'Go Wild' When Choosing Seafood This Holiday Season
Vital Choice Wild Seafood & Organics Offers Tips on Selecting the Best Tasting, Most Nutritious Fish
Bellingham, Wash. (PRWEB) November 13, 2008
As the holiday season approaches, Vital Choice Wild Seafood & Organics (http://www. vitalchoice. com), a to-your-door provider of premium wild Alaskan salmon and other carefully selected wild, certified-organic and kosher foods, offers consumers a how-to guide in selecting the best tasting, most nutritious and environment-friendly salmon for holiday meals.
Choose wild over farmed
You've likely heard wild salmon is preferable to farmed. But why? The short answer is that wild salmon is a better choice for both people and the planet. It grows naturally so has a healthier nutrient profile, and is free of the artificial chemicals and colorants used to grow farmed salmon. Farmed salmon is raised in pens, which makes it vulnerable to parasites and disease. Because of this, it's treated with pesticides and more antibiotics per pound than any other livestock.
Wild salmon is sustainably harvested and endorsed as a "best seafood choice" by reputable health experts and environmental organizations.
Unfortunately, farmed salmon is often mislabeled as wild. Don't be fooled – look for the following indicators to ensure you're "going wild":
Salmon farming is illegal in Alaska, so fresh, frozen and canned salmon labeled "Alaskan" is always wild Conversely, any salmon labeled "Atlantic," "Scottish," "Norwegian," "Chilean" or "New Zealand" is farmed Regional origin and the specific type of wild salmon (species) is often omitted by those mislabeling farmed salmon. Be mindful of generic terms such as "Pacific salmon," or "wild salmon": look for specifics, such as "Alaskan king salmon" or "Alaskan sockeye salmon" Wild salmon is usually available fresh (as opposed to frozen) during the spring and summer months. If you see fresh salmon labeled "wild" other times, beware Wild salmon will generally be darker orange and have less distinctive white fat lines than farmed
Salmon dos and don'ts
Follow these simple rules for finding and preparing the best salmon possible:
Do purchase flash-frozen and vacuum-sealed wild salmon when fresh is out of season Don't overcook your salmon. Wild salmon is leaner than farmed and cooks more quickly, so take extra care for optimal results. Beware of white fat "puddles" on the surface of the fish – this is a sign of overcooking. This healthy fat should remain in the fish, as it adds to the natural rich flavor and moist, delicate texture. Do be willing to spend more. While farmed salmon may be considerably cheaper, it's loaded with hidden nutritional and environmental costs. Don't purchase salmon from just anyone. Be sure that you're getting authentic sustainably harvested seafood by purchasing from reputable companies, such as Vital Choice, or others whose salmon carries the http://newsletter. vitalchoice. com/e_article000296352.cfm? x= (http://newsletter. vitalchoice. com/e_article000296352.cfm? x=),,w, w,w [Marine Stewardship Council eco-label].
"When it comes to wild seafood, there are many things consumers must be aware of in terms of quality and freshness," said Vital Choice founder and president Randy Hartnell (http://www. vitalchoice. com/about. cfm). "To the naked eye, one piece of fish may look just like another, but if it has thawed for too long or been exposed to too much air and light, the taste and nutritional value quickly diminish. Paying careful attention and studying the labels can insure you get what you pay for and enjoy a great tasting, highly nutritious meal."
For more information on the health and taste benefits of wild salmon, visit www. vitalchoice. com.
About Vital Choice Wild Seafood & Organics
Before founding Vital Choice in 2001, Northwest Washington native Randy Hartnell spent more than 20 years as a commercial fisherman in Alaska. Today, he is an active advocate for wild fisheries and ecological sustainability, and Vital Choice is a trusted source for convenient home delivery of the world's finest wild Alaskan seafood and organic fare. All Vital Choice foods are among the purest available and guaranteed sustainably harvested from healthy, well-managed organic farms and wild fisheries. The company's products are recognized for their superior taste and health benefits, and are endorsed by leading health and wellness experts, including physicians specializing in nutrition, pediatrics, and integrative health care.
###
