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Despite its name, the sea cucumber is not an obscure Veggie Tales background character—it is actually a marine animal with great health benefits! Translated directly from its Chinese name (海參; hoi2 sum1), wherein “海” means “sea” and “參” stands for “ginseng,” this caterpillar-like underwater life form has been incorporated into many Asian and some Middle Eastern cuisines as a delicacy. With medicinal qualities that enhance your body from head to toe, read on to find out what you can gain from incorporating sea cucumber into your diet.
Sea cucumbers rank high in lean protein, which has been identified by the American Heart Association as crucial to heart health. Several studies suggest its potential to lower cholesterol levels and blood pressure, which offsets the negatives posed by only relying on protein from red meat. Being low in both fat and calories also makes the sea cucumber a hot item for individuals who wish to lose weight, without sacrificing the amount and quality of nutrients in their diets.
Spongy as they can be, up to 70 percent of the sea cucumber’s slimy body wall consists of collagen. Extremely useful for our connective tissue, marine collagen is also lauded for giving our skin support in maintaining its bouncy and full structure. Every year we get older is one entire percent of collagen production efficiency lost, so patching that up with supplementary sea cucumber consumption will definitely help to ease the appearance of fine lines and parched skin.
Aside from being rich in vitamins, sea cucumber also boast an immune-boosting compound named triterpene glycosides. These work hand in hand with polypeptides called glycine, which stimulate the supply of cell antibodies. There is no time like now to raise your baseline immune health levels, which allows for a firm foundation during colder or rainier seasons and helps build a barrier of protection against exposure to viral germs.
Inflammation can affect anything from your joints to your internal systems. In serious cases, its progression can even cause chronic diseases such as cancer or heart disease. It all boils down to how strong your white blood cells can be at preventing noxious intrusive chemicals, bacteria, and viruses. To help these microscopic warriors stay armed, consider adding sea cucumber and its anti-inflammatory properties to your diet.
As much as we all love our happy hours, evening wine, and fatty deep-fried foods, they're a serious strain on the liver. This vital body part is indispensable in helping to process and digest food, all whilst filtering out toxic substances. Several studies have linked an intake of sea cucumber with alleviating effects for those with kidney damage as well, suggesting an improvement in liver and kidney functions via reducing oxidative stress.
Think of antioxidants as a microscopic army that balances our bodies from overflowing with harmful molecules. These molecules, known as free radicals, are either produced during the digestion process or ingested via exposure to tobacco smoke or radiation. These variables all increase our risk of cancer or chronic illnesses. Sea cucumbers contain a significant number of antioxidants to help combat these harmful molecules.
Niacin is essential for keeping your immune system in check and helping to convert food into energy. Niacin— more commonly known as vitamin B3—is a crucial component in the foundations of your well-being. Our bodies do not produce niacin internally, so we must rely on sustenance to get to a healthy supply level. Sea cucumbers are chock-full of niacin, as well as other B vitamins like B2 (riboflavin) and B1 (thiamine), which helps to wholly boost the body’s vitamin B3 supply.
Chinese cuisine has long been incorporating sea cucumber into its dishes, which means that it can easily be found in dried or frozen form at a variety of supermarkets and seafood stores. Atlantic Treasure offers up sea cucumber slices that— once rehydrated—are a welcomed nutritious addition to soups, congees, and more. One of the most popular gourmet plates is possibly the wholly braised sea cucumber with mushroom & gravy, typically served up at grand get-togethers and Chinese banquets. You could also simply throw in slices into your stir-fry for a day-to-day option!
If the idea of eating sea cucumber still makes you squeamish despite its myriad of health benefits, there’s still another option: sea cucumber extract. Available in powdered or pill form, a little pinch or a single capsule is all you need to reap the gains listed above!
When shopping around for sea cucumber, one thing to keep in mind is that the traditional means of industrial processing can cause metabolites to get washed off, affecting the quality of the product. Bêche Nutraceutical employs a whole food means of extraction before undergoing tight quality control for distribution. This makes Bêche Nutraceutical a sustainable and particularly healthful choice. With absolutely no artificial ingredients, fillers, chemical preservatives or sweeteners added during manufacturing, Bêche encapsulated sea cucumber powder is a simple, healthy addition to your daily meals.
Atlantic Treasure emphasises high quality seafood products that come from sustainably harvested sources. They are the prime distributor of Bêche Nutraceutical sea cucumber extract supplements as well as top notch marine imports, right out of the heart of the ocean.
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