Fwd: Vital Choices Newsletter: Nutty Halloween Offer; Healthy Nut News; Coffee’s Dark Side; Tuna and Salmon recipes

November 2, 2006

Note: forwarded message attached.

Monday, October 30, 2006

Issue 101

VOLUME 3

ISSUE 101

CHANGING YOUREMAIL ADDRESS?Click here to update it

In This Issue

New Studies Confirm Popular Nuts as Conspicuously Healthful

Coffee Found Inflaming; Tea Seen as Smarter Caffeine Source

FREE Nuts ... Our Tasty Halloween Treat

Tyrian Tuna Salad; Zesty Garlic Salmon

Online Store =Easy Shopping

Click here for our main shopping directory, or go straight to our products:SeafoodWild Alaskan SalmonSmoked Salmon Albacore Tuna (low-mercury, troll-caught)Alaskan HalibutAlaskan Weathervane ScallopsAlaskan Sablefish (Black Cod)Salmon Sausage BurgersSalmon Caviar (Ikura)Canned Salmon, Tuna, SardinesSalmon Dog TreatsSockeye Salmon OilCapsules or LiquidOrganic FoodsOrganic NutsOrganic BerriesOrganic ChocolateOrganic TeaOrganic Herbs SpicesOrganic EV Olive and Macadamia OilsGiftsGift CertificatesGift PacksSampler Packs, Specials, ExtrasDr. Perricone PackDr. Northrup Mom-Baby PackSampler PacksSpecial Grill PacksCedar BBQ PlanksCookbooksTo get a free catalog, click here, or call us toll-free at 1-800-608-4825.

The Moby Dickof Wild Salmon

The rare and delectable Alaskan Ivory King Salmon is coveted by those who know king salmon best the fishermen who catch them!

A quirk of nature graces us with a small portion of king salmon boasting ivory flesh marbled with vibrant pink and orange/red highlights.

Comparable to the red king in omega-3 content, our 6 oz skinless-boneless portions of troll-harvested Ivory King Salmon offer a medium-firm texture, sweet, rich flavor, and delightful eye appeal.

Tataki Is Back!

Attention sushi lovers ... Vital Choice Tataki is back! Tataki is the Japanese term for a lightly grilled, rare fillet ... in this case, quick-seared, boneless sockeye salmon loins that are flash-frozen and individually vacuum-sealed.

Simply thaw your Tataki, slice and serve it solo, with salad, or with stir-fried veggies and rice for a quick, delicious, healthful meal. (Note: the loins may be cooked further to suit individual tastes.)Each package contains approximately 4 to 6 individually vacuum-packed, random-weight loins. An excellent value!

The Vital Choice Advantage

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.

Lox to Live For ...

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.

Pure, UnrefinedSockeye Salmon Oil

Vital Choice Salmon Oil (top left) vs. two standard fish oilsWe 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.

We use fish-gelatin capsules, and now offer our Salmon oil in liquid form for kids and others who have trouble swallowing pills. Last but not least, ours is the only salmon oil supplement certified as sustainably sourced by the Marine Stewardship Council (www.msc.org).

Organic TeaGreen, White, Black

Selection of our three certified-Organic teas-Green Buddha, White Peony, and Darjeeling Second Flush Black-entailed journeys to far corners of Asia, where each is grown organically and harvested and processed by hand.

We're confident that they will delight even the most discerning sippers.

"I'm a big fan of green tea, which has been shown to protect against both heart disease and cancer. ... studies suggest that drinking any type of tea also affords additional health benefits. "

-Andrew Weil, M.D.

The Best, Safest Tuna You Can Buy

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.

Publisher/EditorRandy HartnellProducerCraig WeatherbySend Mail To:VitalChoices

Super-Rich SardinesPlain, Tomato, Spicy

We went all the way to Portugal to find the world's finest sardines. They're custom packed for us in organic extra-virgin olive oil by a family that's been at it for more than a century. And we select only the richest sardines, caught at their peak of omega-3 content.

Available in Regular , packed in organic Tomato Sauce, and Spicy (packed with a single organic red chili pepper!) Pull top cans. Certified Kosher by Earth Kosher (Full Oversight).

