The effects and functions of snow crabs The nutritional value of snow crabs

Introduction to Snow Crab

Snow crabs, also known as cobbler crabs and queen crabs, live in waters with relatively low water temperatures. They are large in size, have long legs and are full of meat. Common snow crab varieties in the market include North Pacific snow crabs (originating from Alaska, the United States, the Russian Far East, North Korea, Hokkaido, Japan, etc.) and North Atlantic snow crabs (originating from Newfoundland, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, Canada, etc.). Since they are imported varieties, in addition to fresh snow crabs, frozen crab legs and whole snow crabs that are processed, cooked and frozen at the fishing site can also be seen in the market. The main edible parts of snow crabs are the crab legs and shoulder pieces, so they are suitable for making stews, grilled dishes, and salads.

Nutritional value of snow crab

Snow crabs are rich in protein, trace elements and other nutrients, and have a good tonic effect on the body. Studies have found that snow crabs also have anti-tuberculosis effects, and eating snow crabs is very beneficial to the recovery of tuberculosis. It is generally believed that freshwater crabs are better for medicinal purposes, and seawater crabs are only for consumption. Chinese medicine believes that crabs have the effects of clearing away heat and detoxification, replenishing bones and marrow, nourishing tendons and activating blood circulation, unblocking meridians, benefiting limbs, healing broken wounds, nourishing liver yin, and replenishing gastric juice. It has a certain therapeutic effect on diseases such as blood stasis, injury, jaundice, back and leg pain, and rheumatoid arthritis.

The efficacy and function of snow crab

1. Strengthen immunity

Snow crab chitosan can improve the body's immune function and strengthen the proliferation of immune cells, so it has the effect of strengthening immunity. Animal experiments published in Japan have confirmed that the immune-enhancing effect of chitosan helps reduce the damage of tumor cells and promote the regeneration and normalization of damaged liver cells. The anti-cancer effect of non-toxic anti-cancer chitosan has been confirmed by Tohoku Pharmaceutical University in Japan. The anti-cancer effect is suitable for organisms and no toxic reactions occur. The research team of Hokkaido University also found that chitosan has the effect of inhibiting the spread and metastasis of malignant tumor cells, and can be used for tumors and radiotherapy and chemotherapy to reduce the side effects of radiotherapy and chemotherapy.

2. Lowers Cholesterol

Chitosan appears in the body as a positively charged cation, which can bind to bile acid and bile salts, thereby inhibiting the absorption of cholesterol by the small intestine. It not only reduces the amount of cholesterol accumulated in the liver, but also reduces the concentration of bad cholesterol (LDL) and increases the content of good cholesterol (HDL). Therefore, it has a good effect on preventing arteriosclerosis and cardiovascular diseases. Reduce high blood pressure: Chitosan and chitosan, the components of chitosan, are a kind of high molecular polymer that is not absorbed by the human body. A study led by the Japanese Fisheries Agency showed that chitosan added to food will cause salt to adhere to it due to ion adsorption by the human body, thus retaining the original flavor of the food, but not causing excessive absorption of salt by the human body. Therefore, people who want to control their blood pressure will not have the trouble of taking in too much salt if they eat foods containing added chitosan.

3. Lowers Blood Sugar

The hypoglycemic effect of chitosan is mainly that the cations it contains can absorb excess sugar in the body and excrete it out of the body; increase the pH value in the body to activate pancreatic cells, increase insulin secretion, and enhance insulin activity; strengthen liver function; and control diabetic complications.

4. Improves Digestion

Chitosan can promote the growth of beneficial intestinal bacteria, inhibit the growth of harmful bacteria, and reduce the chance of coliform growth, thereby achieving the effect of strengthening the stomach and regulating the intestines. Reduce the accumulation of heavy metals in the body. The accumulation of heavy metals in the body can cause sequelae such as neurological diseases and organ dysfunction. Chitosan can absorb heavy metals such as copper, cadmium, zinc, and uranium and excrete them out of the body. In today's increasingly serious environmental pollution, chitosan helps to eliminate waste in the body and ensure the normal operation of human physiological functions.

5. Weight Loss

The weight loss effect of chitosan is that the positive and negative ions it carries automatically attach and combine with the negatively charged fat in the food, blocking the action of the fat decomposing enzyme, so that the fat is not absorbed in the intestine and is directly excreted from the body. Chitosan will combine with fat and be excreted from the body, but it will not combine with the protein of important nutrients, so it will not cause harm to the human body. It has the effect of allowing people who want to lose weight to use it with peace of mind without affecting the absorption of nutrients. Chitosan is different from general weight loss foods that suppress appetite or cause diarrhea to achieve weight loss effects, and it also has the effect of improving the metabolic function of the digestive tract.

6. Relax muscles, replenish qi, regulate stomach and help digestion

Snow crab meat is cold in nature and salty in taste. It has the functions of relaxing muscles and replenishing qi, regulating the stomach and digestion, unblocking meridians, dispersing various heat, clearing away heat, and nourishing yin. It can treat injuries from falls, fractures caused by tendons, and allergic dermatitis. In addition, snow crab has a good effect on hypertension, arteriosclerosis, cerebral thrombosis, hyperlipidemia and various cancers. Snow crab has high cholesterol and high purine. Gout patients should exercise self-control when eating it. People with colds, hepatitis, and cardiovascular diseases should not eat crabs. China has a tradition of eating crabs around the Mid-Autumn Festival. Since traditional Chinese medicine believes that crabs are cold in nature, ginger and perilla are often used to prepare the seasonings used for eating crabs.