Snails, soft-bodied animals with a number of good benefits

Who doesn't know snails? Animals belonging to the group molluscs or soft-bodied is commonly found in trees, plants, and various other humid places. Interestingly, snails are also used as an exotic food menu in France. Never heard of escargot , Right? Snails are even useful for skin care.

Make no mistake, snails and slugs are different

Looking at their body shape, you might think that a snail and a slug are the same animal. Even though they are both classified as class gastropods , but the two are much different.

The main difference is from the "house" attached to the top of his body. Snails do not have a hard shell on their body, while snails do.

The snail has a Latin name Achatina fulica which is still a species with Aspersa helix , or it could be referred to as giant african snails because originally came from Africa.

Benefits of snails as skin care

Not long ago, several skin care products made use of snail mucus which is claimed to be able to disguise dark spots and reduce the growth of pimples. As a result, the skin will appear smoother and smoother.

Not wanting to be outdone by snails, snails are thought to have similar beauty benefits. A study published in the Scientific Journal of Medicine, shows the potential of snail mucus which is considered effective as a healing wound on the skin.

The study, which involved a group of experimental animals, found that incisions smeared with snail mucus actually healed faster than cuts that were not smeared with mucus.

Are there any benefits of eating snails?

This animal is actually easy to maintain and breed. In fact, not a few people like to eat it, including in Indonesia. Several countries in Europe, especially France, like the snail preparations which are more familiarly referred to as escargot .

At first glance it looks strange, but in fact it is processed escargot offers a variety of good properties for the body when consumed, namely:

1. High in nutrition

Source: Mom Junction

It seems that not a few people look at processed products escargot one eye because of doubt about its nutritional content. In fact, a plate escargot no less nutritious than other animal sources.

It is proven in the Indonesian Ministry of Health's Indonesian Food Composition Data, that every 100 grams (gr) of snail meat contains 441 calories (cal), 48.7 grams of protein, 20.3 grams of fat, and 15.8 grams of carbohydrates. Escargot is also enriched with various minerals and vitamins in it.

A study published by the Journal of Fisherish Sciences, describes, meat escargot is considered to have high nutritional value because it is rich in essential amino acids, protein, as well as vitamins and minerals. Among them are calcium, potassium, phosphorus, sodium, iron, magnesium, to vitamin A, vitamin B1 (thiamine), vitamin B2 (riboflavin), vitamin B3 (niacin), vitamin B6 (pyridoxine), vitamin C, and vitamin E..

Interestingly, escargot You can also make it a diet snack because it is low in fat but high in protein. Eating processed snails is believed to help you feel fuller for longer.

2. Improve mood

What do you usually do to restore mood or bad mood? Apart from sleeping, watching movies, or eating chocolate bars, it turns out escargot or snails can also be an option.

The reason is, escargot contains a chemical compound called tryptophan which belongs to the amino acid group. Shortly after eating, tryptophan compounds that enter the body will be converted into a molecule called 5-HTP (5-hydroxytryptophan).

This molecule will later be useful for stimulating the brain to produce the hormones serotonin and melatonin. These two hormones are closely related to changes in appetite, mood, and better sleep quality.

3. Overcoming nutritional deficiencies

Launching from Science Daily, a study published in the Journal of Food Safety, Nutrition, and Public Health, found interesting facts about meat escargot .

Given the nutritional content that is not kidding, the researchers say that meat escargot it turns out to be efficacious to help overcome malnutrition and iron (anemia) in the age group of children and adult women.

This is thanks to the abundant protein and iron content in it escargot making it considered a source of healthy food. In fact, soft-bodied animal meat is able to contribute essential fatty acids, such as linoleic acid and linolenic acid, which are good for health.

Keep in mind the risks of eating snails

Source: P&O Ferries

Behind the nutritional content and delicious taste, you are required to be careful when eating snails. Because it does not rule out, these snails contain parasites that will harm the body when eaten, said Paul E. Skelley, an entomologist from the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services in the United States.

Instead of getting the good nutrition, a misstep in processing or cooking escargot can actually cause infections and diseases that come from the parasites in it. Especially if it's meat escargot it was not washed thoroughly, or was not fully cooked when served.

Therefore, the types of snails that are commonly eaten are those that are specifically bred. Not carelessly taken from those who are used to living freely in the wild. On the other hand, also pay attention to the additional ingredients involved in the processing process. If you want to be healthier and more nutritious, you can replace cooking oil with other oils that are low in fat, such as olive oil or canola oil.

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