" Just wanted to tell you that those are the BEST sardines I have ever eaten. They are well worth the extra money. Of course, why would I think the sardines would be any different from all the other tasty and high quality fish you offer? "

--Jean Singer, Eustis, FL

Scrumptious Weathervane Scallops

People seem to swoon over our sweet, succulent, sustainably harvested Alaska weathervane scallops. Unlike common farmed varieties, Vital Choice scallops grow as nature intended in the cold, clear waters near Kodiak Island, Alaska.

They're individually quick frozen and available in convenient re-sealable bags, so that you can take only the scallops you need and return the rest to the freezer.

To change your email address,

Click here to forward this email

New Studies Confirm Popular Nuts as Conspicuously Healthful

Almonds for appetite and blood-sugar control and antioxidant power; Walnuts compliment wild salmon's cardiac benefits

by Craig Weatherby

This past week was full of positive medical news about almonds and walnuts. And California's nut farmers can use all the good tidings they can get, given the pollination and pilferage problems plaguing them of late.

Thieves called " nut-nappers " have been stealing trailer loads of almonds, while parasitic mites are busy minimizing the numbers of honeybees available to pollinate California's 550,000 acres of almond trees.

The new studies were sponsored by the California Almond Board and the California Walnut Commission, but were conducted at major universities and fit with prior positive evidence, so it's probably pretty safe to take the findings without the proverbial pinch of salt.

Our review begins with the " Almonds curb appetites " study just below; click any of these three links to jump down to our other nutty stories:

Nutty diet controls blood sugar, lowers cholesterol

Walnuts complement heart-health effects of salmon

Almonds' antioxidant content rivals veggies and tea

Almonds curb appetites

There's substantial evidence that people who eat nuts frequently are less likely to be overweight or to gain weight. For example, women who eat five or more servings of nuts a week have lower-than-average BMIs (body mass indices) and risk of cardiovascular disease (Hu FB et al 1998).

The author of a recent evidence review (Sabate J 2003) noted these facts:

Population studies show that as nut intake rises, people's body-mass indices drop.

When people are free to eat as many nuts as desired, they do not gain weight and show a slight tendency to lower weight.

People on nut-rich diets excrete more fat.

And last weekend, researchers from Purdue University presented the results of a supportive new study at the Obesity Society Annual Scientific Meeting 2006 (NAASO) in Boston.

Their findings add to the evidence that almonds curb hunger very effectively, and that eating a handful or two a day (up to two ounces) may help control your weight.

The Purdue team researchers divided 20 overweight women into two groups for a 20-week study:

Group A ate two ounces of almonds a day for 10 weeks, and then ate no almonds for the second 10 weeks. Group B ate no almonds for the first 10 weeks and then ate two ounces a day for the last 10 weeks.

The weight and BMIs of the women in both groups did not increase, even though the almonds provided about 300 calories a day and the women did not increase their physical activity or their metabolism during the weeks they were eating almonds.

According to lead researcher, Richard Mattes, Ph.D., R.D., " We concluded that the women found their daily almond snack to be very filling, and so they naturally compensated in their caloric intake at other times of the day. "

Based on the evidence we cited above, showing that people on nut-rich diets excrete more fat, the researchers speculated that some of fat calories in the almonds were not digested and absorbed.

Nutty diet controls blood sugar and cholesterol

Three studies presented at the Experimental Biology 2006 conference by researchers from the University of Toronto and Loma Linda University underscore the role of nuts in a healthy diet.

Study #1: Almonds show blood sugar and antioxidant benefits

The first study demonstrated that eating two ounces of almonds (about two handfuls) significantly reduces the blood

Almond tree in Antelope Valley, Californiasugar-raising effect of white bread and that almonds reduce the impact of damaging free radicals, which promote heart disease and diabetes (Josse AR et al 2006).

Researchers compared the blood sugar effect of a high-glycemic (rapid blood sugar-raising) meal containing mashed potatoes with that of two low-glycemic meals: one containing almonds and one containing parboiled rice.

The meal that included almonds produced the least impact on glucose and insulin levels and on measures of oxidative stress. This finding led the researchers to conclude that antioxidant-rich almonds might reduce the risk of heart disease and diabetes as part of a low-glycemic diet, through mechanisms beyond their moderating effect on blood sugar levels.

