmon and Yukon King Salmon "Candy"!
 

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!"

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

The rich, red color of the meat and oil is unlike any you're likely to have had before.

Our minimal processing methods ensure that you'll get the maximum amount of nutrients naturally abundant in Sockeye Salmon.

These include omega-3s, vitamin D, and astaxanthin: the super-potent carotene-class antioxidant that gives the oil brimming in every can of Wild Red its bright orange-red color. (The liquid in standard canned Salmon is pallid and watery by comparison.)
 

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 salt (less than is added to most brands) 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!”

-- Christiane Northrup, M.D.

The results of a new survey show that most American parents aren't aware of the critical role that omega-3 DHA plays in the development of children’s brains and eyes.

DHA is one of two key “marine” omega-3 fatty acids essential to human cell membranes and found only in fish, seafood and algae. (EPA is the other vital omega-3 and it also occurs only in aquatic foods.)

Of the two key omega-3s, DHA is far more important to child development. DHA is a critical component of cell membranes, with the highest amounts found in the heart, retina, and brain.

DHA is essential for brain and eye development and remains essential to these organs lifelong. (The brain is about 60 percent fatty acids by weight, and DHA constitutes about one-third of them.)

Omega-3 DHA is particularly important between birth and five years of age, when the brain increases approximately three-and-a-half times in weight and its DHA content increases more than fourfold.

Adequate DHA intake ensures that cells in the brain, retina, heart and other parts of the nervous system develop and function properly.

Parental survey reveals gaping knowledge gap

The survey results reveal some big gaps in American parents’ understanding of the role and essentiality of omega-3 DHA to child development:

• Only one in five parents was aware of the importance of DHA during pregnancy and to newborns and infants.
• 59 percent of parents were not aware of the benefits of DHA to their children’s health.
• Only seven percent said they take steps to make sure that their child consumes DHA. Nearly three in four said they try to ensure that their children get key vitamins and minerals (such as vitamin C and calcium).
• Fewer (14 to 16 percent) knew that DHA is important to the health of toddlers and preschool-aged children. 

How much DHA do kids need?

The U.S. Institute of Medicine has not established a recommended daily allowance for DHA, but the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) tacitly accepts 160 mg as a reasonable daily target for DHA intake among children over four.

Many leading health authorities and pediatricians recommend that children aged from one to five years consume 150 mg of DHA per day, but actual DHA intakes among young American kids averages only 20-30 mg per day.

William Sears, M.D. – who’s been called “America’s pediatrician” – provided us with this guidance in response to a question we posed to him regarding optimal DHA intake for infants and for pregnant and nursing mothers:

• “... experts attending a 2005 workshop recommended at least 300 mg a day for pregnant and nursing mothers (most mothers get only 20-25 percent of this amount, unless they take omega-3 fish oil supplements).”
• “In our medical practice we have mothers take at least 500 mg of DHA per day during pregnancy and lactation.”
• “The recommendation for infants is at least 200 mg of DHA per day, which is the dosage added to infant formulas.”
• “Practically speaking, infants under one year old receive their omega-3s through mother's milk or fortified formula, but it is perfectly safe and perhaps even beneficial for infants to be given extra Vital Choice fish oil at a dose of around 300 mg a day of DHA. I stress DHA rather than EPA because DHA is the main brain-growth omega 3.” [Note: A dose of 300 mg of DHA would be provided by 8 of our 500 mg Salmon Oil capsules, 4 of our 1000 mg capsules, or 1 teaspoon of our Liquid Salmon Oil.]

Fish, fish oil, and DHA-fortified foods are the only abundant sources of this critical nutrient.

Humans convert the plant-source omega-3 called ALA into DHA and EPA, but only two to five percent of dietary ALA becomes DHA and EPA. (The rest is burned for energy and/or stored as fat.)

Thus, in order for a child on a strict vegan diet to produce adequate amounts of DHA he or she needs to eat lots of leafy greens, walnuts, and flax seed (or flax oil).

Vegetarian children with more dietary latitude can get substantial amounts of DHA from enriched eggs and dairy products.

Survey uncovers other omega-3 knowledge and intake deficiencies

In addition to the major findings cited above, the survey revealed some other glaring knowledge and action gaps:

• Few parents reported that their child consumes natural food sources of DHA such as Tuna (24 percent) or Salmon (7 percent) at least twice a week.
• Only one in ten parents said their child regularly consumes DHA-fortified dairy products such as milk (5 percent) or eggs (7 percent).
• Nearly two in three parents (63 percent) said they didn't realize that DHA is a specific type of omega-3 fatty acid.
• Only about one in three parents (35 percent) was familiar with a variety of sources of DHA.
• Women were more likely than men to know about the benefits of DHA at various phases of development.
• Three out of four parents (72 percent) thought their child would be more receptive to getting DHA if from sources other than fish. (Children can also get DHA from fish oil, such as our whole, certified-pure Sockeye Salmon Oil capsules and liquid.)

This survey was conducted online within the United States by Harris Interactive on behalf of ...

High-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) is made from corn, and is the sweetener used in most conventional supermarket and takeout foods, such as bread, soda, dressings, sauces, frozen meals, desserts, pastries, canned foods, and condiments.

A suspicious-looking parallel between the steep rises in HFCS consumption and obesity rates from 1980 to 2000 led some researchers to link the two phenomena.

