Reading: The Benefits of Eating Sea Cucumber
Most sea cucumbers resemble big worms or caterpillars and have soft, tubular bodies. They are gathered by divers or farmed commercially in large, artificial ponds. In accession to their culinary attract, sea cucumbers are used in traditional folk music to treat a wide variety of ailments. This article looks into the nutritional benefits of sea cucumbers and whether they are deserving adding to your diet .
How are sea cucumbers used?
Sea cucumbers have been used as a food generator and medicative ingredient in asian and middle Eastern countries for centuries. In fact, they have been fished from the Pacific Ocean for over 170 years ( 1 ). These slug-like animals are used either fresh or dried in diverse dishes, though the dry form is by far the most normally used. Dried ocean cucumber, known as bêche-de-meror trepang, is rehydrated and added to recipes like soups, stews, and stir-fries. Sea cucumbers can besides be eat sensitive, pickled, or fried. They have a slippery texture and bland smack, so they ’ re normally infused with relish from other ingredients like meats, other seafood, or spices. They ’ re frequently combined with produce like taiwanese pilfer, winter melon, and shiitake mushrooms. Sea cucumber is besides used in traditional chinese medicine, where it ’ second believed to have healing properties and used to treat ailments like arthritis, cancer, patronize micturition, and impotence ( 2 ). Creams, tinctures, oils, and cosmetics infused with ocean cucumber extract, adenine well as oral sea cucumber supplements, are besides popular in traditional chinese medicine. While some species of sea cucumber contain bioactive substances with pharmacological potential, no strong attest supports these purported benefits of sea cucumbers in general. Due to high demand, many species of ocean cucumber are overfished, and some are threatened with extinction in the wild. Make surely to choose farm sea cucumbers or species from sustainable fisheries .
SUMMARY Sea cucumber is a popular component in asian and Middle Eastern cuisine and has been used in traditional chinese medicate .
Sea cucumbers are incredibly nutritious
Sea cucumbers are an excellent generator of nutrients. Four ounces ( 112 grams ) of the Alaskan yane ocean cucumber delivers ( 3 ) :
- Calories: 60
- Protein: 14 grams
- Fat: less than one gram
- Vitamin A: 8% of the Daily Value (DV)
- B2 (Riboflavin): 81% of the DV
- B3 (Niacin): 22% of the DV
- Calcium: 3% of the DV
- Magnesium: 4% of the DV
Sea cucumbers are identical low in calories and fat and high in protein, making them a weight-loss-friendly food. They besides contain many mighty substances, including antioxidants, which are good for your health. Sea cucumbers are high in protein, with most species comprising 41–63 % protein ( 4, 5 ). Adding protein sources to meals and snacks helps keep you fully by slowing the empty of your stomach. This can help you eat less and stabilize your rake boodle levels ( 6 ). Foods rich in protein, such as sea cucumbers, may be particularly beneficial for people with diabetes who are looking to control their lineage sugar levels ( 7 ). Plus, diets rich in protein may benefit heart health, help lower blood blackmail, and improve bone concentration ( 8, 9 ) .
SUMMARY Sea cucumbers are packed with nutrients. They ’ ra abject in calories and fatness and high in protein, making them a weight-loss-friendly food .
Packed with beneficial compounds
Sea cucumbers are not only packed with protein, vitamins, and minerals but besides contain several substances that may benefit overall health. For model, they contain phenol and flavonoid antioxidants, which have been shown to reduce ignition in the consistency ( 10, 11, 12 ).
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Diets rich in these substances are linked to a reduced hazard of many chronic diseases, including heart disease and neurodegenerative conditions like Alzheimer ’ south ( 13, 14, 15 ). Sea cucumbers are besides rich in compounds called triterpene glycosides, which possess fungicidal, anticancer, and immune-boosting properties ( 16 ). What ’ s more, these marine animals are very high in compounds that are structurally related to chondroitin sulfate, an significant part of human connective tissue found in cartilage and cram ( 17 ). Foods and supplements that contain chondroitin sulfate may benefit those with joint diseases like osteoarthritis ( 18 ) .
