Kick Off of Crazy Crab Giveaway

Greetings Readers,

First and foremost, Leah and Alexis and J-Dock Family would like to thank you wholeheartedly for all of your support. J-Dock is only the company it is, because of it's loyal customers. Hopefully you have had a chance to start at least making plans for the Holidays, because they are officially here. With Thanksgiving less than a week away, families and friends are gathering to break bread, hopefully with good cheer and warm hearts! But everyone knows of course the best way to a heart is through the stomach. This year impress everyone with the ease of a click of your mouse, and you can have wild Alaskan seafood directly from our dock to your doorstep, overnight. Just imagine a grill full of our colossal Alaskan red king crab legs, and an upper rack full of kebabs of jumbo Weathervane sea scallops wrapped in apple-wood bacon, like these to the the right--> 


We grilled these up during our visit to see family, first in Florida. Then later in Texas, we smoked some pink salmon and made appetizers with fresh basil, mozzarella, and tomato, and lemon pepper smoked pink salmon, with just a splash of balsalmic vinegar. Everything came out wonderfully and the family loved it. Many people think that smoking your own fish is difficult, but really it's not. Learn more about how to smoke salmon in just 4 Easy Steps.
 
Since returning to Alaska we have been very busy preparing for this upcoming holiday season with some great specials for all of you. Starting with Small Business Saturday, November 24, 2012, a day meant to celebrate small businesses and all they do for their communities. J-Dock Seafood Co. is proud to bring you whopping good deals on everything we have, from Wild Alaskan Halibut and Wild Alaskan Silver Salmon to Jumbo Spot Prawns and Sablefish. You can expect to save huge, just in time for special occasions like Christmas and New Years.

On Small Business Saturday, we are going to launch the Crazy Crab Giveaway. We will be giving away a case (25lbs) of Colossal King Crab Clusters. Eligibility requires only that you must sign up for our newsletter, as well as make a purchase greater than $200 to gain initial entry. Then, each time you share the giveaway with a friend, you will earn an additional entry. The contest will be facilitated through our Facebook page. More to come soon.

Keep an eye out for these upcoming deals. We cannot wait to send you the best Family Feast of your life!

Best Regards,

J-Dock Seafood Co.

Everything Omega-3s

Hello Seafood Lovers,

Sorry for the lack of posts in the last week, but it had been raining for a month and then it suddenly stopped and gave us 3-4 of the most beautiful days I have experienced in Seward in 3 years! We had no choice but to step away from the dock and explore the territories. Anyway, Bon Appetit!

Everything Omega-3s

If you have been to the grocery store or picked up a health and nutrition magazine lately, you probably have seen something about Omega-3s. RadioNutrition.com put Omega-3s at the #1 slot for Nutrition Buzzwords of 2012. With all the to-do about these Omega-whatevers, we at J-Dock, slingers of Wild Alaskan Seafood, decided to lay out the details for our readers by explaining what omega-3s are, evaluate the different sources for obtaining this precious life-hack, and touch on why omega-3s are a benefit to our immune system, vision, heart, as well as expecting mothers and the health of newborn babies. I found this website, Fats of Life, to be a very informative site about everything omegas, but also pulled from sources such as AlaskaSeafood.org. So what exactly are omega-3s and what types are there?

What are Omega-3s

Omega-3s are essential polyunsaturated fatty acids. Essential, because our body needs it to function normally, they aid in controlling blood clotting, building cell membranes in the brain, and so much more, and our body does not produce it naturally. That is, we must obtain omega-3s from supplements or food. There are three main omega-3 fatty acids:

• Alphalinolenic Acid (ALA) - found in some plant seeds and oils such as flax seed and walnuts, and some greens including brussels sprouts, kale, spinach, and salad greens
• Eicosapentaenoic Acid (EPA) and Docosahexaenoic Acid (DHA) - known as "long-chain" omega-3s because their structure is longer than ALA. They are found almost exclusively in shellfish and fish and are more abundant in fatty fish.

The long-chain (LC) Omega-3s  DHA and EPA are highly concentrated in the brain and the retina of the eye, where they help cells communicate and protect them from harmful substances and neuro-degenerative diseases. EPA is especially helpful in promoting a healthy heart and blood vessels with anti-clotting and anti-inflammatory properties. DHA is crucial to brain structure and function and when it is not sufficiently available the body draws on other fatty acids such as linoleic acid (Omega-6), which do not perform the necessary functions as properly. It is the equivalent of putting regular unleaded gasoline in an engine designed to take premium.

There are mixed reviews on the benefits of the Omega-3s from vegetable and seed oils versus that of fish and shellfish. According to Joyce N Nettleton DSc, of Science Voice Consulting, in Denver, CO, written in the brochure, "Omega-3S, Are Fish and Plant Omega-3s The Same?" for the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute, in 2006 and then revised in 2009:

ALA is the only Omega-3 found in plants. it has some, but not all, of the health benefits associated with EPA and DHA. most of the ALA we consume is oxidized or "burned" for energy. A very small amount, less than 1%, is converted to EPA. Only a trace amount of this EPA is further converted to DHA.

