Squids

Squid – a cephalopod mollusk, the inhabitant of the seas and oceans. Ordinary squids and shrimps differ in the small size – from 25 to 50 see. But jumbos of a squid can reach just huge sizes: to 20 meters weighing up to 300 kg. Species of squids there are more than 200, and each of them has an ink bag with a black-brown pigment. This pigment is released by a squid for harm of the potential enemies to create a peculiar veil when feels danger. Squids everywhere are found: in Mediterranean and the North Sea, in Atlantic and the Pacific Ocean.

Seafood was always appreciated as food for the person, however recently began to pay to squids and shrimps special attention. Thanks to advantage of squids known for much, they can be got in different types now:

• Fresh-frozen;
• Tinned;
• Cleared
• Crude.

It is quite logical that the advantage of squids and harm of them became a subject of studying by many specialists in medicine and nutritionists.

Useful properties and caloric content of squids

Meat of squids has excellent taste, high nutritional value and curative properties. Therefore this mollusk call "a sea ginseng".

The advantage of a squid is caused by the maintenance of a set of nutrients in it and vitamins:

• Protein;
• Vitamins C, B1, B2, B6, B9, PP, E;
• Polyunsaturated fats.

Squids contain a huge number important for health of the person micro and macrocells:

• Phosphorus;
• Iron;
• Copper;
• Iodine;
• Potassium;
• Calcium;
• Sodium;
• Magnesium;
• Nickel;
• Zinc;
• Selenium.

Content of iron and potassium in squids supports normal cardiac performance. Besides light meat of a squid does not contain cholesterol at all. Iodine is extremely necessary for the person for maintenance in a healthy condition of a thyroid gland and endocrine system in general. The special advantage is represented by the content of selenium in a squid: it helps to bring salts of heavy metals out of an organism.

The undoubted advantage of squids is that, thanks to components in its structure, it is possible to influence effectively cholesterol level in blood (in case of its exceeding). And it is good prevention against heart troubles and circulatory vessels. Many useful substances as a part of meat of a squid do vessels by more elastic, and it increases their durability and ability to be narrowed.

The advantage of squids consists also that, thanks to proteins as a part of shrimps and squids, their use well keeps and improves development of muscular tissue. These properties and high caloric content of squids do this meat by a fine product for consumption to those people who set as the purpose to build muscles (athletes, bodybuilders).

Nutritional value, along with the high caloric content of squids, perfectly affects a condition of the alimentary system. Shrimps and squids are perfectly acquired by an organism, without creating weight in a stomach. Exchange processes in an organism proceed normally as in meat of a squid there are no purine connections. Besides, the advantage of a squid that he provokes allocation of a gastric juice, and also well influences appetite and normalization of functioning of intestines.

Physicians consider essential advantage of squids their ability to stimulate intellectual activity and to improve memory. Thanks to selenium and vitamin E, the advantage of squids is caused by diuretic function, than the fastest removal from an organism of slags is stimulated. And in this case the urinogenital system considerably becomes stronger.

Thus, the advantage of a squid is presented by the whole list of salutary effects on a human body:

• Anti-sclerous;
• Strengthening of a cardiac muscle;
• Support of endocrine system;
• Fortifying;
• Removal of slags and toxins;
• Strengthening of blood vessels;
• Digestion improvement;
• Diuretic.

Caloric content of a squid is rather low that distinguishes him from other types of meat, and at the same time it is nourishing and tasty. So, the caloric content of a squid makes 100 kilocalories on 100 grams of meat.

Indicators of nutrition value of a squid, in the general structure of a product:

• Proteins – 18%;
• Fats – 2,2%;
• Carbohydrates – 2%.

It is scientifically established that the advantage of such seafood as squids and shrimps on many indicators is higher, than any other meat, even than a turkey and beef.

Use of squids and shrimps

Squids and shrimps – the products long since eaten by the person. Therefore, they are widely used in cookery. Usually, in food it is used such parts of a squid:

• Carcass (light meat);
• Feelers.

And here in China and Japan people eat both eyes, and suckers of squids. They at first dry up them.

At us it is accepted to use light meat of a squid in food. For preparation use various options of culinary processing of a crude product:

1. Cooking;

2. Suppression;

3. Frying;

4. Farshirovka;

5. Baking;

6. Drying;

7. Pickling.

The advantage of a squid will remain if to use his meat as ingredient as a part of salads, sushi, forcemeat. The use of a squid with such products will be the most correct combination of products, from the point of view of healthy food:

• Fresh salad vegetables (greens, onions, cucumbers, tomatoes, paprika, cabbage);
• Fresh fruit (apples, citrus, garnet);
• Spices and spices.

Caloric contents of squids and their nutritious properties will remain top-level if to cook them in the added some salt water. Squids cook, lowering in the boiling water, no more than 5 minutes.

Contraindications and harm of squids

Potential the advantage of squids and harm have to be considered surely. So, an absolute contraindication to the use of a squid is the individual intolerance of this product. Besides too often it is not recommended to use dried squids and shrimps as in this look they provoke adjournment of salts and detain liquid in an organism.

Seafood, any including squids and shrimps, have strong allergenic properties. Therefore, as well as with any seafood, with them it is necessary to show discretion. Harm of squids can be connected with that Wednesday in which the sea inhabitant lived. The set of various pollutants which are toxins for an organism often is thrown out sea water. Thus, shrimps and squids can contain life-threatening and health of the person poisons, such as mercury, for example. This dangerous element is capable to cause poisoning and serious violations in a nervous system of the person. In this regard it is necessary to choose carefully and attentively a product.

And, nevertheless, it is obvious that in the use by the person in food of seafood the advantage is high, and harm of squids and shrimps is improbable, on condition of competent approach to their choice and use.