In some states, a crawfish boil is considered downright traditional. Crawfish resemble tiny lobsters, and grow up to 6 inches long. They're usually in streams and freshwater lakes, usually a sign that those are relatively clean waters.
When it comes to Southern cuisine, crawfish is considered a staple. This is likely why there is a growing number of restaurants serving crawfish. Aside from being incredibly tasty, crawfish are also quite beneficial for human health.
The best way to cook crawfish is undoubtedly fresh from the aquarium or tank. However, crawfish season only runs from December to January. When that happens, frozen crawfish comes into the picture. For the most part, frozen crawfish is already cooked or, at the very least, pre-cooked. It's perfectly healthy to consume a crawfish boil made with frozen crawfish as well.
Healthy Eats
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) includes seafood in its dietary guidelines for a healthy diet. Part of their recommendations are around 300 milligrams of cholesterol a day, and 5-ounce servings of crawfish have nearly 200 milligrams.
Omega-3 fatty acid can also be found in crawfish, and it has several advantages. The skin gains protection from ultraviolet (UV) rays. People who suffer from depression will benefit from consuming it, too, since brain functions are helped. Numerous minerals and B-vitamins are found in crawfish, such as calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, and zinc. B-vitamins are crucial for the nervous system's function, which converts the crawfish consumed into energy. There are 25 grams of protein in every 5-ounce serving of crawfish, and every 3-ounce serving has 14 grams of protein.
It is very important to cook crawfish properly. You can tell they're cooked correctly when their flesh is opaque and pearly, while the shells are a nice red.
Myths Debunked
Also, there are several myths surrounding crawfish. The Louisiana State University's Agricultural Center has conducted studies that have dispelled a number of them.
A long-standing one involved straight-tailed boiled crawfish being unsafe for consumption because the crawfish was likely cooked after death. The LSU Ag Center found that it has absolutely no correlation, so whether your crawfish tails are straight or curled, there's no difference.
It's worth noting that a key symptom of crawfish possibly being unsafe due to spoilage is when it's mushy.
Another common myth is that crawfish are very fatty. The truth, according to Beth Reames, who is a nutritionist at LSU AgCenter, is that their fat content is very low. Pure fat in crawfish comes to around 30 percent. When they're packaged for cooking use, that lowers to around 10 percent.
Hand-in-hand with the fatty misconception is that crawfish also has high cholesterol. A 3-ounce serving of crawfish actually contains around 116 milligrams of cholesterol. That's a third of the USDA's 2005 dietary guidelines, as well as the American Heart Association.
Conclusion
Crawfish is incredibly healthy to eat for multiple reasons. You can even substitute your usual fish or chicken with it in pasta dishes, salads, and even soups. When you visit Crawfish Cafe, you'll experience Viet-cajun crawfish and nine different awesome flavors.
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