However, as we’ve reported, this link may simply be a coincidence. (See “High-Fructose Corn Syrup Takes another Hit” and “The Weight Gain Blame-Game”.)

For more on the obesity fears surrounding HFCS, see “Fattening charge”, below.

FDA declares HFCS unnatural

The Corn Refiners Association and major food manufacturers assert that HFCS is a natural sweetener, even though its chemical bonds are broken and rearranged in the manufacturing process.

To make HFCS, starch is extracted from corn and then converted by acids or enzymes to glucose. Then some of the glucose is further converted by enzymes into fructose. (Most HFCS is made from genetically modified corn, which predominates in North American corn fields.)

These chemical manipulations forced the U.S. FDA to rule that HFCS cannot be called natural. 

We're pleased that the agency made this decision. But it comes as a surprise, given the power of the big brands involved, and the fact that the glucose and fructose in HFCS appear identical to naturally occurring glucose and fructose.

In any case, the FDA now deems HFCS an unnatural food substance.

And manufacturers try to put it on as many products as possible, because consumers clearly favor foods that say “natural” on the label.

In 2006, Kraft Foods, Inc. removed the term “natural” on Capri Sun beverages, which contain high fructose corn syrup, after the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) threatened a law suit. (Cadbury-Schweppes took a similar step following a challenge to the natural claim on their 7-Up soda.)

In 2004, a Natural Marketing Institute survey found that 63 percent of US consumers prefer natural foods and beverages, and in 2006, a Harris Interactive survey found that 83 percent of people wanted a government definition of the term.

The FDA’s policy regarding the use of the term states that a “natural” product is one that has not had any artificial or synthetic substances added to the product that would not normally be expected to be in the food.

Disqualifying ingredients that preclude use of “natural” on a food label include artificial flavors or color additives. But the FDA has not otherwise defined or restricted the use of the term “natural” on foods. 

The Sugar Association and bakery firm Sara Lee have both petitioned the FDA to define the term “natural” with regard to ...

Berries and antioxidant-rich berry extracts have shown the ability to enhance brain function in a variety of ways.

We reported on one revealing animal study last July … see “Blueberries May Reduce Alzheimer’s Risk and Damage”, which contains links to several other berry-brain stories.

Now, the results of a second such study reinforce the evidence indicating that blueberries – and other berries and fruits abundant in particular antioxidants – could help sustain people’s youthful capacity for memory and learning into middle age and beyond.

In brief, British scientists supplemented the diet of older rats with blueberries, and witnessed dramatic improvements in the rodents’ learning and “spatial memory” within three weeks.

How the berry study worked … and what it showed

Scientists at Britain’s University of Reading and Peninsula Medical School used three groups of adult male rats for the study:

• Young rats (6 months old) fed standard chow.
• Aged rats (18 months old) fed standard chow.
• Aged rats (18 months old) fed standard chow, with powdered blueberries replacing two percent of it.

The diets were identical, except for the blueberry powder, which provided 10.5 mg of flavonoids per day, consisting of 6.68 mg of anthocyanins and 3.85 mg/day of flavanols.

(These are the same flavonoids that abound in other berries, and in prunes, plums, grapes, cherries, dark chocolate, and red cabbage.)

Today’s Simple Salmon Pasta Salad tastes great made with our flash-frozen fillet portions, or with our canned Wild Red™ Sockeye Salmon, which makes it even easier.

This light seasonal recipe couldn’t be simpler or more healthful.

From a reductionist perspective – which is inherently presumptious given the state of nutrition science, but can help us plan a rounded, healthful diet – every ingredient in it offers beneficial nutrients and food factors.

• Wild Salmon is a superior source of omega-3s, protein, and vitamin D (calcium, too, if you use our Traditional Wild Red canned Sockeye).
• Wild Salmon, colorful vegetables, and spices all feature ample amounts of potent antioxidants.
• Vegetables are rich in vitamins, minerals, and fibers, plus a variety of anti-cancer phytochemicals.
• Pasta, which too often gets a bad rap, provides protein and brain-fueling carbs. And, if it is rinsed and chilled immediately after cooking, substantial amounts of its carbs convert to resistant starch, which stabilizes blood sugar.

Simple Salmon Pasta Salad

Makes 4 servings

1/2 lb rotini pasta

One (6 oz) wild Salmon portion (Sockeye, King, or Silver) OR one can (7.5 oz) Wild Red™ Sockeye Salmon (traditional, skinless-boneless, or no-salt-added)

1/4 cup ripe olives, sliced

1/8 large red, orange, or yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced

2 green onions, chopped

1 cup celery, thinly sliced

1 cup carrots, thinly sliced

2-4 tablespoons organic extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

1/4 teaspoon crushed organic oregano leaves

1/4 teaspoon sea salt (or to taste)

1/8 teaspoon organic black pepper or organic Lemon Pepper Seasoning

• Broil or pan-cook thawed Salmon portion for 7-8 minutes. Or, scoop Salmon from can.
• Break cooked or canned Salmon into 1-inch chunks.
• Cook the pasta al dente, according to the instructions on the box, rinse with cool water, then set, covered, in the refrigerator to chill.
• In large bowl, mix the pasta, Salmon, olives, bell pepper, carrots, celery and onion.
• In a smaller bowl, combine the vinegar, oil, oregano, salt and pepper; mix well, then pour this dressing over the Salmon mixture, tossing gently.
• Serve immediately (or cover, chill and serve later).