|
Table of Contents
|
Holiday Shopping Made Extra Easy!
|
|
|
|
Earn Rewards as You Shop!
|
|
Earn rewards with our popular HealthWise “frequent shopper” rewards program … the more you spend, the more you get back!
Now, you can enroll anytime, and as always, it’s free!
To see how it works, click HERE.
|
|
|
Wild Red ... Simply the Best Canned Salmon by Far
|
|
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.
|
|
|
World's Finest Fish Oil ... Whole and Unrefined
|
|
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
|
|
|
Beautiful Wild & Organic Berries
|
|
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!
|
|
|
Deep Red Sockeye is Decidedly Delicious
|
|
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.
|
|
|
Smoky Succulence, Par Exellence
|
|
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"!
"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.
|
|
|
Light, Luscious Alaskan Halibut
|
|
Our Alaskan halibut is light and lean with a wonderful flavor and texture. With longer-lived predatory fish like halibut and tuna, age and purity go hand in hand--the younger and smaller the fish, the purer it will be.
Vital Choice offers you the peace of mind of knowing that you're buying the purest halibut available by procuring only the smallest, sustainably-harvested fish (unlike store or restaurant bought halibut--where it's almost impossible to know what you're getting.)
Save on our Halibut by choosing our Alaskan halibut Pieces ... you get 4 vacuum-sealed 1-lb. packages of smaller portions, frozen together in one solid block. They're an excellent value, and great for quick, healthy stir-fries, fish tacos, sashimi or sushi rolls.
"Absolutely delicious! My kids devoured every morsel of the halibut and have asked me to order more. Thank you for sharing your wonderful secret with us."
-- Michele S. Cook of Lake City, Florida
|
|
|  |
|
|
|
Christmas Order Deadlines
Observe these dates and times to ensure that Gifts arrive by Wednesday, December 24. (Tmes are Pacific time zone ... add 2 hours for Central and 3 hours for Eastern deadlines.)
- 2nd Day Air – 9:00 A.M. on Wednesday, Dec. 17
- Overnight service – 9:00 A.M. on Monday, Dec. 22
- Ground (non-frozen items only) – EXPIRED on Friday, Dec. 12
|
|
|
FDA Analysis Supports More Fish for Moms and Kids
Agency’s unofficial draft draws criticism from EPA and eco groups; Critics’ arguments appear inaccurate, alarmist, and disingenuous
by Craig Weatherby
Few subjects elicit more emotion than the safety of food eaten by pregnant or nursing women and its impacts – good or bad – on their children.
That’s as it should be, given the vulnerability of fetuses and infants, and the importance of optimal brain development to childhood and lifelong capacities and outcomes.
But all of the studies published on this subject find that children’s brains benefit when their mothers eat more fish during pregnancy and nursing, and that children are not harmed by the minuscule amounts of mercury in most ocean fish.
This is how Harvard public health researchers put it in a recent medical literature review (Mozaffarian D, Rimm EB et al. 2006):
|
Key Points
-
A draft FDA analysis of the risks and rewards of fish supports lifting the 12-oz-per-week limit on lower-mercury fish currently advised to children and pregnant/nursing mothers.
-
Higher-mercury fish defined in the current guidelines should remain off-limits to children and pregnant/nursing mothers.
-
As a precaution, Vital Choice offers only the lowest-mercury seafood.
-
Hyperbolic criticisms of the FDA analysis by some eco-groups are highly misleading. |
- “For major health outcomes among adults, based on the strength of the evidence and the potential magnitudes of effect, the benefits of fish intake exceed the potential risks.”
- “For women of childbearing age, benefits of modest fish intake, excepting a few selected species, also outweigh risks.”
The few exceptions to which they refer – shark, swordfish, king mackerel, and tilefish – should be avoided by children and pregnant/nursing mothers.
This has been the joint position of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) since 2004, when they issued a joint advisory for mothers and children:
- Eat up to 12 ounces (2 average meals) a week of a variety of commonly eaten fish and shellfish found consistently low in mercury, including shrimp, canned light tuna, salmon, pollock, and catfish.
- Limit albacore tuna to 6 oz per week. (see the sidebar below,
“Vital Choice Albacore: An exceptionally pure choice”).
- Do not eat shark, swordfish, king mackerel, or tilefish because they contain high levels of mercury.
We have no quarrel with the warning that children and pregnant/nursing women should avoid these specific high-mercury fish.
But as a new FDA analysis of the research shows, the evidence supports lifting the 12-oz-per-week limit on consumption of the vast majority of fish that are much lower in mercury.
In fact, people of any age can safely consume and enjoy the health benefits of almost any kind of seafood – with very few exceptions – several times a week.
Click here to see where we stand on the FDA analysis.
FDA analysis of mercury-seafood-children science leaked by EPA staffers
Late last week, The Washington Post reported on a leaked draft analysis of the evidence on fish, mercury, and children from the FDA.
The draft contains no proposals for relaxing the EPA-FDA seafood intake advice for mothers and younger children, but its conclusions point clearly in that direction.
|
Vital Choice Albacore:
An exceptionally pure choice
The current FDA-EPA advisory suggests that pregnant/nursing women eat no more than 6 ounces (one average meal) of albacore tuna per week.
The advisory notes that albacore tuna – known as “white” tuna – is generally higher in mercury than “light” tuna (usually skipjack tuna).
