Many people favor seafood for its delicious taste and tender texture. However, with the wide variety of freshwater and seafood products and diverse cooking methods available, one must be cautious. If you're not careful with the details, you'll find that seafood brings you as much worry as joy!
I. Undercooked Seafood Contains Bacteria
The main bacteria in seafood are Vibrio parahaemolyticus, which are relatively heat-resistant and can only be killed at temperatures above 80°C. In addition to bacteria from the water, seafood may also contain parasite eggs, as well as bacterial and viral contamination from processing. Generally, boiling in water for 4-5 minutes is considered thorough sterilization. Therefore, you should be cautious when eating seafood that is not cooked with heat, such as "drunken crab," "raw sea urchin," or "soy-preserved seafood." When eating sashimi, you must also ensure the fish is fresh and hygienic.
Monkfish and Tofu Stew
II. Dead Shellfish Are Full of Bacteria and Toxins
Shellfish themselves carry a high amount of bacteria, and their protein decomposes quickly. Once they die, bacteria multiply rapidly and produce toxins. At the same time, the unsaturated fatty acids they contain are also prone to oxidation and rancidity. Unfresh shellfish also produce more amines and free radicals, posing a threat to human health. After buying live shellfish, you should not store them at home for too long and should cook them as soon as possible. People with allergies should be especially careful, as sometimes allergic reactions are not caused by the seafood itself, but by substances produced during the decomposition of its protein.
III. Eating Seafood and Beer Together Can Trigger Gout
It's best not to drink beer when eating seafood. Seafood like shrimp and crab form uric acid in the human body, and excessive uric acid can cause conditions like gout and kidney stones. If you consume a large amount of seafood and also drink beer, it will accelerate the formation of uric acid in the body. Therefore, when eating a lot of seafood, do not drink beer, as it can have adverse effects on your health.
IV. Eating Seafruit and Seafood Together Can Cause Stomachaches
Seafood like fish, shrimp, and crab are rich in nutrients such as protein and calcium. Fruits contain a relatively high amount of tannic acid. If you eat fruit immediately after seafood, it not only affects the absorption of protein by the body, but the calcium in the seafood will also combine with the tannic acid in the fruit to form insoluble calcium, which can irritate the gastrointestinal tract and even cause symptoms like stomach pain, nausea, and vomiting. It's best to wait at least 2 hours before eating fruit.
Handmade Spanish Mackerel Balls
V. Drinking Tea After Eating Seafood Can Cause Stones
The reason for not drinking tea after eating seafood is similar to that for not eating fruit. This is because tea also contains tannic acid, which can also combine with the calcium in seafood to form insoluble calcium. Eating tea before or after consuming seafood increases the chance of calcium and tannic acid combining. Therefore, it's best not to drink tea when eating seafood. Similarly, it's best to wait at least 2 hours.
VI. Iced Shrimp Should Not Be Blanched
Any seafood can only be made into dishes like steamed or blanched food when it is extremely fresh. Unlike meat, aquatic products carry many bacteria that are resistant to low temperatures, and their protein decomposes very quickly. If stored in the refrigerator for a long time, the bacterial count in the shrimp increases, and the protein has partially denatured, producing amines. It no longer has the texture, flavor, or safety of live shrimp and is therefore not suitable for blanching. However, iced shrimp can be stir-fried or pan-fried at high temperatures and can still be delicious.
VII. Eating Seafood with Vitamin C Can Cause Poisoning
Many seafood products, such as shrimp, crab, clams, and oysters, contain the chemical element arsenic. Normally, the content is very small, but increasingly serious environmental pollution may cause the arsenic levels in these animals to become high. The arsenic in shrimp is in its pentavalent state, which is generally harmless to humans. Theoretically, a high dose of vitamin C (consuming more than 500 mg at once) and pentavalent arsenic can undergo complex chemical reactions to form toxic trivalent arsenic (the "arsenic" we often talk about). When the dose of trivalent arsenic reaches a certain level, it can lead to poisoning in humans.
According to professionals, to ingest a large dose of vitamin C, one would need to eat 50 medium-sized apples, or 30 pears, or 10 oranges, or eat over 1.5 kg of raw leafy vegetables at once. If the food is cooked, its vitamin C content will be significantly reduced. Therefore, eating fruits or vegetables with seafood at the same time is not dangerous as long as the amount does not exceed the levels mentioned above. Metal elements tend to accumulate in the head of seafood, so try not to eat shrimp heads or fish heads.
Blanched Shrimp
VIII. Leftover Seafood Must Be Refrigerated
If the seafood has been thoroughly cooked at high temperature, it should be placed in the refrigerator immediately and can be reheated and eaten at the next meal. If the seafood has not been fully cooked but is already dead, it should be placed in the refrigerator, thawed before the next meal, and then thoroughly cooked again. Do not insist on the fresh, raw texture. Due to the delicate nature of seafood protein and its rapid decomposition, it should be finished within a day of bringing it home and should not be stored for a long time.
Five Types of People Should Not Eat Seafood Frequently
1. People suffering from gout, hyperuricemia, and arthritis should avoid eating seafood because it is high in purines, which can easily lead to the deposition of uric acid crystals in the joints, worsening the condition.
2. People with allergies should be cautious when eating seafood. Besides avoiding specific allergens, there is no good way to prevent seafood allergies. Red meat fish, which are rich in histamine, should also be eaten less.
3. Pregnant and breastfeeding women should eat less seafood because the pollution of seafood in our country is currently very serious, with mercury levels commonly exceeding standards. Mercury can affect the brain and nervous development of the fetus and infant.
4. People with hyperthyroidism should eat less seafood because it contains more iodine, which can aggravate the condition.
5. People who often get diarrhea and have sensitive stomachs from eating cold food should eat less seafood to avoid stomach pain and diarrhea.
Ankang fish stewed tofu
Handmade Spanish mackerel balls
boiled shrimp