For every diabetic patient, whether type 1 or type 2, adherence to medication is essential, but dietary control is always the foundation of treatment. Besides the foods known to be beneficial for diabetes, eel is also a good choice.
Efficacy
Eel, also known as ricefield eel, long fish, or sea snake, is a specialty of our country. Eel is delicious and fresh, with few bones, thick flesh, and a fine, tender texture. There is a common saying in China, "Eel during the Lesser Heat period is better than ginseng." Eel is sweet in taste and warm in nature. Traditional Chinese medicine believes it has the effects of tonifying deficiency, expelling rheumatism, and strengthening bones and muscles. Modern nutritional research also shows that eel meat contains protein, fat, as well as nutrients like phosphorus, calcium, iron, various vitamins, and niacin. It is an excellent food that is high in protein and low in fat, and is a superb tonic for those recovering from illness, who are physically weak, or suffer from malnutrition.
In addition, eel has a good auxiliary therapeutic effect on diabetes. Eel insulin A and eel insulin B can be extracted and isolated from eels. The two work together to have a dual-regulating effect on blood sugar. For patients with high blood sugar, eel insulin can lower blood sugar. When blood sugar is below normal, eel insulin can raise blood sugar, preventing the occurrence of hypoglycemia. Regular consumption of eel will be greatly beneficial for stabilizing blood sugar.
The vitamin A content in eel is very high. Vitamin A can improve vision, and there is a saying, "Eel is eye medicine." In the past, people with eye diseases knew that eating eel was beneficial.
Eel is rich in DHA and lecithin, which are the main components of the cell membranes of various organs and tissues in the human body, and are indispensable nutrients for brain cells. Regular intake of lecithin can improve memory by 20%. Therefore, eating eel meat has the effect of nourishing the brain and strengthening the body.
Although eel is highly nutritious, it must be fresh to be eaten. Dead eel must never be consumed. This is because the protein structure of eel contains a lot of histidine. Once the eel dies, its protein structure will rapidly decompose, allowing bacteria to take advantage. Histidine quickly turns into a toxic substance—histamine. When eaten, it can cause poisoning, with mild symptoms including dizziness, headache, palpitations, and chest tightness, and severe symptoms including hypotension and other discomforts.
Cooking Guide
1. Eel should be killed and cooked immediately. Eel contains a lot of histidine in its body, which makes it very delicious. After the eel dies, the histidine in its body will turn into a toxic substance, so the eel to be processed must be alive.
2. Eel meat is delicious, with little bone and much flesh. It can be stir-fried (Stir-fried Eel Paste), quick-fried (Shrimp and Eel Stir-fry), deep-fried (Rock Crispy Eel), or braised (Braised Saddle of Eel). If stewed with chicken, duck, pork, or other meats, its flavor becomes even more delicious. It can also be used as an ingredient for hot pot (Sichuan Hot Pot).
Large eels are suitable for braising, while small ones can be