Sea Cucumber: An Unusual Asian Food with Great Health Benefits

Slimy and weird as it can be but this creature can give you the health benefits you need! They say, don’t judge the book by its cover.

Echinoderms are the collective name for a diverse group of marine animals that includes sea urchins and starfish in addition to sea cucumbers. They have tentacle-like tube feet that are used for locomotion and feeding, and their bodies are shaped similarly to a cucumber. Their bodies are similar to cucumbers. It can be found in environments ranging from the shallowest to the deepest parts of the ocean all over the world. Because they inhabit the ocean floor, sea cucumbers are classified as benthic organisms.

Who would have thought that this organism can be part of cuisine in Asian countries? It is possible to consume sea cucumber in its raw, fried, or pickled form; however, it is most commonly added to dishes in its dried form, at which point it will rehydrate and assume its characteristic, slimy consistency.

Sea cucumber, much like tofu, has a mild flavor but is able to take on the flavor of whatever it is cooked with, including seasonings and other foods. Because of this, it is frequently used in soups, stir-fries, and certain dishes that are braised. It is also frequently combined with other types of seafood, meats, and spices, in addition to traditional Chinese ingredients such as winter melon, cabbage, and mushrooms.

But other than incorporating this food into cuisines, it also gives a lot of health benefits.

Reduce the risk of developing cancer

There is some evidence that the chemicals found in sea cucumbers may aid in the fight against cancer cells. According to research conducted, a single test tube containing the triterpene diglycosides that may be found in Vietnamese sea cucumbers had a harmful impact on five different kinds of cancer cells, including breast, prostate, and skin cancer cells. According to the findings of another study, a specific form of triterpene that is obtained from sea cucumbers inhibits the development and spread of human liver cancer cells.

Antimicrobial properties

Extract of black sea cucumber has been shown in a number of tests conducted in test tubes to prevent the development of bacteria, including E. coli, S. aureus, and S. Typhi, all of which are germs that have the potential to cause sickness. In addition, research suggests that sea cucumbers may be effective against Candida albicans, an opportunistic yeast that may lead to infections if levels of the fungus become uncontrollable, particularly in immunocompromised individuals.

Good health for both the heart and the liver

Research conducted on animals suggests that eating sea cucumbers may be beneficial to the health of both the heart and the liver. For instance, high-blood-pressure rats who were given an extract from white-bottomed sea cucumber exhibited substantial decreases in their blood pressure when compared to rats that were not given the extract.

In addition, a single dosage of black sea cucumber extract was shown to considerably decrease oxidative stress and liver damage in rats with hepatorenal illness, in addition to improving both liver and kidney function. This was discovered in research that was conducted.

Good for sexual health

The health advantages of sea cucumber include a high protein content as well as the provision of vital amino acids including arginine, threonine, phenylalanine, isoleucine, and tyrosine. These are amino acids that the body is unable to produce on its own. These amino acids are necessary for the synthesis of protein in the muscle tissue, as well as for the promotion of the creation of androgen hormones like testosterone.

Androgen is an extremely important factor in the formation of male reproductive organs as well as the control of male fertility. In a similar vein, two different species of sea cucumbers, H. fuscogilva, and A. mauritiana — are highly prized because of the widespread belief that they have aphrodisiac properties.

Promotes wound healing

One of the numerous benefits of sea cucumber is that its composition of fatty acids may aid to promote good wound healing. The results of research on the fatty acid composition of crude sea cucumber extracts make this abundantly clear. In this particular investigation, the researchers generated extracts using a total of four distinct liquids: ethanol, methanol, distilled water, and phosphate buffer saline. In comparison to the other components, the proportion of phosphate buffer saline had the highest amount of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), which is a polyunsaturated fatty acid associated with the activity of wound healing.

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