06 Mar Nutritional properties of octopus and benefits
The octopus, being tasty and with various nutritional properties, it is one of the most used mollusc for making delicious plates and it fits well for a lot of recipes.
Do you know the benefits of octopus?
Why it is included in a healthy and balanced diet?
The nutritional values of the octopus
We could call is “super fish”, because there are many nutritional properties related to this mollusk, which can be frozen or fresh.
First of all, it’s a low-calorie food, it has eighty calories per 100 grams, and does not have cholesterol, containing few carbohydrates. Furthermore, it has noble proteins of high biological value and it is inevitable if you want to consider an healthy and balanced diet. This is what makes octopus perfect for light but tasty recipes, both in summer and in winter.
But it does not end here, because its nutritional values also keeps:
– Potassium and Sodium, paramount for the activation of many enzymes and the control of sane muscles’ contraction.
– Calcium, important in order to regulate cellular activity and to keep strong bones and teeth.
– Vitamin B12, C and A, involved in boosting the immune system.
– Niacin, indispensable for the heart and nervous system.
– Selenium, a natural antioxidant that fights free radicals.
– Phosphorus, a basic mineral for the memory and assimilation of calcium.
Finally, more than half of the octopus is made of water and is highly satiating.
In short, with these nutritional properties, octopus is an inevitable food in low-calorie diets or for people are used to work out.
Octopus Characteristics: the way to choose the right one
The octopus is a cephalopod which doesn’t need to be confused with other tentacular mollusks.
It lives in the sea and mainly resides into the ravines of the cliffs. It can weigh at least seven kilos and measure three meters long.
For a conscious purchase and consumption, we must keep in mind that:
– Usually the production of octopus in our sea is not excessive, so the import of frozen octopus is frequent.
– The octopus therefore comes mainly from the Atlantic Ocean and from Morocco.
– Freezing does not affect the octopus’ nutritional properties
– Octopus is considered food with an allergic incidence, for this reason it can sometimes be discouraged during breastfeeding and, despite the nutritional properties of the octopus are excellent, it may not be suitable for those people who present digestive difficulties.
It’s better to buy frozen or fresh octopus?
Not everyone knows about the advantages of freezing and often we tend to believe that it’s always preferable to buy fresh fish. In matter of fact it is not like that.
Frozen octopus, as well as any other food, not only keeps its organoleptic and nutritional characteristics but freezing also keeps its meat soft.
Furthermore, with freshly captivity fish retained at very low temperatures, any risk of bacterial contamination is eliminated, making the food even safer.And then, never underestimate the advantage of being able to taste frozen octopus at any time, also making shorter the cleaning and preparation process!
The only recommendation once defrosted, is that need to be consumed quickly (the same procedure should be applied to its fresh version!).
A little secret for cooking octopus as a professional chef: before cooking it, its meat should be “beaten” in order to lose its elasticity and make it even more tender.
Are you ready to develop your imagination with some wonderful octopus recipes?
If you are looking for inspiration you may try our octopus recipes and, if you want to buy frozen octopus as tasty as fresh, visit our website in the section “The great classics’’ situated in the toolbar. Time for greeting, to the next article by Sword, the brand of frozen foods as delicious as fresh.
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