However, that is not true of smaller, younger, Vital Choice Pacific Albacore Tuna, which is sustainably troll-caught far out in the Pacific Ocean by local Bellingham, Washington, fisherman Paul Hill.
At our request, Paul hand-selects the smallest fish for us, to ensure the lowest possible mercury levels and the most tender flesh.
Compared with standard canned albacore, our fresh and canned albacore averages four times less mercury. (See our mercury chart here.)
This does not mean that we consider the older, larger albacore used in standard canned tuna to be unsafe.
Instead, it simply means that we prefer to err on the side of caution. And because we are committed to maximum sustainability, we prefer to purchase tuna from the only tuna fishery in the world certified sustainable by the Marine Stewardship Council.
Paul Hill was instrumental in gaining prized MSC sustainability certification for the North Pacific and South Pacific troll-caught albacore fisheries … a story we will cover in a future issue of Vital Choices. |
The FDA paper notes the growing evidence that regular, frequent seafood consumption presents no risk to children.
That is, the best available evidence shows that the rewards of eating lower-mercury seafood (i.e., almost all ocean species) are clear, while the risk of harm remains undocumented and hypothetical … except among children who eat lots of the very high-mercury fish identified in the current EPA-FDA guidelines.
Unfortunately, some groups downplay the proven developmental rewards of seafood and grossly exaggerate the virtually non-existent risks of consuming most any seafood frequently.
The FDA draft notes that the nutrients in fish – especially omega-3 fatty acids, selenium, vitamin D, and others – could boost a child’s intelligence quotient (IQ) by an estimated three points.
And the food regulation agency also points to the preponderance of evidence showing that the greatest benefits to children would result if pregnant women, women of childbearing age, nursing mothers and young children eat more than 12 ounces of fish a week, which would mean lifting the limit currently advised by the FDA and EPA.
No doubt, the notable developmental and health benefits of fish – especially fattier fish like wild salmon, sardines, tuna, sablefish, and mackerel – flow from their abundance of omega-3s, vitamin D, selenium, and other key nutrients.
According to the National Fisheries Institute (a trade group), Americans currently consume only five ounces a week of fish high in omega-3s, which is less than half the amount (12 ounces per week) recommended by the FDA and EPA.
And the NFI estimates that some 14 percent of women of childbearing age eat no fish at all, despite the fact that omega-3s are essential to proper fetal brain and eye development.
To see some of our past coverage of this issue, see, “Women's Health Advocates Decry Unintended Effects of Mercury Directives”.)
|
Omega-3s and kids: Why fish is better than flaxseed
Only fish – especially fatty fish – provide usable (long-chain) omega-3s to human cells, where they exert singular influences that enable optimal childhood development … and enhance health at every age.
The superiority of long-chain omega-3s explains why mothers and children should seek out the only significant food sources: fish, algae, and shellfish.
The long-chain omega-3 fatty acid called DHA is an essential component of brains and eyes, which explains why fish-borne omega-3 fatty acids are ideal for optimizing fetal and infant development.
There is a short-chain omega-3 fatty acid known as ALA in nuts, seeds (especially flax and hemp), certain vegetable oils, and dark, leafy greens. But mothers’ bodies can only convert a small percent of ALA to DHA: just enough to ensure adequate—but likely not optimal—development. This is why nutrition-savvy pediatricians like Dr. William Sears recommend that expectant mothers eat ample amounts of low-mercury fish.
The reasons for the human body’s affinity for the long-chain omega-3s in fish may lie in our evolutionary past, when, a growing body of evidence suggests, early hominids gravitated to food-rich rivers, lakes, and ocean shores.
These environments offered the abundance of omega-3-rich fish, shellfish, amphibians, and aquatic plants necessary to development of modern humans’ outsized, heavily omega-3-dependent brains. |
FDA proposal flows from findings of risk-reward studies
There is ample evidence that children benefit from eating fish, as we reported in “Findings Verify Safety and Value of Higher Maternal Fish Intake”, and “Mothers and Kids Urged to Eat More Fish”.
The best available evidence concerning the connections between dietary fish, fish-borne mercury, and child development comes from three epidemiological studies conducted from the 1980s through today, among children who ate much more fish than the average American child:
- The Faroe Islands (1,022 children).
- The Seychelles Islands (799 children).
- New Zealand (237 children).
In both the Faroe Islands and Seychelles studies, American researchers administered tests that evaluated essentially the same aspects of brain development: general cognitive, visual-perceptual, speech-language, visual memory, visual attention, neuromotor-neurological, social-emotional, and learning achievement.
In short, two of the three found no consistent evidence that extremely fish-heavy diets harm child development.
Compared with these two, the results of the third study – which involved young New Zealand kids whose fish intake consisted mostly of high-mercury shark – only suggest that relatively high mercury intake is much riskier when it comes from eating relatively smaller amounts of high-mercury fish, compared with getting the same amount of mercury over time from eating lots of lower-mercury fish.
Americans generally eat lower-mercury seafood like salmon, pollock, cod, catfish, shrimp, crab, scallops, trout, light tuna, and the like.
And the four higher-mercury species that children and pregnant/nursing mothers are advised to avoid are either costly or rarely sold in most supermarkets.
Here’s how the FDA draft summarizes the findings of these studies. We’ve added clarifications in brackets:
- “Two major studies, in the Seychelles and Faroe Islands, where exposure to methylmercury is roughly an order of magnitude [ten times] higher than it is in the United States on average, produced mixed results, i.e., the Seychelles study did not find a consistent association between methylmercury and neurodevelopment while the Faroe Islands study found subtle adverse associations between methylmercury and neurodevelopment.”
