The nutritional value of sea cucumber is not related to its size.

Sea cucumber is a kind of food with good nutritional value. It contains almost no fat and more than half of its dry weight in protein. However, in terms of protein cost-effectiveness, eggs, lean meat, milk and tofu are all far superior to sea cucumber.

Another large group of ingredients rich in sea cucumbers is chondroitin sulfate, which can account for more than 10 percent of the dry weight. Chondroitin sulfate is usually extracted from shark fins or bovine trachea, and clinical trials have shown that it appears to be effective in relieving joint pain. While the science is still "seems" to be true, nutraceutical manufacturers have long been claiming that it "can". Because they are "natural products," people are taking them with a grain of salt.

The ancient Chinese called this kind of seafood "sea cucumber", which is considered to be as "nourishing" as ginseng. The "active ingredient" in ginseng is generally considered to be saponin, a component found in many plants. Scientists have found that sea cucumbers contain many saponins. Saponins are cytotoxic, anti-inflammatory, anti-fungal, and immunomodulatory.

The most appealing, though, is anti-tumor. In some cellular experiments, saponins have demonstrated good inhibition of specific cancer cells. However, it was found that saponins not only inhibit cancer cells, but also have the ability to kill for normal cells. What is more noteworthy is that from salvage to the table, sea cucumbers have to go through complex processing and cooking, those saponins are still "alive" may not be known.

Expanded Information

Taboos of sea cucumber

Taboos 1: not more than one per day

The dietary supplement of one sea cucumber per day is more suitable for those who have a weak constitution. For healthy people, especially in dry climates, consuming too much sea cucumber can cause "fire". For long-term consumption of sea cucumber, do not exceed one per day.

Taboo No. 2: Not to eat with fruits containing ellagic acid

Sea cucumber should not be eaten with persimmons, grapes, pomegranate, hawthorn and other acidic fruits or foods, to prevent the ellagic acid in sea cucumber from leading to protein coagulation, which affects digestion and absorption.

Taboo 3: less sea cucumber should be eaten in spring

Spring is the season of easy fire, especially in the north and the inland spring climate is relatively dry, so it is necessary to reduce the consumption of sea cucumber.

Taboo 4: Liver and kidney function poor people should eat less

Sea cucumber can warm up the kidney deficiency, has the effect of benefiting the kidney and tonifying the essence, but excessive consumption of sea cucumber will increase the burden on the liver and kidney, so the liver and kidney function poor people do not remember to eat it.

Taboo 5: avoid deep processing of dishes

From the nutritional point of view of sea cucumber, the lighter the sea cucumber is, the better, the stewed, boiled, cooled sea cucumber dishes can be all the nutrients contained in the sea cucumber retained, and the flavor is delicious, such as braised and other cooking methods will destroy the original nutrients of the sea cucumber, and the effect of nourishment will be greatly reduced.

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