Study #2: Nutty, fishy diet rivals statins' cholesterol-cutting effects

The authors of the second University of Toronto study presented in Boston found that eating a certain combination of heart-healthy foods called the " Portfolio Eating Plan " --which is rich in almonds, fish, oatmeal, and lean meats--can help reduce LDL, or " bad, " cholesterol levels as much as the leading statin drugs (Jenkins DJA et al 2006).

Over the course of one year, the Toronto team followed 55 overweight middle-aged men and women who agreed to eat diets high in certain heart-healthy foods: almonds, plant sterol-enriched margarine, soy foods, and viscous fibers from oatmeal, barley and certain fruits and vegetables. One in three was taking statin drugs and blood-pressure drugs.

After one year on the diet, one in three participants had lowered their cholesterol by 20 to 29 percent: an effect equal to that of statin drugs. Of this group, two thirds had included fish and lean meats in their diet.

Participants who adhered to the eating plan less strictly achieved an average 15 percent LDL cholesterol reduction, and even those who strayed furthest from the diet lowered their cholesterol by an average of 10 percent.

Back to Top

Study #3: Walnuts complement heart-health effects of salmon

A friend just passed us this quote from Oprah Winfrey's Web site, regarding their favorite sources of omega-3s: " ...our personal choices are: walnuts every day and fish commonly. "

And it's a good place to start, since a new report validates the wisdom of enjoying both foods on a regular basis.

A team at California's Loma Linda University conducted a rigorous controlled clinical trial designed to compare the effects of adding salmon and walnuts to the diet (Rajaram S et al 2006).

The researchers enrolled 14 men and 11 women, who were assigned to one of three diets, each delivering the same amount of calories:

Control diet (typical American diet without fish and walnuts) Walnut-rich diet (42.5 grams or 1.5 oz six days a week). Salmon-rich diet (113 grams or 4 oz of fish, 2 days a week)

The Walnut-rich diet significantly decreased total and LDL ( " bad " ) cholesterol levels, compared to the Control and Salmon-rich diets.

The Salmon-rich diet increased blood levels of HDL ( " good " ) cholesterol and decreased levels of triglycerides, compared with the Control and Walnut-rich diets.

This fits with the findings of earlier studies showing that the omega-3s in plant foods and seafood have different, complimentary effects on blood chemistry. Compared with long-chain marine omega-3s, the short-chain omega-3s in plant foods like nuts do not offer the same degree of risk reduction with regard to cardiovascular disease. However, frequent enjoyment of nuts probably adds substantially to the health-promoting effects of regular consumption of fish and/or fish oil capsules.

Peanuts are legumes, not nuts ... but like real nuts, they help fight for public health

Almonds' antioxidant content rivals veggies and tea

When we launched our new Organic Nuts last week, we told you that almonds are high in antioxidants. No sooner had the ink dried on that news than researchers published a study showing that almonds contain the same kinds of antioxidant compounds in many fruits and vegetables, in similar amounts.

A team from the USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University performed tests showing that a one-ounce serving of almonds contains the same amount of flavonoid-class antioxidants as a one-ounce serving of broccoli or a single cup of brewed black or green tea (Milbury PE et al 2006).

And the polyphenol compounds most abundant in almonds (catechin, epicatechin and kaempferol) provide some of the strongest protection against free radicals available from dietary antioxidants.

As lead author Jeffrey Blumberg, Ph.D. said, " These new findings, coupled with past results, lay the groundwork for ...

Back to Top

[Click here for full story and sources]

Go Nuts Dept.

FREE Nuts ... Our Tasty Halloween Treat

We dreamed up an easy way for you to get some free Halloween treats--namely, our Organic Nuts--without shlepping door-to-door in an itchy, sweaty costume or cadging candy from some innocent kid.We're offering Organic Nuts for free with qualifying purchases. And these satisfying, sustainably grown snacks--great in salads and recipes like this week's Tyrian Tuna Salad--are far healthier than the usual fright-night fare.

But you'll need to act fast ... our Nutty Halloween offer ends this Thursday, November 2nd.

