Autumn "Dietary Therapy and Health Preservation" Crab Recommendations
When chrysanthemums are yellow and crabs are plump in autumn, warming a pot of yellow wine, catching a few fat crabs, enjoying the crisp autumn air, and listening to the chirping of autumn insects—what a pleasure!
At this time, crabs are not only delicious but also rich in vitamins and have certain medicinal value. However, many people experience abdominal pain, diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting after eating crab, which is usually caused by not paying attention to details when consuming it.
Paying attention to the following 8 aspects can minimize problems after eating crab.
River (lake) crabs must be steamed or boiled thoroughly; do not eat raw crabs.
River (lake) crabs feed on animal carcasses or humus, so their body surface, gills, and gastrointestinal tracts are full of various bacteria and sediment.
Some people, because they don't wash the crabs clean, don't steam or boil them thoroughly, or eat raw drunken or pickled crabs, ingest the bacteria or parasites inside the crab. How can they not get sick? If you steam or boil them thoroughly before eating, this problem will not occur.
River (lake) crabs should be eaten live; dead crabs are not suitable for eating.
The stiffening and autolysis periods of a dead river crab are greatly shortened. Bacteria inside the crab will multiply rapidly and spread to the crab meat, causing the eater to vomit and experience abdominal pain and diarrhea.
The shell of a fresh, live crab is dark blue-black and shiny, with a full umbilicus and a clean white abdomen. A dying crab, on the other hand, has a yellowish shell, softer legs, and difficulty turning itself over.
Crabs should be steamed and eaten immediately; do not store them.
If you can't finish them, the leftovers must be stored in a clean, cool, and ventilated place, and must be reheated and thoroughly cooked before eating.
When eating crab, do not chew carelessly.
When opening the crab, pay attention to the four removals:
Remove the crab stomach, which is the small, triangular, bony package inside the crab's top shell. First, eat the top shell part. Use a small spoon to scoop out the middle crab stomach part and gently suck the surrounding crab roe clean. Note: do not break the triangular, cone-shaped crab stomach in the middle, as it contains sediment and should be discarded.
After finishing the top shell, move on to the body. First, use scissors to cut off the excess crab legs and mouthparts. Use the handle of a spoon to pick out the hexagonal, plate-shaped object in the middle of the crab body; that is the crab heart and should be discarded.
There is also the crab intestine, which is the black line running from the crab stomach to the umbilicus.
The crab gills, which are the two rows of soft, eyebrow-like things growing on the crab's abdomen, should also be removed.
Eat in moderation; it is not advisable to eat too much.
Crab meat is cold-natured. People with a weak spleen and stomach should pay special attention to avoid abdominal pain and diarrhea.
Do not eat with tea.
Do not drink tea while eating crab or for 1 hour after. Because hot water will dilute stomach acid, and tea will cause certain components of the crab to solidify, which is not conducive to digestion and absorption and may also cause abdominal pain and diarrhea.
Do not eat with persimmons.
When crabs are plump, persimmons are also ripe. These two foods should not be eaten at the same time. Because tannic acid and other components in persimmons will cause the crab protein to solidify. This solidified substance will remain in the intestines for a long time, ferment and spoil, causing reactions such as vomiting, abdominal pain, and diarrhea, and may also cause conditions like kidney stones.
Patients with colds, fever, stomach pain, and diarrhea.
People with chronic gastritis, duodenal ulcers, cholecystitis, gallstones, or in the active stage of hepatitis.
People with coronary heart disease, high blood pressure, arteriosclerosis, or high blood lipids should eat less or not at all, because crab roe has a high cholesterol content.
People with allergies.
People with a weak spleen and stomach.