Mussels: benefits and harms to the human body

Edible shells form entire settlements in large areas in the seas and bays, they are also called mussel banks. And all because female individuals are very prolific: during the spawning period, one individual appears from 5 to 20 million eggs. After a day, larvae appear from them. Mussel food - small plankton. The season of these mollusks is quite long - from the beginning of June to February, but autumn ones are especially appreciated, and December ones are considered the most delicious.

You can meet them in temperate warm and tropical waters, not only in salty, but also in fresh. They tolerate fluctuations in the level of salinity and change in temperature regimes quite easily. They are caught in the World Ocean, in the Black Sea and in the Far East, but they are most often grown artificially in many countries.

Their shells have a wedge-oval shape with a smooth surface. The average length is 20 cm. The shell is usually only dark, may differ in different shades of black, dark brown, dark gray. The color of the mollusk is golden brown or yellow with a greenish tint, sometimes purple. The inner surface is pearlescent, the meat is elastic and voluminous. Flabby consistency indicates the age of the product.

Types of mussels differ in many ways: in size, color, life expectancy. For example, the mussel of the Black Sea does not live very long - up to 6 years, the northern mussel - on average 11 years, and the Pacific - a long-liver, survives to 30 years of age.

What are mussels

In fact, mussels are mollusks, which are bivalve shells, which, as it turned out, are absorbed by the human body with benefit for themselves. Gourmets prefer to use them as a delicious and refined dish.

Kinds

The most popular varieties:

• bush;
• “Kiwi” - refer to a delicious appearance, differ in that they are larger than usual.

Presented to the mass consumer in several forms. First of all, it is directly meat. It is already cleaned from the sink and ready to eat. There are mussels in half the shell, as well as in whole shells, which are poured with steam and then vacuum packed.

So, 3 types of mussels are distinguished:

1. Gray, living in the Sea of ​​Japan.
2. Black Sea mussel - is caught in the Black Sea.
3. The mussel is edible, which is found off the European coast of the Atlantic Ocean.

What is more useful: mussels or shrimp

The attitude to mussels and shrimps in different countries is ambiguous: they can be either a delicacy or an ordinary everyday dish. It happens that mussels are called oysters, but these are various seafood.

If mussels are mollusks hidden in bivalve shells, then shrimps are arthropod crustaceans. Their meat is also rich in protein, but they also have “good” cholesterol. Both have a high content of nutrients and vitamins, so everyone chooses one or another seafood for themselves.

Composition and calorie content

These seafood gifts do not require any top dressing. The clean environment in which they mature is important to them. Mussels, like sensitive and active filters, pass sea water through themselves, purifying it from contaminants, but at the same time they are able to trap and accumulate toxic substances in themselves, which can further harm the gourmet. These harmful substances have no effect on the health of mollusks.

This product is useful primarily because it surpasses dietary white meat and fish in the amount of protein. The main thing is that the mollusks are properly grown and the quality of the finished product is controlled. The chemical composition of mussels:

• omega-3 - these fatty acids activate defenses, help brain activity;
• vitamins A, B, C, E, PP, D;
• phospholipids - help the liver;
• magnesium - reduces pressure:
• phosphorus - is involved in almost all metabolic processes;
• calcium - removes heavy metals from the body;
• potassium - helps in conducting nerve impulses;
• sodium - is involved in water metabolism;
• zinc - is part of many enzymes;
• iodine - restores the thyroid gland.

In the chemical composition of mussels there are many amino acids, useful fatty acids.

Calorie content of the product is 50 kcal per 100 g of boiled mussels.

What are the benefits of mussels?

For women

Mussels can support the health of the urogenital system of women, improve the condition during menopause.

For men

An important property of this marine product is to increase potency. High levels of zinc have the same effect on sexual function.

During pregnancy

The opinion of doctors about the use of seafood during this period is different. Some are categorically against, others believe that they should be present on the menu. If you still want mussels, you need to make sure that they are fresh by a simple sign: during cooking, they should all open. Instances of doubt should be postponed. Do not eat raw or boiled for a short time, as they may contain microorganisms that can harm the fetus or cause poisoning.

The advantage of mussels during pregnancy is that their protein content allows them to better form the tissues, cells and muscles of the growing fetus. The presence of iron helps improve blood quality. Minerals and vitamins support the body of the expectant mother.

