Contents
- 1 Benefits of eating shellfish
- 1.1 CHARACTERISTICS OF SHELLFISH
- 1.2 What is shellfish?
- 1.3 Types of shellfish
- 1.4 Why is it important to eat shellfish?
- 1.5 Shellfish fats and minerals
- 1.6 Vitamins of shellfish
- 1.7 Shellfish, a food very rich in phosphorus
- 1.8 Which shellfish are the most appropriate?
- 1.9 How much shellfish should we eat daily?
Benefits of eating shellfish
CHARACTERISTICS OF SHELLFISH
What is shellfish?
Shellfish is a food that comes from marine invertebrate animals. They have their body protected by an external skeleton.
Sometimes experts include seafood within the food group of fish, because they are of marine origin, although nutritionally they are very different and it is preferable to study them separately.
Photo of shellfish
Types of shellfish
There are the following types of marine animals that can be included in the shellfish group:
- Crustaceans: Shrimps, crayfish, lobsters, prawns, barnacles, spider crab, , crabs, etc.
- Molluscs: Cockles, snails, oysters, scallops, cuttlefish, shrimp, mussels, clams, mussels, etc;
- Echinoderms: Sea urchins.
- Cephalopods, such as octopus, squid, cuttlefish are, nutritionally speaking, also shellfish, although their body is not protected by an external skeleton such as the previous ones
Why is it important to eat shellfish?
Shellfish is important because it provides proteins and these are complete, that is, eating shellfish is a way to ensure a good protein intake in the diet.
Photo of mussels, a type of shellfish
Shellfish fats and minerals
It also contains good quality fats and some minerals, mainly iodine, iron, phosphorus, magnesium and zinc.
Vitamins of shellfish
Some shellfish contains a lot of vitamin A (lobster, lobster, cuttlefish and octopus). They all have B vitamins, vitamin D and a lot of cholesterol.
Shellfish contains vitamin B12. Plant-based foods do not contain this vitamin, so people who are strictly vegetarian should take supplements to get it. The lack of this vitamin produces a major disease called anemia.
Shellfish, a food very rich in phosphorus
Shellfish is one of the foods richest in phosphorus that exist. It also contains choline and taurine, all of them essential components for the nervous system.
Summary of the properties of shellfish
Which shellfish are the most appropriate?
You can make a varied diet that alternates different types of seafood.
How much shellfish should we eat daily?
It is recommended to eat 3 to 5 servings per week of shellfish and fish.
| TO REMEMBER: SHELLFISH IN DIETETICS AND NUTRITION |
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More information on nutrition.
