Vital Choices Newsletter

Each tiny, 300 mg softgel capsule of Vital Choice Vitamin D3 in Wild Sockeye Salmon Oil provides a generous 2,000 International Units (IU) of vitamin D3.

D3 is the preferred, natural form of this amazing vitamin, and ours is certified pure and potent by NSF

Better yet, our D3 comes in a base of whole, unrefined, certified-pure, sockeye salmon oil, certified sustainable by the MSC

Each Vitamin D3 softgel contains 45mg of omega-3s, but health authorities recommend 500mg of omega-3s per day, so it doesn't replace fish oil.

A 3,000mg daily serving of our Sockeye Salmon Oil provides 460mg, so if you also take one Vitamin D3 in Salmon Oil softgel per day, that would bring your supplemental omega-3 intake to a perfect 505mg!

Omega-3 Wild Salmon Oil ... Whole & Pure

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.

Vitamin D Lack in U.S. Kids and Teens Confirmed
Nearly one in five don't have enough D; Even more deemed deficient under newer standards; Problem is worse in female, darker-skinned, and overweight children
by Craig Weatherby and Linda Sparrow

Click for full story and printer friendly version

The optimal levels of vitamin D for children and adults are still widely debated.

But the overwhelming majority of evidence supports calls to raise the current, age-related recommended daily allowances from 200 - 600 IU (international units) to 2,000 - 4,000 IU.

This past summer, researchers found evidence of widespread deficiency in children (see “American Kids Found Deficient in Vitamin D”) ... though not usually enough to yield the rickets of yesteryear, shown in the x-ray at left.

And last year, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) voted to double the amount of vitamin D it recommends for infants, children, and adolescents (see “Kids’ Daily Vitamin D Allowance Doubled”).

Last spring, researchers from Weill Cornell Medical College found that compared with the 25 percent of teens with the highest blood levels of vitamin D, the 25 percent of teens with the lowest levels were nearly four times more likely to be at risk for diabetes and heart disease, and more than twice as likely to be at risk for high blood sugar and high blood pressure (Saintonge S et al. 2009).

Fish fit the vitamin D bill; Sockeye salmon stand out

In addition to getting vitamin D from supplements, certain fish rank among the very few substantial food sources of vitamin D, far outranking milk and other D-fortified foods.

Among fish, wild Sockeye Salmon may be the richest source of all, with a single 3.5 ounce serving surpassing the US RDA of 400 IU by about 70 percent:

Vitamin D per 3.5 ounce serving*

Sockeye Salmon 687 IU

Albacore Tuna 544 IU

Silver Salmon 430 IU

King Salmon 236 IU

Sardines 222 IU

Sablefish 169 IU

Halibut 162 IU

*For our full test results, click here.

In that study, girls had twice the risk of deficiency compared with boys, and overweight teens were at greater risk than normal-weight adolescents.

Now, new research shows that judging even by conservative standards, many children are vitamin D deficient.

Dr. Jonathan Mansbach of Children’s Hospital Boston led a team that analyzed blood samples taken from 5,000 children under the age of 12, who’d participated in the 2001-2006 Nation Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES).

As Mansbach said in a press release, “There are a lot of studies demonstrating associations between low levels of vitamin D and a laundry list of poor health outcomes.” (CHB 2009)

His team’s analysis – funded by the National Institutes of Health – shows that nearly one in five of children in the U.S. have undesirably low blood levels of less than 50 nmol/L (nanomoles per liter).

And they found that two-thirds of U.S. children (24 million) have vitamin D levels below 75 nanomoles per liter … 80 percent of Hispanic children, 92 percent of black children, and 59 percent of white children (Mansbach JM et al. 2009).

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends blood levels of vitamin D in children of at least 50 nanomoles per liter, and studies have shown that adults should maintain blood levels of 75 to 100 nmol/L.

According to Dr. Mansbach, “If 75 nmol/L or higher is eventually demonstrated to be the healthy normal level of vitamin D, then there is much more vitamin D deficiency in the U.S. than people realize.” (CHB 2009)

The problems with D deficiency

Vitamin D deficiencies have been associated with an increased occurrence of childhood and adult diabetes (types I and II), inflammatory diseases, high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, cancer and increased vulnerability to infections.

In contrast, high levels of vitamin D are associated with lower risk of these health problems, and substantially reduced rates of several common cancers … malignancies that ...

[FULL STORY]

Bogus Headlines Distort Omega-3 Depression Study
Most news reports mis-reported the results of a new clinical trial ... and didn’t mention that omega-3s enhanced anti-depressants’ effects in two similar studies
by Craig Weatherby

The majority of numerous studies associate low blood levels of omega-3s with greater risk of depression.

Depression is a risk factor for death or injury in people with CHD, so it makes sense to test the effects of anti-depressants in patients who are diagnosed with depression.

It also makes sense to test the effects of nutrients with antidepressant potential, such as omega-3s.

And judging by the headlines that raced around the world last week – like “Study fails to find omega 3 benefit for depression” – you’d think that a new study had found omega-3s ineffective for alleviating depression.

But most headlines misstated both the purpose and outcome of the clinical trial published this month in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA).

Despite what the headlines implied, this trial only tested omega-3s as an adjunct to the FDA-approved antidepressant drug Zoloft^® … not as a stand-alone treatment for depression.

In fact, the study only showed that omega-3s from fish oil did not add extra mood benefits to those conferred by an antidepressant drug.

Worse, virtually none of the many media reports mentioned that two prior clinical trials found that omega-3s from fish oil substantially increased the efficacy of various antidepressant drugs.