When breastfeeding

Mussels belong to the category of allergenic products, because their use can affect infants. If fish products are necessary during this period, then doctors advise replacing mussels with salmon or pollock. The use of mussels by a nursing mother can affect a small child in the form of violations of the gastrointestinal tract, colic. Therefore, in the first six months after the birth of the baby, it is not recommended to include mollusks in the diet.

For kids

From the age of three, the child can include mussels in the diet. But first you need to make sure that the child’s body perceives new food normally and does not react to it with allergic manifestations. Therefore, for the first time it will be enough to give only a few pieces.

The benefits and harms of mussels in oil

Oil-flavored mussels are tasty and healthy, used as a standalone dish or added to snacks or salads and even soups. Usually sold in pickled form. Calorie content is 67 kcal per 100 grams.

Mussels in oil are useful just like boiled mussels, but it is not recommended that people who are on a diet abuse them and have problems with the digestive tract due to the fat content of this product.

Is it possible to eat mussels with weight loss

Low calorie content allows the use of mussels in the period when you need to lose weight. Nutritionists have recognized this product as suitable for dietary nutrition, welcomed its use with vegetables.

Mussels in medicine

With diabetes

You can supplement the diet with mussels, since they have the smallest amount of sugar and a small amount of carbohydrates. But first, a doctor’s consultation is needed.

Important: the glycemic index of mussels is low - about 0.

With pancreatitis

A low percentage of calories, a minimum level of fats and carbohydrates - precisely because of this, mussels are ranked as a dietary product.Those fats contained in mussels are polyunsaturated and contribute to the normalization of fat metabolism. Therefore, people suffering from pancreatitis can include this type of shellfish in their diet. However, the recommendations of nutritionists are such that they offer patients to prepare dishes, not including hot spices and adhering to special methods of heat treatment. When the period of exacerbation sets in, clam meat is completely excluded from the diet. But with the onset of relief, when a freer diet is allowed, mussels can be beneficial, because it is a source of easily digestible fats, which are so needed to restore the functions of the pancreas. You can eat them in their entirety if they have been boiled, baked or stewed, but without spicy additives. Smoked, fried or pickled product will only do harm.

With gastritis

Mussels can be used as a dietary product, but not during the period of exacerbation. The clam meat is too elastic and hard, because there is a threat of mechanical injury to the mucous membrane of the walls of the stomach. When this dangerous period has passed, you can include mussels in small doses in the diet, starting with just a few pieces and bringing the portion to 50-100 grams. But you can only eat mussels cooked by baking, stewing or boiling, excluding additives such as garlic, lemon juice, hot spices.

With gout

Mussels are not recommended because of the high protein content, since this product can provoke an exacerbation of the disease. But mussel lovers can afford them in small quantities during remission, if it is a baked, stewed or boiled dish, only 1-2 times a week. The cause of the disease is a violation of the production of uric acid, and seafood has a tendency to increase it in the human body.

Harm and contraindications

Some people have to give up mussels, as they are allergic to seafood. This dish is also dangerous for those who have poor blood coagulability.

If the product was not cooked correctly, poisoning can occur, since, acting as a filtrate of water, mussels can accumulate substances hazardous to humans, especially if the mollusk's vital area was significantly contaminated. But in most cases, mussels are grown artificially in clean ponds. In addition, before sending this mollusk as a product, it is washed under running water.

Mussels are contraindicated in those people who have individual intolerance and bleeding disorders. Remember that even completely healthy people, experts do not recommend abusing this mollusk.

How to pick and store mussels

Before you buy mussels at a point of sale, you need to listen to the advice of specialists who know how not to make a mistake in choosing:

