Mussels: benefits and harms for women and men

2024 Author: Isabella Gilson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:14

Mussels are a very tasty and popular seafood that has great he alth benefits! Mussels are made up of high quality, easily digestible protein, which is the most important source of energy. But besides it, mussels also contain a lot of other useful substances. Which ones? How are they useful for humans? And can there be harm from mussels? Well, we will discuss these and many other questions now.

Useful properties

For starters, just list them. Here's what everyone needs to know about the he alth benefits of mussels:

• They are filling but low in calories. There are only 77 kcal per 100 grams. The B/W/U ratio is 11.5/2/3.3 g.
• Seafood strengthens the immune system and helps to remove harmful substances from the body, including radionuclides.
• Mussels are good to eat to improve brain activity, enhance metabolic processes and strengthen vision.
• Seafood perfectly stimulates blood circulation and removes toxins, because itrecommended for arthritis.
• Mussels are rich in natural iodine, so they are good for people with thyroid diseases and those who want to strengthen the cardiovascular system.
• This seafood improves the functioning of nerve cells and the entire central nervous system.
• Due to the high content of polyunsaturated fatty acids, eating mussels reduces the risk of myocardial infarction, atherosclerosis and stroke.
• The natural stimulants in this seafood help recuperate after illness.

Freshly caught mussels are the most useful. They need to be prepared the same day, stored in the refrigerator. Live mussels must be processed under running cold water. Those with damaged or ajar shells should be thrown away.

Essential amino acids

They are in the composition of mussels, which explains the benefits of this seafood. Essential amino acids are substances that the human body cannot synthesize itself, but they are necessary for its full functioning and maintenance of he alth. Therefore, it is important to consume them with the right food.

Mussels include:

• Arginine. Promotes cell regeneration, stimulates the immune system, increases vascular permeability, increases testosterone levels.
• Valine. Participates in the development and recovery of muscles, maintains normal levels of serotonin, increases the production of growth hormone.
• Lysine. Expands blood vessels, improves memory and libido,prevents atherosclerosis, strengthens hair.
• Leucine. Protects muscles and cells from decay and aging, lowers blood sugar levels, maintains normal nitrogen balance, participates in hematopoiesis.
• Threonine. Prevents the deposition of fats in the liver, speeds up metabolism, has a positive effect on the gastrointestinal tract.

Mussels also contain histidine, isoleucine, methionine and tryptophan, but in smaller amounts.

Essential amino acids

The body can synthesize these substances itself, but if a person consumes mussels, then there will be no such need, since they are contained in excess in their composition. The largest amount of seafood includes:

• Aspartic acid. Redistributes nitrogen in the body, neutralizes ammonia, and turns into glucose in the liver.
• Glutamic acid. Participates in energy metabolism and the production of certain hormones, plays the role of a mediator of nerve impulses.
• Glycine. Participates in the synthesis of creatinine, peptides, bile conjugated acids, lipids.

Mussels contain less alanine, serine, proline, tyrosine and cysteine.

Vitamins, macro- and micronutrients

Their high content also explains the benefits of mussels. In total, this seafood contains 12 vitamins - A, E, K, C, PP and as many as 7 from group B. Most of all, choline (B4) is found in mussels. This substance is indispensable for cholesterol and fat metabolism, it is necessary for a completefunctioning of the central nervous system.

There are only five macronutrients in mussels: phosphorus, sodium, magnesium, calcium and potassium. The last one is the most! There are 320 mg of potassium per 100 g of seafood. But everyone knows that it is necessary to maintain fluid and water-s alt balance, protein synthesis, protein and carbohydrate metabolism, and also the processing of glucose into energy.

There are also five trace elements: zinc, selenium, manganese, copper and iron. All of them are necessary for the body. Mussels have the most iron, and this is good, because this microelement provides tissue respiration, catalyzing metabolic processes, participates in the creation of nerve impulses and their subsequent conduction along nerve fibers.

Benefits for men

Based on the foregoing, it can be understood that mussels are a real storehouse of useful substances. It really is! But what is their specific use? For men, mussels, for example, are they good? In short, the following:

• Seafood is almost pure protein. It is a source of efficiency, strength and energy, has a positive effect on the emotional state and mental activity.
• Eat enough mussels to maintain muscle mass.
• This seafood promotes the active production of testosterone. Because it contains zinc and selenium. And these substances have a direct impact on the normalization of testosterone levels.
• Mussels are a natural aphrodisiac. They increase reproductive function and improve the viscosity of seminal fluid.

The benefits of mussels for the male body are invaluable. In addition to the above - they strengthen bone tissue and joints. Representatives of a strong part of humanity who regularly use this product are less prone to arthritis, and this significantly pushes the border of male age-related changes.

Benefits for women

It is also worth talking about. The benefits of mussels for women are explained by their high content of calcium and phosphorus. Thanks to these substances, regularly consumed seafood helps to improve the condition of nails, hair and skin.

As mentioned at the beginning, this product is low in calories. So it can be consumed even during a strict diet.

In addition, the complex of substances and vitamins contained in this seafood prevents premature skin aging.

Can pregnant women eat mussels?

Even necessary! But only if they are guaranteed to benefit the woman. Mussels can cause harm if they are allergic or if consumed during the lactation period, which is not recommended.

In the absence of contraindications during pregnancy, you even need to eat this seafood. The protein and microelements contained in it will support the he alth of the expectant mother and help the fetus develop properly. Plus, they are much easier to digest than other nutritious foods, which is important.

In addition, regular consumption of mussels will help a woman accumulate polyunsaturated fatty acids in her body. Thanks to this, there will be no problems with digestion.problems.

Harm to seafood

Among pluses there is always a place for minuses. Much has been said above about the benefits of mussels. And the harm from their use is also worth mentioning.

The main problem is saxitoxin. Purine alkaloid, which is part of the mussels that live in the sea not in running water. If there is no flow, then the toxin simply does not wash out of it. This should be taken into account by everyone who collects shellfish.

It is also strongly discouraged to buy mussels specially grown for sale. In artificial reservoirs, water circulates extremely poorly. Much worse than in the sea, so shellfish accumulate poison in huge quantities.

Before buying, it is important to know where the mussels were collected. In Turkey and Japan, for example, shellfish farms are set up right in the sea, where there is a natural current. They are grown on special banks, in quality they are in no way inferior to wild ones. But it is better to refuse mussels of Chinese and Korean production. It is in these countries that most of the farms are located in stagnant bodies of water. Mussels in oil will not bring any benefit. Harm and intoxication - that's what, most likely, you will have to face. And often these mussels are canned.

Proper cooking

I would like to talk about this in the end. Canned mussels in oil can be beneficial, but fresh seafood dishes are best.

How to cook a delicacy? First you need to thoroughly rinse them under running cold water,clean them from the shells, and then rinse again from the sand.

After that, you need to throw the seafood into s alted water with spices and put on a strong fire to cook. Fresh mussels will take 2-3 minutes to cook, frozen ones about 5-7 minutes.

Serve recommended with white wine, after sprinkling the finished delicacy with lemon juice. You can also make a sauce from olive oil, herbs and garlic. Such mussels will bring invaluable benefits to the body.

Craving fried seafood? Then you need a barbecue or grill. Mussels should only be cooked over an open fire. The process is very simple. You just need to make a strong fire and put the mussels on the grill grate. After two minutes, they will open and release liquid. As soon as this happens, keep them on fire for a while, 1-2 minutes is enough.

Carefully remove the mussels from the heat and serve with lemons for a drizzle before eating. It turns out very tasty and fast.