虽然你可能不熟悉海参，但在许多亚洲文化中，海参被认为是美味佳肴。
不要和蔬菜混淆，海参是海洋动物。
它们生活在世界各地的海底，但较大的种群在太平洋。
大多数海参像大蠕虫或毛虫，有柔软的管状身体。
它们由潜水员收集或商业养殖在大型人工池塘中。

海参除了在烹饪上有吸引力外，还被用于传统民间医学中，以治疗各种各样的疾病。
这篇文章探讨海参的营养价值，以及它们是否值得添加到你的饮食中。
海参是如何食用的？
几个世纪以来，海参一直被亚洲和中东国家用作食物来源和药用成分。
事实上，它们已经从太平洋捕捞了170多年。
这些蛞蝓状动物可以新鲜食用，也可以在各种盘子里晒干，尽管晒干的形式是目前较常用的。
干海参，被称为海参 或者海参,被重新水合并添加到汤、炖菜和薯条等食谱中。
海参也可以生吃、腌制或油炸。
它们质地滑溜，味道淡而无味，所以通常会加入其他成分的味道，如肉类、其他海鲜或香料。
它们通常与白菜、冬瓜香菇。
海参也被用于中药，在中药中，海参被认为具有愈合的特性，用于治疗关节炎、癌症、尿频和阳痿等疾病(2)。
含有海参提取物的霜剂、酊剂、油和化妆品，以及口服海参补充剂，在传统中药中也很受欢迎。
Sea Cucumbers Are Incredibly Nutritious
Sea cucumbers are an excellent source of nutrients.
Four ounces (112 grams) of sea cucumber delivers (3):
Calories: 60
Protein: 14 grams
Fat: less than one gram
Vitamin A: 8% of the RDI
B2 (Riboflavin): 60% of the RDI
B3 (Niacin): 16% of the RDI
Calcium: 4% of the RDI
Magnesium: 4% of the RDI
Sea cucumbers are very low in calories and fat and high in protein, making them a weight loss-friendly food.
They also contain many powerful substances, including antioxidants, which are good for your health.
Sea cucumbers are high in protein, with most species consisting of 41–63% protein (4, 5).
Adding protein sources to meals and snacks helps keep you full by slowing down the emptying of your stomach.
This can help you eat less and stabilize your blood sugar levels (6).
Foods rich in protein, such as sea cucumbers, may be especially beneficial for people with diabetes who are looking to control their blood sugar levels (7).
Plus, diets rich in protein may benefit heart health, help lower blood pressure and improve bone density (8, 9).
Potential Health Benefits
Sea cucumbers have been linked to a number of potential health benefits.
Cancer-Fighting Properties
Sea cucumbers contain substances called cytotoxins, which have been shown to fight cancer cells.
For example, one test-tube study showed that triterpene diglycosides found in Vietnamese sea cucumbers had a toxic effect on five types of cancer cells, including breast cancer, prostate and skin cancer cells (19).
Another study found that Ds-echinoside, a type of triterpene derived from sea cucumbers, reduced the spread and growth of human liver cancer cells (20).
While these results are promising, more research is needed to determine the efficacy and safety of using sea cucumber to fight cancer cells.
Antimicrobial Properties
A number of test-tube studies have demonstrated that sea cucumber extract inhibits the growth of bacteria, including E. coli, S. aureus and S. typhi, all of which can cause illnesses (21).
Another study showed sea cucumbers may fight Candida albicans, an opportunistic yeast that can cause infections if levels get out of control, especially in the immunocompromised (22).
In a one-week study in 17 elderly nursing home patients with oral Candida overgrowth, those who consumed a jelly containing sea cucumber extract showed a reduction in Candidaovergrowth, compared to those who did not consume the jelly (23).
Additionally, one study in rats showed that sea cucumber fought sepsis, a life-threatening complication associated with harmful bacteria (24).
Heart and Liver Health
Several animal studies have demonstrated that sea cucumber may improve heart and liver health.
For example, rats with high blood pressure that were fed sea cucumber extract showed significant reductions in blood pressure, compared to rats who were not fed the extract (25).
Another study in young rats demonstrated that a sea cucumber-rich diet significantly reduced total cholesterol, low-density lipoproteins and triglycerides (26).
Furthermore, a study in rats with hepatorenal disease found that a single dose of sea cucumber extract significantly reduced oxidative stress and liver damage, as well as improved liver and kidney function (27).

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