1. Shell flaps should be closed tightly. Even slightly open leaves indicate a poor-quality product; you cannot use these mussels for cooking.
2. On the surface there should be no chips and cracks, it is ideally smooth and smooth, without various deposits and spots. If the sink is dirty, then this fact should serve as a refusal to purchase. The fact is that mussels can live only in clean water, which means that there can be no dirt on it. Only the smallest plaque in the form of sand is allowed.
3. If the mussel is asleep, the sash may also open slightly. You can check whether she is alive in the following way - determine where the leg is, and prick or incise it. If muscle contraction occurs, then the mollusk is alive. There is another way using lemon juice.It is enough to add a few drops, and the living individual will certainly react.
4. Bad smell is evidence of a low-quality product. The smell inherent in fresh goods is a sea specific aroma. This in no way resembles the smell of damp, mud or mold.
5. When shaking shells, tapping should not appear inside. A characteristic sound indicates that the mollusks are already dead - which means it’s dangerous to eat them.
6. When opening the sink there is a clicking sound. The sink should not open too easily - this indicates a poor quality product.
7. When frozen, the mollusks should not be stuck together, this indicates improper freezing or that the product has repeatedly been frozen and thawed. They should not have a thick layer of ice. The one exception is the special ice pack, the so-called icing.
8. Packaging for mussels should be transparent so that you can visually evaluate the goods. Its integrity must be observed, the label on the quality product is glued evenly, the information is printed clearly, the letters are not erased.
9. The quality of canned food and preserves can be determined by the condition of the brine (brine). It should be a clear liquid, in which there are no clots and mold.

Mussels can not be stored for a long time, this is a perishable product. There are two ways to keep them longer - in the refrigerator or freezer.

If you need mussels after a while, you can keep them suitable for eating in the following ways:

1. If they were purchased fresh, then even when in the refrigerator, after 2-3 days the mussels will die, and then they will no longer be suitable for cooking. The temperature regime is not higher than 7 degrees of heat, on that shelf where there are cooler sections. During storage, it is advisable to put live mussels under the press, but not too heavy so that it does not allow the leaves to open prematurely. For these purposes, an ordinary plate is suitable.
2. If the dead appeared in the batch of mollusks, they must be removed as soon as possible, otherwise the living after them will also die within a short time.
3. Keeping these seafood in water is not recommended. If ice is used for preservation, then its cubes should be located either near the mussels or on top. Live mollusks will keep fresh longer if they are sprinkled with fine ice.
4. Frozen mussels should be placed immediately after purchase in the freezer until they have melted, or cook immediately. Secondary freezing is not recommended - it is hazardous to health. If you need to defrost the mussels, they are transferred from the freezer to the refrigerator and left until they thaw.

When fresh mussels are bought, but you do not need to cook them for several days, it is best to place them in a refrigerator. But first, the shells need to be opened and pulp pulled out by placing the meat in a container for freezing. It should be corked very tightly and placed in the cold. In this way, it can be stored for no more than 60 days.

Shelf life in the freezer:

1. If the temperature is set to 12 degrees below zero, you can leave the mussels for two weeks.
2. With minus up to 18 degrees, closed shells can withstand 3 weeks.
3. If you make a shock freeze, you can maintain a decent quality of this product for many months. Typically, this method is acceptable for food production enterprises with a certain type of equipment, and not at home.

When buying preserves in a marinade, you should eat them before the end of the period that the manufacturer indicated on the label. But in any case, after opening the package, the product must be used within two days.

How to cook mussels

In cooking, closed shells are used without any damage. A minor heat treatment is required - this product must undergo it anyway. And if the flaps did not open after it, unfortunately, the sink will have to be thrown away. For use in food, the meat part or muscle, as well as the mantle and the liquid base inside are suitable.

Quality meat has a sweet taste, it should be light, soft and tender.

Mussels can not only be boiled and salted, but also smoked or stewed, pickled or baked in various ways. They are very harmoniously combined with any vegetables, pasta, served as a snack, first and second courses, used for filling. But you need to eat such a dish right away, otherwise after a secondary heat treatment the mussels become dangerous for a person - they can be poisoned.

Many people like to eat mussels just like that or dipping them in a simple dressing of olive oil, lemon greens and garlic. Various sauces are also suitable for these marine products - creamy, spicy, tomato and many others.

What types of dishes can be prepared, as well as how cooks use such a marine product:

Boiled

During processing, they exude a pleasant aroma. A broth in which mussels are boiled is popular. You will need such components for it: white table wine (by the way, it is recognized as the best ingredient for making mussels), shallots, celery, to taste spices. Mussels prepared in this way, left in the broth, are stored for five days. But you can freeze this dish and use as needed. If the sash did not open during the cooking process, this product is of poor quality and is fraught with danger.