- “… concentrations of methylmercury in the bodies of … women [in the Seychelles Islands] were found to be about 15 times higher than in U.S. women on average. Fish in the U.S. marketplace and fish in the Seychelles have about the same amounts of methylmercury in them.”
- “Unlike the Seychelles, where the only source of methylmercury was fish, most of the methylmercury in the Faroe Islands diets came from eating pilot whale in addition to fish.”
- “When the [Harvard-based] researchers later examined the effect on fetal neurodevelopment solely from maternal fish consumption in the Faroe Islands without any pilot whale, they discovered that the adverse effects were replaced by beneficial effects. Pilot whale lacks many of the nutrients found in fish [and is extremely high in PCBs, which appear to exert adverse effects on developing brains].”
- “This finding about fish in the Faroe Islands is consistent with a current trend in research results from the United States and elsewhere in favor of a beneficial impact on fetal neurodevelopment from the mother’s consumption of fish, even though the fish contain methylmercury.”
- “Moreover, greater fish consumption has been associated with greater benefits. On the other hand, in several studies the methylmercury appeared to reduce the size of the benefits. This latter finding suggests that it matters whether the fish are low or high in methylmercury.
For our earlier discussion of the Faroes and Seychelles studies, see “Fight over Mercury Risks Muddied by Bad Science”.
Harvard analyses from 2005 support the new FDA paper
Among others, the the Faroes and Seychelles studies provided the foundation the foundation for five separate Harvard-led dietary fish risk/reward analyses and two expert commentaries that were published in the November 2005 edition of the American Journal of Preventive Medicine. (See “Women's Health Advocates Decry Unintended Effects of Mercury Directives”.)
The research teams wanted to determine whether the benefits of lower mercury exposure among pregnant women outweighed the loss of omega-3 fatty acids from decreased fish consumption. They also examined what would happen if the public reacted inappropriately to government's recommendations regarding mercury and fish.
Indeed, their research showed that fish benefit children and adults, and that confusion and fears created by government mercury warnings directed to expectant/nursing mothers caused these and many other women to cut fish intake, thereby tossing out the health-promoting omega-3 baby with the mercury-fear bathwater (Oken E et al. 2005).
Their findings clearly refuted, in advance, the inaccurate hyperbole found in a letter concerning the FDA’s draft analysis, sent last week to the EPA by the Environmental Working Group (EWG).
In that hyperventilating letter, the EWG wildly exaggerated the (virtually non-existent) evidence of harm to Americans of any age from ingesting the trace amounts of mercury in fish (Wiles R 2008).
Eco-group issues misleading letter to EPA
Some EPA scientists were unhappy with the FDA’s analysis, which supports many researchers' proposals to relax fish intake guidelines for mother and children, and leaked it to the media and environmental groups.
The Environmental Working Group, an advocacy organization, issued a review that says, “Based on the documents we have seen, some gaps and flawed reasoning are obvious. For example, the FDA paper makes no distinction among various species of fish, ignoring many scientific studies showing that species vary widely in their accumulation of mercury.”
This is a complete misrepresentation of the FDA draft, which repeatedly highlights the distinction among various species of fish.
The best available evidence supports a policy of encouraging mothers, children, and everyone to enjoy more seafood … the vast majority of which is perfectly safe to eat in abundance.
We can only hope that misleading responses to the FDA draft analysis from some eco-groups don’t obscure what the researchers themselves say, almost without reservation: more fish is good for kids.
This is why it makes sense to assure women that virtually all seafood is safe and beneficial when eaten several times weekly, and concentrate on highlighting – perhaps via printed label/package warnings – the four highest-mercury ocean species.
Where we stand on the FDA findings
The FDA’s findings echo similar ones from the European Commission (EC), the independent, U.S.-based Maternal Nutrition Group, and U.S. NIH brain and behavior expert Joseph Hibbeln, M.D., who led key seafood-development studies analyzed in the FDA paper; see “More-Fish-for-Moms" Report Affirmed in Europe”.
We believe these expert observers make a compelling case for lifting the 12-oz-per-week limit from the EPA-FDA guidelines for children and pregnant/nursing mothers.
But we think that two key parts of the advisory should remain in place for now:
- Children and pregnant/nursing mothers should avoid shark, swordfish, king mackerel, and tilefish.
- Children and pregnant/nursing mothers should eat no more than 6 ounces of standard albacore tuna* per week.
*Note: Predatory fish like tuna accumulate mercury over time, so our small, young, Pacific albacore rank much lower in mercury than national brands; see the sidebar titled “Vital Choice Albacore: exceptionally pure”. (The same is true of our small, young, Alaskan halibut.)
Compared with standard canned albacore, our fresh and canned albacore averages levels about four times lower. (See our mercury chart here.)
While the evidence shows that almost all fish are safe and beneficial for children to eat several times a week, the evidence supports advice to avoid the four species highest in mercury, and freshwater fish that are subject to warnings.
And the evidence suggests that children and pregnant/nursing mothers should indeed limit intake of standard, national-brand canned albacore tuna, which consists mostly of much older, larger, higher-mercury fish than our fresh and canned small albacore.
Sources
- ALSPAC Study Team. Accessed online at http://www.alspac.bris.ac.uk/welcome/index.shtml Feb 17, 2007.