It couldn't be easier to snag some nutritious nibbles:

Place an order that exceeds one of the dollar minimums indicated below (excluding shipping charges). Enter the Promo Code " VITALNUTS " where indicated at checkout. Your order will include some of our new Organic Nuts, at no extra charge.

Here's the deal:

Orders over $75* will include:

One 16-oz bag of Roasted/Salted Organic Cashews (item # NNT501)

Orders over $150* will include:

One 12-oz bag of Roasted/Salted Organic Almonds (item # NNT301)

One 16-oz bag of Roasted/Salted Organic Cashews (item # NNT501)

Orders over $200* will include:

One 12-oz bag of Organic Walnuts (item # NNT101)

One 16-oz bag of Roasted/Salted Organic Cashews (item # NNT501)

One 16-oz bag of Roasted/Salted Organic Almonds (item # NNT301)To get shopping, and snag some nutty swag, click HERE.

*Minimum order totals exclude shipping charges. Offer expires at 12:00 Midnight PST on Thursday, November 2, 2006.

[PRINTER FRIENDLY VERSION]

Coffee Found Inflaming; Tea Seen as Smarter Caffeine Source

Greek study reveals inflammatory effects, giving Dr. Perricone's anti-coffee stance additional support

by Craig Weatherby

It pains the java junkies among us to admit it, but coffee may not be quite as benign as advertised, or as we'd like to think.

First, it must be said that the ubiquitous brew seems to offer some significant benefits:

- Coffee is extraordinarily rich in beneficial polyphenol antioxidants.

- Moderate caffeine intake enhances concentration and focus.

- Coffee drinking is linked to reduced rates of diabetes, Parkinson's disease, liver cancers, and suicide.

As the authors of a recent evidence review put it, " For adults consuming moderate amounts of coffee (3-4 cups/day), there is little evidence of health risks and some evidence of health benefits. " (Higdon JV, Frei B 2006).

But coffee hasn't got a spotless bill of health:

Coffee, once it is ground, develops substantial amounts of two cell-damaging pro-oxidant chemicals: hydrogen peroxide and hydroxyhydroquinone. And drinking coffee raises body levels of both of these bad actors. As a result, the beneficial antioxidant polyphenols abundant in coffee are kept busy neutralizing its own unhealthful constituents.

Tea, too, can contain substantial amounts of hydrogen peroxide. But unlike coffee, drinking tea does not raise body levels of hydrogen peroxide, for reasons that remain obscure (Akagawa M et al 2003, Halliwell B et al 2004).

Coffee raises blood levels of cholesterol and homocysteine slightly, and can raise blood pressure a bit.

Some studies suggest that certain organic acids in coffee (not its caffeine) cause the body to secrete cortisol: a stress hormone that damages brain cells in the memory center and promotes storage of calories as body fat. This is why Dr. Nicholas Perricone takes such a strong anti-coffee stance. However, the jury remains out on the cortisol question, since some studies suggest that coffee reduces cortisol secretion.

The same review cited above included some caffeine-related cautions for particular populations: " some groups, including people with hypertension, children, adolescents, and the elderly, may be more vulnerable to the adverse effects of caffeine. In addition, currently available evidence suggests that it may be prudent for pregnant women to limit coffee consumption to 3 cups/d providing no more than 300 mg/d of caffeine to exclude any increased probability of spontaneous abortion or impaired fetal growth. "

Note: These cautions apply much more to coffee than tea, which typically has less than half as much caffeine and appears to ease the effects of stress (see " Black Tea May Confer Memory-Saving, Anti-Stress Benefits " ).

And the results of one population study suggess that coffee may induce inflammation: a key engine of aging in the human body.

Greek study finds that coffee fuels internal flames

Findings gleaned from a Greek study indicate that consuming moderate-to-high amounts of coffee raises blood levels of several markers of inflammation (Zampelas A et al 2004).

This fits with coffee's tendency to increase body levels of hydrogen peroxide. And it could explain previous reports that linked the drink to a slight rise in the risk of heart disease. (Chronic, low-level inflammation promotes cardiovascular problems.)

..

The findings flowed from the ATTICA study, which involved about 3,000 men and women in the Athens areas with no history of cardiovascular disease.