Dr. Nettleton concludes that, although ALA is an essential fatty acid, it is only considered essential as it is the precursor of DHA (22:6n-3), an important fatty acid in the structural lipids of brain and other nervous tissues. DHA and EPA are more ready-to-use by the body. If this is true, and our goal is to live life with a healthy body, heart, and mind, then we need to determine what we can eat to most effectively provide our brains and bodies with the essential fatty acids, EPA and especially DHA.

What Are The Benefits of Omega-3s?

The benefits of Omega-3s are wide-reaching. These fatty acids aid in numerous normal bodily functions, and are especially crucial to the health of newborn babies and expectant mothers. Omegas also aid in visual development and acuity, reducing blood vessel inflammation, boosting our immune system, and so much more. Here is a quick breakdown on how Omega-3s can benefit you, and why you should start implementing a heavier dose into your daily meals, or at least as a supplement:

Heart Health

• Maintain normal heart rhythms, prevents disturbed heart rhythms by improving electrical properties in the heart, and especially increasing heart rate adaptability to changes in the environment.
• Reduce the chance of stroke from anti-clotting and anti-inflammatory properties, lowering blood pressure
• Lower your chance of your first heart attack. Omegas slow down the development of atherosclerosis (clogged blood vessels)
• Improve the pattern of lipids in the blood by dramatically lowering the amount of triglycerides in the blood
• Better blood vessel function, by making arteries more flexible and elastic, less likely to promote clotting and more likely to prevent inflammation

Immune System

• Inflammatory responses are the immune system's way of promoting healing and limiting tissue damage from an injury or harmful agent, but excessive immune responses (allergic reaction) pave the way for several chronic diseases, including diabetes, cardiovascular disease, rheumatoid arthritis, and multiple sclerosis and asthma.
  
  •  So let me get this straight! When our immune system naturally fights invasion we see and feel inflammation, redness, itchy skin, pain, and heat; our body is healing itself. But, when our immune system overreacts, we develop chronic diseases. It's kinda like dropping a Nuke on an anthill when all it needs is some Raid!

  • --> In fact, allergic diseases are on the rise in western countries. Many experts have suggested that an increase in the consumption of vegetable oils (Omega-6) has favored the development of allergies, as Omega-6 actually promotes inflammation.  

The Bottom Line: Omega-3s do not prevent conditions, such as asthma, or eczema, but there is substantial research indicating that these fatty acids most certainly help the body and our immune systems to react more appropriately to foreign invasion.

Vision

A developing fetus begins accumulating large amounts of DHA in the eye, to eventually host the most concentrated amounts of DHA of anywhere in the body. According to eye expert, Helga Kolb, professor emerita at the University of Utah, the retina is "essentially a piece of brain tissue," lining the eye. To function, the retina uses photoreceptor cells called rods and cones, which are used to process what we see and are highly enriched with DHA. When there is an insufficient amount of DHA available there is a reduction in visual acuity-the ability to distinguish fine detail. Since visual acuity develops rapidly in the first year of life and increases slowly thereafter until about 3 years of age, it is integral to have plenty of DHA available for proper development.

According to Dr. Nettleton in her work, "Seeing Clearly - Fish, Omega-3s and Vision," she explains:

The longer infants receive DHA, either from breastfeeding or supplemental formula, the better visual acuity they will have. Once infants begin to eat solid foods, usually at 4-6 months, there are few foods with EPA and DHA.

As we age, one condition that develops is age-related macular degeneration (AMD), which is an eye condition in which the central part of the retina becomes damaged, and becomes progressively worse with time. According to some recent studies, when DHA is abundantly available the retina is protected. In the eye, DHA is used to make a substance called neuroprotectin D1, which protects retinal pigment cells from damage and destruction.

 

What Are The Best Sources for Omega-3s? 

As I explained in a previous section, omega-3s must be obtained from our environment; our body does not naturally produce these essential fatty acids. So how can we most effectively provide our bodies with these essential acids without taking supplements?

SEAFOOD! In general, fish and shellfish that live in colder habitats need that extra layer of fat. It is precisely this fat layer that provides us with the precious Omega-3s our bodies desire. At J-Dock Seafood Co. we proudly provide you with premium, certified sustainable, wild Alaskan seafood. All of our seafood is sourced from the icy waters Alaska, and are all loaded with Omega-3s. There are are few sources that stand out though:

Sablefish - a relatively unknown specie in the United States, but all the rave in Eastern Asia. Wild Alaskan Sablefish (also known as Black Cod/Butterfish) is packed full of Omega-3s. This fish is fantastic tasting, with a delicate buttery flavor, a velvety, melt-in-your-mouth texture, and a richness that will leave you wanting more. It has more Omega-3s than even King Salmon!