- Axtell CD, Cox C, Myers GJ, Davidson PW, Choi AL, Cernichiari E, Sloane-Reeves J, Shamlaye CF, Clarkson TW. Association between methylmercury exposure from fish consumption and child development at five and a half years of age in the Seychelles Child Development Study: an evaluation of nonlinear relationships. Environ Res. 2000 Oct;84(2):71-80.
- Bouzan C, Cohen JT, Connor WE, Kris-Etherton PM, Gray GM, König A, Lawrence RS, Savitz DA, Teutsch SM. A Quantitative Analysis of Fish Consumption and Stroke Risk. Am J Prev Med 2005 Nov;29(4):347-352
- Budtz-Jorgensen E, Grandjean P, Weihe P. 2007. Separation of risks and benefits of seafood intake. Environ Health Perspect 115(3): 323-7.
- Choi AL, Cordier S, Weihe P, Grandjean P. 2008. Negative confounding in the evaluation of toxicity: the case of methylmercury in fish and seafood. Crit Rev Toxicol 38(10): 877-93.
- Cohen JT, Bellinger DC, Connor WE, Kris-Etherton PM, Lawrence RS, Savitz DA, Shaywitz BA, Teutsch SM, Gray GM. A Quantitative Risk–Benefit Analysis of Changes in Population Fish Consumption. Am J Prev Med 2005 Nov;29(4):325-334
- Cohen JT, Bellinger DC, Connor WE, Shaywitz BA. A Quantitative Analysis of Prenatal Intake of n-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids and Cognitive Developmen. Am J Prev Med 2005 Nov;29(4):366.e1-366.e12
- Cohen JT, Bellinger DC, Shaywitz BA. A Quantitative Analysis of Prenatal Methyl Mercury Exposure and Cognitive Development. Am J Prev Med 2005 Nov;29(4):353.e1-353.e24
- Committee on the Toxicological Effects of Methylmercury, Board on Environmental Studies and Toxicology, National Research Council. Toxicological Effects of Methylmercury: Executive Summary. Accessed online December 6, 2006 at http://newton.nap.edu/execsumm_pdf/9899.pdf
- Crump KS, Kjellström T, Shipp AM, Silvers A, Stewart A. Influence of prenatal mercury exposure upon scholastic and psychological test performance: benchmark analysis of a New Zealand cohort. Risk Anal. 1998 Dec;18(6):701-13.
- Cunnane SC, Crawford MA. Survival of the fattest: fat babies were the key to evolution of the large human brain. Comp Biochem Physiol 2003;136A:17-26.
- Cunnane SC. Origins and evolution of the Western diet: implications of iodine and seafood intakes for the human brain (Letter to the Editor). Am J Clin Nutr 2005 Aug; 82(2):483
- Daniels JL, Longnecker MP, Rowland AS, Golding J; ALSPAC Study Team. University of Bristol Institute of Child Health. Fish intake during pregnancy and early cognitive development of offspring. Epidemiology. 2004 Jul;15(4):394-402.
- Davidson PW, Myer GJ, Shamlaye C, Cox C, Gao P, Axtell C, Morris D, Sloane-Reeves J, Cernichiari E, Choi A, Palumbo D, Clarkson TW. Association between prenatal exposure to methylmercury and developmental outcomes in Seychellois children: effect modification by social and environmental factors. Neurotoxicology. 1999 Oct;20(5):833-41.
- Denomme J, Stark KD, Holub BJ. Directly quantitated dietary (n-3) fatty acid intakes of pregnant Canadian women are lower than current dietary recommendations. J Nutr. 2005 Feb;135(2):206-11.
- Domingo JL, Bocio A, Falco G, Llobet JM. 2007. Benefits and risks of fish consumption Part I. A quantitative analysis of the intake of omega-3 fatty acids and chemical contaminants. Toxicology 230(2-3): 219-26.
- FDA. 2008. Draft-An Evaluation of Risks to U.S. Consumers from Methylmercury in Commercial Fish Products, including a quantitative assessment of risk and beneficial health effects from fish. Washington, DC: Food and Drug Administration.
- Ginsberg GL, Toal BF. 2000. Development of a single-meal fish consumption advisory for methyl mercury. Risk Anal 20(1): 41-7.
- Golding J, Pembrey M, Jones RALSPAC Study Team. ALSPAC: the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children. I. Study methodology. Paediatr Perinat Epidemiol 2001; 15: 74-87.
- Goldstein A. Moms Should Eat More Fish, Industry-Backed Group Says. Accessed online October 11, 2007 at http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601101&sid=axA77zz5n5sA.
- Hibbeln JR, Davis JM, Steer C, Emmett P, Rogers I, Williams C, Golding J. Maternal seafood consumption in pregnancy and neurodevelopmental outcomes in childhood (ALSPAC study): an observational cohort study. The Lancet 2007; 369:578-585.
- HMHB (National Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies Coalition). For Pregnant Women, Benefits of Eating Ocean Fish Outweigh Concerns from Trace Levels of Mercury: Experts in Obstetrics and Nutrition Unveil Seafood Consumption Recommendations During Pregnancy. Accessed online October 7, 2007 at http://www.hmhb.org/oceanfishpr.html
- Koletzko B, Cetin I, Thomas Brenna J; for the Perinatal Lipid Intake Working Group. Dietary fat intakes for pregnant and lactating women. Br J Nutr. 2007 Nov;98(5):873-7. Epub 2007 Aug 10.
