Sea cucumber is a precious nourishing food, ranking first among the "Eight Treasures of the Sea". It is rich in nutrients and contains various biologically active components beneficial to the human body, such as sea cucumber saponin and sea cucumber polysaccharide. Sea cucumber saponin, also known as sea cucumber triterpenoid glycosides, can inhibit the synthesis of cancer cells, enhance human immunity, and has anti-cancer and antibacterial effects. It is also effective in treating strokes and spastic paralysis. Sea cucumber polysaccharide has broad-spectrum anti-tumor effects, reduces blood viscosity, and prevents atherosclerosis. In addition, sea cucumber has multiple benefits such as lowering blood lipids, anti-aging, and beauty, making it an excellent nourishing food for patients with coronary heart disease, hyperlipidemia, and the elderly.
Sea cucumber is also rich in protein, but it is not the "high protein" as often claimed. Many merchants use "high protein" as a selling point for sea cucumber, which is inappropriate. Many sea cucumber products claim a protein content of 55%, and one product advertised a protein content as high as 90.82%. However, according to the "China Food Composition Table 2002", the protein content of dried sea cucumber is 50.2%. This refers to dried sea cucumber, which has a moisture content of only 19%. In contrast, fresh sea cucumber, with a moisture content of up to 77.1%, has a protein content of only 16.5%, which is comparable to that of common fish or prawns. When eaten, dried sea cucumber needs to be rehydrated, and its moisture content increases significantly, resulting in a protein content of only 6%, which is only half that of an egg. How can this be considered high protein?
Most importantly, the nutritional value of sea cucumber protein is low, and it is not a high-quality protein. Sea cucumber protein is mainly collagen and is severely deficient in tryptophan, an essential amino acid for the human body. Every 1 gram of sea cucumber protein contains only 5.2 milligrams of tryptophan. This is not only lower than the high-quality protein in minced meat and tofu but also lower than the non-high-quality protein in rice and potatoes.
In conclusion, the protein content of sea cucumber should not be used as a criterion for purchasing it.