Wild Alaskan Salmon - The famed salmon. Most everything you read about Omega-3s will tout this fish as being the premier source for omega-3s. There are many different species of salmon. We broke down the specifics in our post on, Which Salmon is Slammin'? We highly encourage you to visit that posting to learn more, but basically, listed in order from most omega-3s first, to least omega-3s last: 

1. King Salmon
2. Sockeye Salmon
3. Pink Salmon
4. Coho Salmon
5. Keta Salmon

Sea Scallops - Jumbo Weathervane Sea Scallops out of Wrangell, Alaska, are hand-shucked at sea and have no preservatives or additives. Our scallops are plump and juicy (average about 10-20 per pound) and go well with just about everything. We just got a fresh catch of these tasty little guys. Don't miss out and order yours today!

There are many products available at the grocery store, that have added omega-3s, such as yogurts, eggs, margarine, snack bars and more. These types of food pretty much always contain the omega-3, ALA, from flax seed or oil which as we have learned is not the preferred omega-3. Sources that require the conversion of the Omega-3, ALA, to the Omega-3 EPA or DHA are less effective in providing our body with what it truly needs to thrive.

J-Dock Seafood's Conclusion:

EAT MORE WILD ALASKAN SEAFOOD


Sources:

www.AlaskaSeafood.org

www.fatsoflife.com

DSc Joyce A. Nettleton, Science Voice Consulting, Denver, CO



Until next time,

J-Dock Seafood Co.


Sources:

www.AlaskaSeafood.org

www.fatsoflife.com

DSc Joyce A. Nettleton, Science Voice Consulting, Denver, CO

Why is Alaskan Red King Crab, The King?

Alaskan King Crab is a delicacy that is loved for its sweet tender flavor. It is undisputedly the finest tasting crab in the world. There are three types of Alaskan King Crab; The Blue King Crab, The Golden King Crab, and the Red King Crab. Of the three types of Alaskan King Crab the Red King Crab has the sweetest and most delicate flavor. At J-dock Seafood Company we provide only the best: The Red Alaskan King Crab. Red King Crab has snow-white meat flecked with bright red. Besides being prized for it’s outstanding taste, Red King Crab is also healthy for you! One serving size of Red Crab (about one crab leg) has about 26g of protein. This protein is much leaner and therefore healthier for you than beef. Crab meat also contains essential minerals such as zinc and magnesium which are important for strong, healthy bones, a good immune system, and proper red-blood cell formation (livestrong.com).

Here in Alaska, King Crab fishing is regulated to maintain the environmental and economic sustainability of this unique and wonderful resource. The sustainability is maintained by keeping the crab catching season very short. The Alaskan King Crab season is currently only about two to four weeks long. At J-dock Seafood Company we ensure that you have a chance to purchase this wonderful catch with only freshest locally caught King Crab. Alaskan King Crab is in relatively short supply so when you buy from us not only are you supporting our local fishermen but you will be one of the lucky few to dine on such a delicacy! Our crab is superior to any crab you can purchase in grocery stores or local markets where it is likely that you are buying Russian King Crab. About half of all the ‘Alaskan King Crab’ sold in the U.S.A. is imported from Russia. In Russia the crab populations are critically low from overfishing and illegal fishing- according to the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch®. Russian crab is also more exposed to pollutants whereas Alaskan King Crab is found in the icy clean waters of the Bering Straight. Fresh clean waters produce fresher, cleaner and tastier crab. Also, The Alaska Fish and Game commission have recently reopened previously closed fishing waters. This recent change means that the crab we have in stock is some of the largest best looking crab that have been on the market in more than twenty years.

It is interesting to note that crabbing for King Crab in Alaska is possibly the most dangerous of all occupations. The crab fishing season in Alaska occurs in the winter months and crab fisherman experience some of the harshest weather conditions on earth. In stormy weather, ships can sometimes capsize because of the weight of thick ice that forms on the ship and equipment. Also, a lot of the equipment is heavy and dangerous. Fisherman can get crushed by large steel crab cages that weigh tonnes. Furthermore, because the season is only a few weeks long the crab fisherman work long hours with little sleep. It is in this state of constant work that some workers succumb to injury and sometimes death. In conclusion, Alaskan King Crab is not only valuable because of its supreme flavor but also due to the risks fisherman endure to provide us with this extraordinary taste experience.

At J-dock Seafood Company we deliver fresh Colossal Red Alaskan King Crab overnight to your doorstep anywhere in the United States via Fed-Ex Priority Overnight Shipping. All our crab is processed on site where we pre-cook the meat, vacuum-pack and flash-freeze it. When you order with us you can feel good about receiving the best crab you can experience. Try Red Alaskan King crab in delicious crab pasta dishes, crab chowders, cream-cheese crab dips, cold crab salads, or simply impress your guests at your next dinner party with crab legs. Order Your Crab Now