- König A, Bouzan C, Cohen JT, Connor WE, Kris-Etherton PM, Gray GM, Lawrence RS, Savitz DA, Teutsch SM. A Quantitative Analysis of Fish Consumption and Coronary Heart Disease Mortality. Am J Prev Med 2005 Nov;29(4):335-346
- Layton L. FDA Draft Report Urges Consumption of Fish, Despite Mercury Contamination. Washington Post, December 12, 2008. Accessed online December 12, 2008 at http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/12/11/AR2008121103394.html
- Loosemore ED, Judge MP, Lammi-Keefe CJ. Dietary intake of essential and long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids in pregnancy. Lipids. 2004 May;39(5):421-4.
- Mahaffey KR, Clickner RP, Bodurow CC. 2004. Blood organic mercury and dietary mercury intake: National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 1999 and 2000. Environ Health Perspect 112(5): 562-70.
- Mahaffey KR, Clickner RP, Jeffries RA. 2008. Methylmercury and omega-3 fatty acids: co-occurrence of dietary sources with emphasis on fish and shellfish. Environ Res 107(1): 20-9.
- Mahaffey KR, Clickner RP, Jeffries RA. 2008. Methylmercury and omega-3 fatty acids: co-occurrence of dietary sources with emphasis on fish and shellfish. Environ Res 107(1): 20-9.
- Mahaffey KR. 2004. Fish and shellfish as dietary sources of methylmercury and the omega-3 fatty acids, eicosahexaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid: risks and benefits. Environ Res 95(3): 414-28.
- Maternal Nutrition Group. Seafood Recommendations During Pregnancy. Accessed online October 7, 2007 at http://www.brainybabieshealthykids.org/seafood-recommendations-for-pregnancy/
- McMichael AJ, Butler CD. Fish, Health, and Sustainability. Am J Prev Med 2005 Nov;29(4):322-323
- MercuryFacts.com. Accessed online December 6, 2006 at http://www.mercuryfacts.com/
- Mitchell JW, Kjellstrom TE, Reeves RL. Mercury in takeaway fish in New Zealand. N Z Med J. 1982 Feb 24;95(702):112-4.
- Moore L. Follow Up to Utility Industry-Funded Study Leads to Finding that Mercury in Fish No Problem, Scores of Independent Studies Suggest Otherwise: Seafood Industry Hypes Lone Study Criticized by National Academy of Sciences. May 15, 2003. Accessed online December 6, 2006 at http://www.ewg.org/issues/mercury/20030521/index.php
- Mozaffarian D, Rimm EB. Fish intake, contaminants, and human health: evaluating the risks and the benefits. JAMA. 2006 Oct 18;296(15):1885-99. Review. Erratum in: JAMA. 2007 Feb 14;297(6):590.
- Myers GJ, Davidson PW, Cox C, Shamlaye CF, Palumbo D, Cernichiari E, Sloane-Reeves J, Wilding GE, Kost J, Huang LS, Clarkson TW. Prenatal methylmercury exposure from ocean fish consumption in the Seychelles child development study. Lancet. 2003 May 17;361(9370):1686-92.
- Myers GJ, Davidson PW, Cox C, Shamlaye CF, Palumbo D, Cernichiari E, Sloane-Reeves J, Wilding GE, Kost J, Huang LS, Clarkson TW. Prenatal methylmercury exposure from ocean fish consumption in the Seychelles child development study. Lancet. 2003 May 17;361(9370):1686-92.
- Myers GJ, Davidson PW, Palumbo D, Shamlaye C, Cox C, Cernichiari E, Clarkson TW. Secondary analysis from the Seychelles Child Development Study: the child behavior checklist. Environ Res. 2000 Sep;84(1):12-9.
- Newswise/Medical News, July 19, 2005. IFT hears Americans not eating enough fish for good health. Accessed online July 20, 2005 at http://www.newswise.com/articles/view/513221/
- Oken E, Bellinger DC. 2008. Fish consumption, methylmercury and child neurodevelopment. Curr Opin Pediatr 20(2): 178-83.
- Oken E, Kleinman KP, Berland WE, Simon SR, Rich-Edwards JW, Gillman MW. Decline in fish consumption among pregnant women after a national mercury advisory. Obstet Gynecol. 2003 Aug;102(2):346-51.
- Oken E, Radesky JS, Wright RO, Bellinger DC, Amarasiriwardena CJ, Kleinman KP, et al. 2008. Maternal Fish Intake during Pregnancy, Blood Mercury Levels, and Child Cognition at Age 3 Years in a US Cohort. Am J Epidemiol 167(10): 1171-81.
- Palumbo DR, Cox C, Davidson PW, Myers GJ, Choi A, Shamlaye C, Sloane-Reeves J, Cernichiari E, Clarkson TW. Association between prenatal exposure to methylmercury and cognitive functioning in Seychellois children: a reanalysis of the McCarthy Scales of Children's Ability from the main cohort study. Environ Res. 2000 Oct;84(2):81-8.
- Reinberg S. Fish Safe for Pregnant Women to Eat. Accessed online October 7, 2007 at http://health.msn.com/pregnancykids/articlepage.aspx?cp-documentid=100171470
- Sakamoto M, Kubota M, Liu XJ, Murata K, Nakai K, Satoh H. 2004. Maternal and fetal mercury and n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids as a risk and benefit of fish consumption to fetus. Environ Sci Technol 38(14): 3860-3.