Fried

Cook 500 g of meat already freed from shells, rinse and allow time for it to dry. Beat the egg separately in a container, gradually pouring 50 g of beer to it. Then add a tablespoon of flour, ground pepper, salt, preferably sea salt, and other selected spices. To stir thoroughly. The dough should turn out pretty liquid. First, roll each mollusk in a small amount of flour, and then in the prepared dough and immediately dip it into the heated oil. Wait until the mussels have a beautiful golden color. You can sprinkle the finished dish on top with lemon juice.

Baked in the oven

Kiwi is best suited for this method. Shells should be salted and seasoned with ground pepper, preferably a mixture of different varieties. Add vegetable oil, various herbs, garlic seasoning. Place in the oven and cook over medium heat for 10 minutes. Mussels cooked in half-shells turn out to be very tasty if you add basil and parsley, garlic sauce to them, and grind with grated cheese on top.

Why are the mussels bitter?

A strange bitter taste may occur:

• in old mussels, bitterness is always present in them;
• spoiled mollusks, as well as those that have undergone improper processing with impaired technology;
• in a product that has accumulated toxic and dangerous substances;
• when adding too many spices;
• due to the dark veins contained inside that should be removed.

If there are doubts about the quality, it is better to get rid of such products, even though they were not cheap.

If the product is fresh, but a little bitterness is still present, in the cooking process you can add garlic, various herbs, a set of spices. If baked in the oven, top should be crushed with cheese with a pronounced aroma.

How to Pickle Mussels at Home

It's nice to have such a tasty and original appetizer as mussels at home. Such a dish can be made independently from freshly frozen mollusks.

Put 300 g of not yet thawed mollusks into a colander and hold over the steam for several seconds, and then under running water. Then they should dry.Peel the clove of garlic, chop or crush with the help of the garlic, put vegetable oil in a frying pan warmed up, fry, stirring for 30 seconds. Add soy sauce and vinegar - two tablespoons each, as well as salt and sugar to taste.

Now add 100 ml of water, bring the mixture to a boil, throw peppercorns, cloves, bay leaf into it. The brine is ready, it remains only to put the mussels in it, boiling them for no more than a minute on high heat. Wait a little for them to cool, put in cooked clean jars, pour the marinade. Bay leaves are best removed, it can spoil the taste of the product. Add a spoonful of vegetable oil and herbs. Hide in the refrigerator. In a few hours, the dish will be ready.

How to eat mussels

If the mussels are not peeled, special tweezers and a fork are served to them so that it is possible to open the wings. The tongs are in the left hand, they should press the shell, and open it with a fork in the right hand, prying the meat and separating it from the legs, then seasoning with spices, suck the contents.

One separated leaf can be used as a spoon. The contents of the shell can be poured with lemon juice and seasoned with salt. If the dish is on skewers, then the meat is removed with teeth or a special fork. Empty sinks should be stacked on a separate plate.

Is it possible to eat river mussels

It is not advisable to eat mussels collected in a river or pond where the quality of the water has not been studied, although it is believed that they do not live in polluted sources. But if such mollusks were nevertheless collected, you need to adhere to the technology of their processing and preparation.

Interesting facts about mussels

Mussels are a product that farmers mainly grow. Breeding them is very profitable, since you do not have to spend money on food. The main tasks of an entrepreneur are to choose the right place and install the required collector.

The offspring appears as follows. The female lays eggs, which is stored under her gills. The tadpoles that were born survive, gaining a foothold on something, and basically find refuge on the ropes of the collector. They reach their presentation in a year, sometimes longer, after which they are delivered to the factory.

The main manufacturers are China and Chile. The latter produces mussels more qualitatively, during the freezing all the rules are clearly observed, and in the lot they practically do not differ in size, therefore their price is higher. Chinese differ in saturated orange-brown color, reassortment often happens.

Mussels are so popular that there is even a holiday dedicated to them. Spend it in Jersek - a Belgian village. What delights you will not find here: local cafes and restaurants are preparing for this holiday in advance, trying to surprise guests with original dishes. Seats are usually not enough, so long tables covered with an awning strengthen along the pier. Businessmen also come here to conclude profitable contracts for the sale and purchase of mussels.

Photo of mussels