Amazing Benefits of Eating Scallops
Belonging to the family of mollusks, which also includes snails, sea slugs, clams, mussels, octopuses and squid, scallops are bivalves, sea animals that develop inside two hinged shells. Their colored, fan-shaped shells with ridges are easily recognizable. They feed on plankton by filtering them out of the water and reproduce by spawning. Unlike other bivalves, scallops are free-swimming, opening and closing their shells as they go, using their powerful adductor muscle. That’s the round, fleshy muscle you are eating when you order scallops in a restaurant. Whether grilled, baked, deep fried, broiled, or pan seared, the delicious scallop is a delightful dish. Do you know that they are also one of the world’s healthiest foods?
Scallops pack a lot of beneficial nutrients that are essential for cardiovascular health. Do you know that the magnesium and potassium in scallops normalize blood pressure? They are also a rich source of vitamin B12, which converts a harmful chemical that can directly damage blood vessel walls, associated with an increased risk for atherosclerosis, diabetic heart disease, heart attack, and stroke. If your diet is high in vitamin B12, you can have low risks for these diseases. Scallops are also rich in omega-3 fats that increase heart rate variability, a protective function that reduces risks for arrhythmia and/or sudden death.
According to a study, eating scallops that are broiled or baked, but not fried, may reduce risk of atrial fibrillation, the most common type of heart arrhythmia. The condition is an irregular heartbeat that can be life-threatening, leading to blood clots, stroke, and heart failure.
There’s more. A scallop diet (or a fish diet for that matter), says another study, offers protection against three types of cancer: leukemia, multiple myeloma, and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma due to its vitamin B12. The omega-3 fats in scallops greatly reduce risk of colorectal cancer, according to another. In a brain cell research, it was found that the DHA in scallops boosts production of a protein which destroys the plaques associated with Alzheimer’s disease. What’s not to love about scallops?
Eat Scallops for Long Life in Lynnwood
Have a healthy plate of scallops every week at least at Wild Wasabi and get protected in many ways. One of the world’s healthiest foods is served at your Japanese restaurant in Lynnwood.