- Springen K. Pregnant Women: Eat More Fish or Not? Newsweek. Accessed online Feb 17, 2007 at http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17177330/site/newsweek/
- Squires S. Advisory at Odds With FDA Stance. Washington Post. Accessed online October 7, 2007 at http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/10/03/AR2007100301278.html
- Stern AH. 2005. Balancing the risks and benefits of fish consumption. Ann Intern Med 142(11): 949.
- Teutsch SM, Cohen JT. Health Trade-offs from Policies to Alter Fish Consumption. Am J Prev Med 2005 Nov;29(4):324
- Tsuchiya A, Hardy J, Burbacher TM, Faustman EM, Marien K. 2008. Fish intake guidelines: incorporating n-3 fatty acid intake and contaminant exposure in the Korean and Japanese communities. Am J Clin Nutr 87(6): 1867-75.
- van Wijngaarden E, Beck C, Shamlaye CF, Cernichiari E, Davidson PW, Myers GJ, Davidson PW, Myers GJ, Weiss B, Shamlaye CF, Cox C. Prenatal methyl mercury exposure from fish consumption and child development: A review of evidence and perspectives from the Seychelles Child Development Study. Neurotoxicology. 2006 Apr 15; [Epub ahead of print]
- van Wijngaarden E, Beck C, Shamlaye CF, Cernichiari E, Davidson PW, Myers GJ, Clarkson TW. Benchmark concentrations for methyl mercury obtained from the 9-year follow-up of the Seychelles Child Development Study. Neurotoxicology. 2006 Jun 2; [Epub ahead of print]
- What You Need to Know about Mercury in Fish and Shellfish: 2004 EPA and FDA Advice for: Women Who Might Become Pregnant, Women Who are Pregnant, Nursing Mothers, Young Children. Accessed online October 21, 2005 at http://www.epa.gov/waterscience/fishadvice/advice.html
- Wiles R. Environmental Working Group. FDA's Midnight Mischief Heightens Mercury Risk to Pregnant Women, Infants : EWG's letter to EPA. December 2008. Accessed online December 12, 2008 at http://www.ewg.org/node/27436
- Willett WC. Fish: Balancing Health Risks and Benefits. Am J Prev Med 2005 Nov;29(4):320-321
[FULL STORY]
|
|
|
Delicious Deals Dept
|
FREE Organic Balsamic Vinegar & Organic EV Olive Oil
Get our fine new Balsamic Vinegar with a $150 order ...
add Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil by ordering $250 or more
Our New 100% Organic Balsamic Vinegar is drawing rave reviews … and we’re not really surprised!
This sensational treat is crafted in Spain from rich, tangy red wines and sweet grapes, and gains added complexity and depth from oak aging.
We think you'll agree that it surpasses most any balsamic vinegar on the market ... including top Italian brands ... and ours is certified 100% organic!
From now through this Wednesday Dec. 17, we’ll send you a bottle of Organic Balsamic Vinegar (8.5 oz) FREE with any order of $150 or more, to enjoy or to give as a delicious gift!
|
Delicious uses for our
vivacious Balsamic Vinegar
Vital Choice Organic Balsamic Vinegar makes a decidedly delicious salad dressing.
Add a dash or more to enhance your favorite vinaigrette, or try chef Philip Mastin's tasty recipe for Balsamic Vinaigrette.
A dash or drizzle of our Balsamic Vinegar also enlivens sauce, stews, and dessert fruits. |
Orders of $250 or more will receive Organic Balsamic Vinegar AND a bottle of our delicious Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil (16.9 oz), all at no charge.
Cold-pressed from fruity, tangy Spanish Picual olives, our delicious, premium quality EV Olive Oil is rich in “mono” fats and potent tyrosol antioxidants proven to promote cardiovascular health.
Here’s how to get your free Organic Balsamic Vinegar, and add a free bottle of Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil, with Free Shipping!
Click below for full details ...
[FULL STORY]
|
|
|
Vitamins Fall Short in Heart & Cancer Trials … So What?
Results prove only the obvious … that isolated nutrients may not prevent prostate cancer and heart disease quickly when taken by well-nourished men late in life
by Craig Weatherby
Often, when researchers test supplements containing isolated food-borne nutrients they fail to perform as hoped.
Two clinical trials published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) focused on the preventive power of vitamins C and E versus heart disease, and the effects of selenium and vitamin E versus prostate cancer.
After eight years, researchers detected no reductions in heart risk among male physicians who agreed to take vitamin C and E supplements (Sesso HD et al. 2008).
And no prostate-prevention benefits were seen in men over 50 who took selenium and/or vitamin E for even fewer years (Lippman SM et al.).
Scientists have been interested in testing vitamin E and C and selenium for three good reasons:
- They exhibit promising effects in test tube or animal studies.
- They possess properties that should, logically, help prevent cancer and heart disease.
- They abound in foods linked to reduced risk of cancer and heart disease, such as fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.
None of these of these promising indicators was overturned by the negative outcomes of the two trials published in JAMA, which didn’t prove much of anything.
Editorial in JAMA decries reductionist approach to nutrients
Given the study designs, we were not very surprised by these negative findings, and neither was JAMA editorialist Peter Gann, MD, ScD, from the University of Illinois at Chicago.
Dr. Gann penned an accompanying editorial in JAMA in which he critiqued the reliability of randomized clinical trials for determining the value of food-borne nutrients taken as isolated supplements.