As the authors of a UK trial wrote seven years ago, “Treatment with [omega-3] EPA at a dosage of 1 gram per day was effective in treating depression in patients who remained depressed despite adequate standard therapy.” (Peet M, Horrobin DF 2002)

That same year, an Israeli team penned this encouraging conclusion to their clinical study: “Highly significant benefits of the addition of the omega-3 fatty acid compared with placebo were found by week 3 of treatment.” (Nemets B et al. 2002)

Media has short memory on omega-3s and depression

And with regard to the clinical record on omega-3s and depression, the memory spans of most reporters and editors seem laughably short.

From the headlines, you’d never know that the outcomes of a major clinical trial published just two months back suggest that omega-3s can approximate the effects of anti-depressant drugs for alleviating depression ...

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New Products

NEW Pacific Blue Mussels
Grown in clean swift-moving ocean waters;
Pre-cooked for added ease and quality assurance

Our mouthwatering new Pacific Blue mussels – also known as Mediterranean mussels – boast plump meats and a delicate, yet complex flavor and buttery texture.

These expertly cultivated mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis) thrive in wild ocean
waters off Washington State, which are constantly monitored for purity.

They like fast-moving water free of sediment, where nutrient-rich
upwelling occurs … a perfect description of their Puget Sound environs.

Our mussels reach harvest size (approx 2-3/4 inch long) suspended in mid-water
from long-lines and rafts, which keeps them totally free of mud or grit …
the only flavor you taste is the shellfish itself!

Superior to supermarket mussels
Standard mussels you'll find in markets or online often cost less than ours per pound.

But standard mussels provide less meat than ours per pound, can contain grit, and are simply not as tasty or satisfying!

Standard mussels are a separate, less appealing species (Mytilus edulis) than ours.

Most mussels are bottom-grown off the U.S. or Canadian Atlantic coasts, and harvested by dredges ... a cheaper method that introduces grit and can damage the seafloor ecosystem.

Certified-safe meats ... and easy to remove
By law, each batch is tested and certified by the State of Washington as safe to eat raw, before the mussels are harvested.

After harvest, our Pacific Blue mussels are cleaned, de-bearded, vaccum-packed, and immersed in hot water (170°F) for several minutes ... a process that partially cooks the mussels and makes it very easy to pull the meat from the shell.

Being State-certified as safe, they can be consumed as is or cooked further, as ...

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Vital Green Updates

Carbon Offset Project Breaks Ground
Greensburg Wind Farm begins construction; Vital Choice food shipments are carbon-offset by project to provide wind-powered electricity for tornado-torn town
by Craig Weatherby and Randy Hartnell

Turbine blade lowered into place. Credit: John Deere Renewables

On May 4, 2007, a massive tornado leveled Greensburg, Kansas, destroying almost all the homes and leaving a path of devastation two miles wide.

Its people vowed to rebuild as the “Greenest town in America,” and we're helping turn the town into a partially wind-powered community.

The electricity generated by Greensburg's new wind turbines will replace power generated by coal and other fossil fuels that emit greenhouse gasses.

Our share of the Greensburg Wind Farm Project will offset the total estimated global warming effects of the carbon dioxide emitted by air and ground shipments to our customers from June 24, 2009, through June 23, 2010.

This effort is part of our Vital Green^™ Environmental Stewardship program, which includes CubeCycle^™, our literally unique foam shipping-cube recycling assistance program; our paperless e-catalog; our seafood sustainability stance; and more.

To learn more about offsetting your carbon emissions through the Greenburg Wind Farm or other projects managed by our offset provider, NativeEnergy, click here.

Not just carbon … we’re offsetting unique, jet-related warming

The size of our contribution to the Greensburg Wind Farm Project takes into account the added warming effects of jet emissions at ...

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Vital Recipes

Healthy Wild Blueberry Muffins
by Monica Puri Bangia

Photo by Monica Puri Bangia

Today’s recipe is from Sharing Plate … the inspiring food blog by cooking coach Monica Puri Bangia, who’s based in northern New Jersey about 15 miles west of Manhattan.

She’s an incredibly versatile chef who studied at the French Culinary Institute in New York City and shares recipes made with good, healthy-choice ingredients.

Monica uses only wild blueberries, and she said that frozen blueberries work very well in this recipe. They are so good, that by the time one batch is done, her daughter is telling her it is time to make more!

Monica Puri Bangia

Healthy Wild Blueberry Muffins

By Monica Puri Bangia

Makes 12 medium or 24 mini muffins.

12½ ounces white whole-wheat flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon sea salt

1 cup turbinado (raw) sugar

½ cup organic extra virgin olive oil or organic macadamia nut oil

1 egg

1 cup low-fat yogurt

1½ cups frozen wild organic blueberries

Inserts for the muffin tins

Preheat oven to 380 degree F.

In a large bowl sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Keep aside.

About our wild blueberries

Vital Choice premium, wild organic blueberries grow naturally for optimal purity, flavor and nutrition, and flash-frozen to lock in freshness.

Wild blueberries grow smaller and sweeter than cultivated berries, with up to three times more berries per pound, plus higher levels of antioxidants.

As Andrew Weil, M.D. notes, “Blueberries pack the most powerful antioxidant punch of any fresh vegetable or fruit …”

In another large bowl, whisk together the sugar, oil, egg and yogurt. Add the dry ingredients reserving 1 tablespoon of the dry ingredients and toss with the blueberries. Stir mixture by hand, well, but do not over mix. Add 1 cup wild blueberries to mixture and stir briefly. Reserve the ½ cup of blueberries.
Usng a tablespoon (if making mini muffins) or an ice cream scoop (if making medium muffins), sprinkle the remaining ½ cup of berries on top of the muffins and press down lightly.
Place into the oven and increase the temperature to 400 degrees.
Bake for 20 minutes if making mini and 25 if making the bigger ones. Remove from oven and let cool completely.

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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.