The "Golden Week" holiday falls during the peak season for seafood. Some people choose to indulge at home, while others opt for a seaside trip to savor fresh seafood. Whether at home or by the sea, it's important to pay attention to the details for healthy seafood consumption.
Not everyone is suitable for eating seafood
Experts point out that middle-aged and elderly people, especially women, should eat more seafood, preferably two to three times a week, with each portion being about 100 grams. This is because the unsaturated fatty acids in sea fish can reduce low-density cholesterol in the blood and resist blood clotting, thereby lowering the risk of coronary heart disease, hypertension, and stroke in the elderly.
However, some people should eat less seafood. Nowadays, the mercury content in seafood is getting higher. Pregnant and breastfeeding women who frequently consume seafood may affect the nervous system development of their fetus and newborn. It is best to avoid high-mercury sea fish like tuna and swordfish.
Patients with gout, arthritis, and hyperuricemia should also eat less seafood. This is because seafood has a high purine content, and consuming it can easily lead to the formation of uric acid crystals in the body, worsening the condition. Additionally, patients with hyperthyroidism should also eat less seafood due to its high iodine content, as excessive iodine is detrimental to health.
People with allergies should be cautious when eating seafood. Besides avoiding specific allergens, there is no good way to prevent seafood allergies.
3 Details for Healthy Seafood Consumption
1. Seafood should not be eaten with cold foods
Seafood is inherently cold-natured. It is best to avoid consuming it with other cold foods, such as water spinach and cucumbers. You should also avoid drinking carbonated water, iced water, or ice cream immediately after a meal. It is also advisable to eat less or avoid cold-natured fruits like watermelon and pears to prevent discomfort.
2. It is not advisable to drink beer when eating seafood
Seafood is a high-protein, low-fat food containing purines and nucleotides. Beer, on the other hand, contains Vitamin B1, which acts as a catalyst for the metabolic breakdown of purines and nucleotides. Eating seafood while drinking beer can cause these substances to mix chemically, leading to an increase in uric acid levels in the blood and disrupting the body's balance. If uric acid is not excreted in time, it precipitates as sodium salt, which can easily form stones or trigger gout.
3. Seafood should not be eaten with certain fruits
Fish and shrimp are rich in protein, calcium, and other nutrients. If eaten with certain fruits like persimmons, grapes, pomegranates, or hawthorn, the nutritional value of the protein is diminished. Furthermore, certain chemical compounds in fruits can easily bind with the calcium in seafood to form a new substance that is difficult to digest. This substance can irritate the gastrointestinal tract, causing symptoms like abdominal pain, nausea, and vomiting. Therefore, there should be at least a 2-hour interval between consuming seafood and these fruits.
4 Key Points for Enjoying Seafood by the Sea
1. Try to avoid eating raw seafood. Be cautious with uncooked seafood like "drunken crab," "raw sea urchin," or "seafood marinated in soy sauce." If eating raw fish slices, ensure they are fresh and hygienic.
2. When eating seafood, pay attention to whether it is clean and fresh, and whether it has been thoroughly heated and cooked. Bacteria in seafood are relatively heat-resistant and can only be killed at temperatures above 80°C. Besides bacteria from the water, seafood may also contain parasite eggs and contamination from processing, bacteria, and viruses. If there is an unusual smell or the seafood is undercooked, stop eating it immediately.
3. Seafood is generally considered a cold-natured food, so it is best to eat it with condiments like ginger and vinegar. Ginger is a "hot" ingredient that can neutralize the cold nature of seafood to prevent discomfort. Raw garlic and vinegar also have good antibacterial properties, which help eliminate some residual harmful bacteria in seafood.
4. Before traveling, it is advisable to prepare anti-diarrheal and anti-inflammatory drugs such as berberine and norfloxacin.
4 Precautions for Cooking Seafood at Home
Seafood is the most common cause of enteritis and dysentery. This is mainly because after various seafood are caught from the sea, they may die to varying degrees during long-distance transportation. Their own waste products can undergo chemical reactions to produce toxins and breed large amounts of dysentery bacteria. Furthermore, the insides of crabs, various types of shrimp, snails, and clams are often very dirty, with their waste products often hidden deep in the shells and difficult to clean thoroughly. If the cooking time is insufficient, bacteria cannot be completely killed, and consuming a large amount can easily lead to dysentery. Therefore, to prevent acute enteritis and dysentery caused by seafood, you must prevent illness from contaminated food. When cooking seafood at home, pay close attention to the following points:
1. Before purchasing, first ask about the origin and source of the seafood. Do not just go for the cheapest option.
2. Next, observe whether the seafood is alive and fresh. Also, check if the color of the seafood is natural and smell it carefully for any unusual or fishy odors.
3. Cleaning the seafood at home is also very important. When cleaning, it is best to first soak the seafood in a basin of water with a little salt, allowing it to slowly expel its internal waste. Change the water several times until the water is clear.
4. When cooking seafood, do not just scoop it out as soon as the water boils. Generally, it takes 20 minutes after the water boils to completely kill the bacteria.