Gann made three important points:
- “… single-agent interventions, even in combinations, may be an ineffective approach to primary prevention in average-risk populations.
- “It may be time to give up the idea that the protective influence of diet on prostate cancer risk...can be emulated by isolated dietary molecules given alone or in combination to middle-aged and older men. ...
- “If it requires whole foods, extracts, or dietary patterns [to reduce disease risk], it may be necessary to give up the reductionist need to know which molecule is most responsible and perhaps give up the notion of placebo controls as well.”
Dr. Gann’s views were echoed by Andrew Shao, Ph.D., of the Council for Responsible Nutrition, which is the U.S. supplement makers’ trade association.
Dr. Shao said that one reason for the “apparent conflict” ...
[Click for full story and printer friendly version]
|
|
Can Selenium Curb Cancer?
Selenium may protect women from bladder cancer; Men may not get prostate protection
by Craig Weatherby
Selenium is a trace element critical to basic immune and brain functions in the human body.
But selenium intake varies widely around the U.S. and the world.
Grains are not high in selenium but constitute the major selenium source for most people.
Accordingly, most people's selenium blood levels depend largely on the levels of selenium in the soil in which the grains they most commonly consume are grown.
Grains grown in the American Midwest tend to be rich in selenium, so deficiency is rare in the U.S.
But the best selenium sources by far are ocean fish, including salmon (ODS 2008).
|
Seafood is rich in selenium
Salmon is certainly a rich source of selenium, but some of our selection offers even more of the mineral … though not as much vitamin D or omega-3s.
All figures are in micrograms (mcg) and come from USDA data tables for cooked seafood, or canned where noted.
The US RDA is 55 mcg, and few other food sources even come close to these levels per serving:
Selenium per 3.5 oz serving
Albacore Tuna (canned) 60
Sardines (canned) 52.7
Mackerel (canned) 51.6
Halibut 46.8
Sablefish 46.8
Pollock 46.8
King Salmon (chinook) 46.8
King Crab 40
Shrimp/Prawns 39.6
Silver Salmon (coho) 38
Sockeye Salmon (red) 37.8
Cod 37.6
Scallops 27.9 |
And it makes good sense to achieve blood levels above the minimums required to prevent deficiency, given the growing evidence that selenium helps prevent cancer and can block the effects of dietary mercury.
Excellent sources of selenium include button mushrooms, shiitake mushrooms, cod, shrimp, snapper, tuna, halibut, calf's liver, and salmon.
(See our accompanying article, “Whole Salmon Favored over Fish Oil Pills”, in which researchers cite high selenium and omega-3 content as key salmon attributes.)
Scientific understanding of selenium’s roles in the basic biology of cancer has grown rapidly during last two decades.
Basic research and studies in animal and humans strongly support the protective role of selenium against various types of cancer.
Epidemiological studies link inadequate selenium intake to increased risk of cancer, and selenium is essential to formation of “selenoproteins” such as glutathione peroxidase and thioredoxin reductase, which form key parts of the body’s internal immunity/antioxidant system.
Now, a new study suggests that diets rich in selenium may reduce a woman’s risk of bladder cancer by 34 percent.
And the Dartmouth Medical School researchers behind the new research results also reported significant ...
[Click for full story and printer-friendly version]
|
|
|
"Don't Delay!" Dept.
|
|
Order early for on-time delivery!
(See our Xmas order deadlines, below.)
Gift Packages – or Gift Certificates – from Vital Choice will put a smile on people’s faces, make short work of gift shopping, and impart the gift of good health and fabulous flavor.
We're pleased to introduce a great new gift suggested by to us by Christiane Northrup, M.D ... see our NEW Student Brain Food Packs, below!
You can pick the shipping dates and pen personal greetings for your gifts. To see more details and place an order, just click a Gift title or photo below ... or click to see our our Gift Page.
FREE Shipping!
Wild Salmon Sampler + Cookbook Set $112.00
Impart a gift with lasting impact!
Diane Morgan's Salmon drew high praise from The New York Times for its great recipes and ravishing photos.
Our Sampler includes 8 boneless, skinless portions of wild Alaskan Salmon (2 each of Sockeye, King, Silver, and rare Ivory King) plus a gift tin of our Organic Salmon Marinade.
Comes in a beautiful sleeve with your personal greeting.
 |
FREE Shipping!
Vital Choice Gift Certificates
Vital Choice Gift Certificates let recipients pick favorites among all of our many delicious, healthful foods, from succulent sockeye to sweet organic strawberries!
Each Certificate comes in an elegant art envelope, accompanied by your personal greeting and a two-ounce gift tin of Organic Seafood Marinade. Certificates range from $25 to $200.
Gift from the Sea – $39
Our Glass Fishnet Floats rode the North Pacific Current from Asia for many years – or decades – before landing on Alaskan shores, where they were collected by a Hartnell family member.
Each float comes in a handsome, beribboned wooden box, with an elegant note card designed just for this gift.
Smoked Wild Salmon Sampler $79
Smoked Salmon connoisseurs praise ours highly! Includes silky nova lox slices and hot-smoked Sockeye (plan & peppered), plus succulent smoked Yukon King Salmon – the richest of all wild Salmon, by far – and addictively rich smoked Yukon King “Candy”!
We smoke only sustainable wild Alaskan Salmon, and each offering has 30-50% less sodium than standard brands.
FREE Shipping!
