If you have a little garden around your house, you sure can’t help but notice some cute little crawling garden pests who have found a home with your plants.
These slow buddies might be annoying because they feast on your greens but they sure are far from annoying to the taste buds. I am talking about snails.
Escargots as the French call them, have been a source of food since the days of the human hunting and gathering ancestors. Furthermore, the French have once again decided to eat prosperous and healthy, and this time, the snails made it to the menu.
With France becoming the world’s largest snail consuming nation, foreigners are becoming curious about the possible reasons for the popularity of this pest creature as meat.
Well, if you are one of those people who are still in bewilderment, there are some things you should know about the health and beauty benefits of snails but first, let’s see what history has to say about these creatures.
Hippocrates is tagged as the father or pioneer of some rational thinking and medicine because of his wisdom and how much hard work and dedication he put into discovering a treatment for the different ailments of his patients.
Today, it is believed that if people stick to some of the Hippocratic recipes, they are sure to live healthy lives and fight off some diseases.
The first recorded medical practitioner to have medically used these slithering creatures was Hippocrates. It is believed that he treated skin inflammations with the use of crushed snails and the result on his patients was terrific.
In some rural settlement around Europe, snail slime has been used for the treatment of warts, acne, and other skin infections because of Its potency and ability to heal wounds without leaving behind a scare.
The Greeks and Italian have been feasting on snails since as far back as 10,000BC, and In 1814 a French chef named Antonin Carèma introduced a new recipe the was made of snails stuffed with butter, parsley, and garlic.
This great chef from Burgundy’s recipe appears to remain accessible and relevant in France to this day. In many French restaurants and homes, about 80% of the snails served are prepared using Antonio’s recipe ” A la Burgundy”.
Health benefits of snails
1. Protein
While people think first of plates of seafood as a rich source of protein, the land snail is a richer source of protein. Eating foods rich in protein is a great way to build up your muscles and stay healthy than when you consume more of carbs. Snails are also a low-calorie source of protein compared to other sources.
2. Omega 3
The health benefits of Omega-3 fatty acids have become very popular much recently, and people are purchasing Omega-3 supplements and eating more oily fishes to get enough of Its goodness.
While feasting on Salmons and supplements are lovely, Snails also have found a spot on the list of foods that are rich in Omega-3. I’m sure your heart will be happy the next time you have a snail dish.
3. Selenium
Our immune systems are great fighters, and we owe our resistance against a variety of diseases to their activities. However, we have a role to play when it comes to maintaining a healthy immune system and protecting our cells from getting damaged. This is the work of selenium, and the snails have them packed in for our good.
4. Iron
Our bodies need an adequate amount of iron because it is essential for transporting energy around the body and creating red blood cells. Consuming snails would mean a sweet intake of iron and prevention of the iron deficiency condition called anemia.
Your body needs enough blood to keep you functional so instead of consuming pills and blood tonics why not opt for snails?
5. Magnesium
Magnesium is needed for the regulation of the heartbeat, keeping the bones healthy and active, keeping the blood pressure healthy. Snails have been discovered to be a good source of magnesium.
6. Snails have Antioxidants
Oh yes! Snails have wonderful Antioxidant properties that are believed to help prevent some kinds of cancer.
7. Mood improvement
For the days when you feel cranky, nibble on some snails. These crawlies contain tryptophan which is vital in helping your brain Produce serotonin. Serotonin is the brains device that tells your body when it needs to hibernate and also helps to keeps your appetite stable.
8. Treating cough and indigestion
Snail secretion has been used as an active ingredient in the making of medicine for cough, indigestion and asthma in times past. A currently, some herbal medicine still uses snail extracts for treatment of some respiratory illnesses
Beauty benefits of snails
- Snail slime has been found out to be the new anti-ageing serum. No wonder most beauty product companies use snail extracts in the anti-ageing or anti-wrinkle creams and serums. Did you know that Chilean farmers first discovered the anti-wrinkle benefits of snail serum when they noticed their hands looked fresh and younger after handling molluscs?
- It helps your skin to retain moisture and reduce dryness or flaking.
- It clears blemishes: Every lady hates to have blemishes, and snail slime is a great way to achieve clear skin. Flaws such as black spots, stretch marks and acne and sure to disappear when you use products containing snail slime.
- Sunscreen: That’s right! Snail slime is very useful when it comes to protecting your skin against ultraviolet rays. That explains it’s used as an ingredient in some sunscreens. And it heals your already existing sunburns.
There are a variety of ways to enjoy your molluscs. They can be boiled, fried, roasted, and will still taste great anyhow you choose to have them served. The French eat them from their shells, but I’ll have you know that their intestines can house some organisms like nematodes that are no good for the human body.
This is why they are purged for two weeks, and further starved for an additional two days before they are cooked. However, you can choose to crack them open and wash off their slim before you fry or boil them.
The next time you find snails in the market, do not hesitate to make a purchase and have them for dinner with your family. Enjoy your molluscs!!