SUMMARY Sea cucumbers deliver an impressive total of nutrients and beneficial compounds, including protein, antioxidants, and B vitamins .
Potential health benefits
Sea cucumbers have been linked to a count of electric potential health benefits .
Cancer-fighting properties
Sea cucumbers contain substances that may help fight cancer cells. For case, one test-tube study showed that triterpene diglycosides found in vietnamese sea cucumbers had a toxic effect on five types of cancer cells, including breast, prostate, and peel cancer cells ( 19 ). Another discipline found that ds-echinoside A, a type of triterpene derived from sea cucumbers, reduced the ranch and growth of homo liver cancer cells ( 20 ). While these results are promising, more research is needed to determine the efficacy and base hit of using sea cucumber to fight cancer cells .
Antimicrobial properties
A number of test-tube studies have demonstrated that black sea cucumber educe inhibits the growth of bacteria, including E. coli, S. aureus, and S. typhi, all of which can cause illness ( 21 ). Another sketch showed sea cucumbers may fight Candida albicans, an opportunist yeast that can cause infections if levels get out of control, specially among those who are immunocompromised ( 22 ). In a one-week study in 17 home residents with oral Candida giantism, those who consumed a jellify containing japanese sea cucumber excerpt showed a reduction in Candida overgrowth, compared with those who did not consume the gelatin ( 23 ). additionally, one study in rats showed that black sea cucumber fight sepsis, a life threatening complication associated with harmful bacteria ( 24 ) .
Heart and liver health
several animal studies have demonstrated that ocean cucumber may improve heart and liver health. For example, rats with high rake coerce that were fed white-bottomed sea cucumber extract showed significant reductions in blood pressure, compared with rats that were not fed the excerpt ( 25 ). Another study in new rats demonstrated that a diet fat in cocoa chip sea cucumber importantly reduced total cholesterol, low-density lipoproteins, and triglycerides ( 26 ). furthermore, a study in rats with hepatorenal disease found that a single acid of black sea cucumber press out significantly reduced oxidative stress and liver damage, a well as improved liver-colored and kidney function ( 27 ) .
SUMMARY Sea cucumbers may fight cancer cells, inhibit harmful bacteria, and improve heart health. however, more homo studies are needed before conclusions about their likely health benefits can be made .
Potential side effects
While ocean cucumbers have been consumed around the worldly concern for centuries and are considered relatively condom, there are some potential concerns. beginning, certain species have anticoagulant properties, meaning they can thin the rake ( 28 ). Those taking blood-thinning medications like warfarin should stay away from ocean cucumbers, particularly in concentrate supplement shape, to reduce the risk of increased run. second, sea cucumbers may pose a risk to people with mollusk allergies. While sea cucumbers are not related to shellfish, they may be cross-contaminated at seafood restaurants or processing facilities. besides, while some animal studies support their use for treating cancer, heart disease, and bacterial infections, research in these areas is limit. homo studies are needed to learn more about the safety and efficacy of sea cucumbers. additionally, increasing cosmopolitan demand for ocean cucumbers has led to a decrease in their population. These species play an crucial function in the ecosystem of ocean reefs and has been importantly affected by unsustainable fishing methods ( 29 ). To ensure sea cucumber populations remain at healthy levels, choose those that are raised through sustainable fish farming or fished using sustainable methods. Consuming animal species that are not threatened is constantly the best practice .
SUMMARY Sea cucumbers should be avoided by people with shellfish and seafood allergies and those taking blood-thinning medications. Choosing sustainably raised ocean cucumbers can help reduce overfishing of this authoritative animal .
The bottom line
Sea cucumbers are interesting marine animals that have a variety of culinary and medicative uses.
They are a alimentary protein reservoir that can be added to a count of delightful dishes. Sea cucumbers may besides have a number of health benefits, but more research is needed before conclusions can be made. If you are feeling adventurous, try adding sea cucumber to your dishes in place of more traditional seafood .