Compared with subjects who did not drink coffee, those who consumed more than about one cup a day had significantly higher levels of all the inflammatory markers tested. (The same ATTICA study showed that eating fish reduces body levels of inflammation: see " Fish Inhibits Heart-Attacking Inflammation " )

The results held true even after factoring in age, gender, smoking, body weight, physical activity, and other potential confounders.

The Greek study suggest that it may be wise to eliminate coffee-drinking, or at least balance it with ...

[Click here for full article and sources]

Vital Choice Recipes

Tyrian Tuna Salad; Zesty Garlic Salmon

Today's recipes give you an exciting entrée and a luscious lunch. Our Tuna Salad recipe features Lebanese flavors, makes good use of our Organic Cashews, and replaces the standard mayonnaise dressing with sesame tahini.

Tyre is an ancient Phoenician city located in southern Lebanon, and source of the famed Phoenician dye called Tyrian purple. Made from the murex sea snail, Tyrian purple was used to color the finest Roman robes and was reportedly worth 10 to 20 times its weight in gold.

While not quite in that league, our incredibly fresh-tasting canned albacore tuna offers considerable value in at least one context: convenient fixin's of rare nutritional worth and culinary quality.

Tyrian Tuna Salad

Crush or chop whole organic cashews or walnuts to get the smaller pieces required for this tasty recipe.

1 (6 ounce) can or 2 (3.75 oz each) cans troll-caught Pacific albacore tuna, drained*

1 orange, peeled, sectioned, and cut into bite-size pieces

¼ Tbsp organic extra virgin olive or macadamia nut oil*

1¾ Tbsp sesame butter (tahini)

2 tablespoons organic raw walnut or cashew halves or pieces

1 teaspoon organic ground ginger

1 teaspoon lemon juice¼ Tbsp dried, chopped organic rosemary¼ Tbsp organic turmeric

Sea salt and organic black pepper to taste

¼ bunch fresh parsley, chopped (about 1/2 cup, loose)

¼ cup yellow onions, small dice

In a medium bowl, combine the tuna, orange pieces, tahini, cashews, ginger, lemon juice, rosemary, turmeric, onion, salt, and pepper to taste. Mix well. Serve over a bed of spinach or lettuce leaves.

*There's no need to drain the tuna if you're using our albacore packed in EV olive oil, but do drain it if it's the water-packed kind. If you use oil-packed tuna, you won't need to use 1/4 Tbsp of EV oil in the ingredient list.

Zesty Garlic Salmon

Prep: 10 Minutes, Total Time: 25 Minutes

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1 tsp organic cayenne pepper

1 tablespoon organic extra virgin olive or macadamia nut oil

1 teaspoon whole grain mustard

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

Sea salt to taste

Organic black pepper

2 (6 ounce each) wild salmon fillets

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Line a medium baking dish with aluminum foil. Lightly grease foil. With a mortar and pestle, grind together the garlic, cayenne, and olive oil. Mix into a thick paste with the mustard, lime juice, salt, and pepper. Place the salmon fillets in the prepared baking dish, and coat with the paste mixture. Bake salmon 25 minutes in the preheated oven, or until fish is easily flaked with a fork.

Nutrition Info Per Serving: Calories 345, Total Fat 23g, Cholesterol 83mg, Sodium 696mg, Total Carbs 3.5mg, Dietary Fiber 0.6g, Protein 29.5g

[PRINTER FRIENDLY VERSION]

Subscribe to Vital Choices

To to our newsletter, just enter your email address in the box below.You can expect to receive one or two newsletters each week.We will never provide your infomation to any third party.Your Email Address: Add Remove Send As HTML

A Vital Community Connection Vital Choice contributes a portion of its net profits to the Weil Foundation, 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

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.

Click here to send me to a friend!

Powered by IMN

This email was sent to: kellykebby From Vital Choice Seafood, 605 30th Street, Anacortes, WA 98221 USA (REMOVE) - to be excluded from this list and/or future mailings.(CHANGE FORMAT) - receive future messages in plain text format.(UPDATE) your r information and preferences.(REPORT ABUSE) and remove me from the list.