NEW Gift of Enduring Health $185 – NEW for Holiday 2008
Includes two portions each of wild Alaskan Sockeye and Halibut, 6 Salmon Sausage Patties (two of each variety), 3 lbs. of Wild Organic Blueberries, The 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth by Dr. Jonny Bowden (with bonus CD), and our gift tin of Organic Seafood Marinade mix.
Comes in a beautiful sleeve with with your personal greeting.
FREE Shipping!
Wild Pacific Seafood Medley & Cookbook – $129
They'll be blown away by this enticing selection: Salmon Portions (3 kinds), Smoked Sockeye, Halibut Portions, Sablefish Portions, Salmon Burgers, and Troll-Caught Tuna Medallions.
This gift pack also features Wild Organic Blueberries, Organic Seafood Marinade Mix, and Organic Extra Dark Chocolate, plus Dana Jacobi's great 12 Best Foods Cookbook.
FREE Shipping!
NEW Griller's Gift Basket $159
Features our wild Alaska Salmon and Halibut, Diane Morgan's wonderful Grill Every Day cookbook, premium quality Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil, a gift tin of Organic Seafood Marinade mix, and Grilling Planks to keep fish moist and add woody accents.
The handsome Fair Trade basket serves as a BBQ carry-all.
Click below to see more gifts ...
[Click for full story and printer friendly version]
|
|
|
Whole Salmon Favored over Fish Oil Pills
New Zealanders cite high selenium levels, plus abundant omega-3s; Wild salmon is also uniquely abundant in vitamin D
by Craig Weatherby
Swallowing fish oil capsules for brain boosting, health-promoting omega-3 may be just as effective as tucking into a fillet of salmon.
And our wild Alaskan Sockeye Salmon omega-3 capsules (and liquid) provide an ideal supplemental option.
They’re unrefined, certified pure and potent, and as close to the eating the fat of the whole fish as you can get.
But if you want a dose of selenium as well, then go for the salmon fillet, say researchers at New Zealand’s Massey University.
And, we would add, you’ll get a uniquely rich dose of vitamin D from wild salmon fillets as well.
Researchers at the university’s Institute of Food, Health and Human Nutrition investigated whether salmon or fish oil tablets are better for people to increase their omega-3 fatty acid status.
Long-chain omega-3s from fish (EPA and DHA) possess well-documented benefits, including enhanced heart, mood, brain, and eye health, with anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer properties.
|
Welma Stonehouse
|
(The short-chain omega-3s in plants are valuable as raw material from which the body can make essential long-chain omega-3s, but they are not as directly useful or impactful in the body.)
New Zealand study affirms superior value of whole fish verus fish oil pills
Associate Professor Welma Stonehouse, who coordinated the new study, had these comments in a university press release (our clarifying comments added in brackets): “… the best source [of omega-3s] is fish oil, in the form of salmon [and other fatty fish] or fish oil capsules”. (Massey University 2008)
When she and fellow researchers compared a group of healthy volunteers who ate a 4.2 oz (120 gram) portion of salmon twice a week with another group who took ...
|
Seafood is rich in selenium
Salmon is certainly a rich source of selenium, but some of our selection offers even more of the mineral … though not as much vitamin D or omega-3s.
All figures are in micrograms (mcg) and come from USDA data tables for cooked seafood, or canned where noted.
The US RDA is 55 mcg, and few other food sources even come close to these levels per serving:
Selenium per 3.5 oz serving
Albacore Tuna (canned) 60
Sardines (canned) 52.7
Mackerel (canned) 51.6
Halibut 46.8
Sablefish 46.8
Pollock 46.8
King Salmon (chinook) 46.8
King Crab 40
Shrimp/Prawns 39.6
Silver Salmon (coho) 38
Sockeye Salmon (red) 37.8
Cod 37.6
Scallops 27.9 |
[Click for full story and access to printer-friendly version]
|
|
|
Vital Choice Products Update
|
|
|
|
|
Vital Recipes
|
Spot Prawns in Greek Pasta
Pacific Spot Prawns like ours – harvested in the waters ranging from upper Washington State to southeast Alaska – enjoy an eco-best rating from the Environmental Defense Fund.
People who try them are invariably amazed by our Pacific Spot Prawns’ stunning freshness and fabulous flavor.
That’s because the captain who catches our Prawns takes them straight from the net into tubs filled with fresh seawater and flash-freezes them immediately.
They taste as fresh as being cooked right out of the net!
Spot Prawns in Greek Pasta
Adapted from Good Housekeeping. Total prep/cooking time 30 minutes
Makes 4 servings
1 pound pasta (suggest spaghetti, farfalle or fusilli)
2 tsp organic extra virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 can (28 ounces) plum tomatoes in juice
1/4 cup black olives (optional)
1/4 tsp organic cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp dried organic oregano
1/4 tsp organic lemon pepper
1 tub (16 oz) wild Pacific Spot Prawns, shelled and deveined (leave tail shell on as desired)
1/4 cup loosely packed fresh parsley leaves, chopped
2 Tbsp organic balsamic vinegar
2 ounces feta cheese, crumbled (about 1/2 cup), plus ¼ cup to sprinkle over recipe
- Heat large covered pot of water to boiling over high heat. Add pasta and cook until ...
[Click for full story and access to printer-friendly version]
|
|
|
Subscribe to Vital Choices!
|
|
|
|
Published by
Vital Choice Seafood
Copyright © 2008 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.
|
TELL A FRIEND
View Archive
|
|
|
