Shark fin is likened to a luxury tonic, but is it really good?

By the Qing Dynasty, shark fins had become an indispensable dish in large imperial banquets. By the end of the Qing Dynasty, the reputation for shark fins spread abroad.

Shark fin is considered a rare delicacy.

If before, only rich and noble families could eat shark fins, now buying and selling has become much easier. High-end restaurants in China all sell shark fins, the cheapest is only a few dozen yuan a bowl, most people can enjoy.

This is due to an abundant supply but over time, current fishing technology along with increased consumer demand, it leads to disaster for the growth of sharks.

It is the shark's fin that is most valuable.

Because the value of shark meat is very low, while its fin is the most valuable thing, after catching the shark, people only cut the fin and then throw the shark carcass into the sea. This will help them save money, kill more sharks and have more space in the boat to accommodate the fins.

These finless sharks are incapable of swimming, can die or become food for other creatures. The US has banned this type of fishing since 2000.

The United Nations has estimated that 10 million sharks are killed each year.

In August 2001, the US Coast Guard seized a shark fishing boat near San Diego and found that there were no shark carcasses on board but 32 tons of shark fins, equivalent to more than 20,000 sharks that had been captured. kill.

The United Nations has estimated that 10 million sharks are killed each year. The actual situation could be much more serious. According to a 2006 study by Imperial College London, 38 million sharks are killed each year because of the shark fin market. And the shark fin market is constantly expanding, growing at an estimated 5% per year.

The delicious taste of the soup made from shark fins mainly comes from the accompanying ingredients.

In fact, the shark fin itself has no taste, has a slightly fishy smell, the good taste of the soup made from it mainly comes from the accompanying ingredients. Therefore, shark fins are very easy to fake with materials like gelatin.

Why are shark fins so popular? This has something to do with Chinese culture, who believe it to be a superior tonic.

Traditional Chinese medicine believes that shark fins have the effect of tonic gas, nourishing the liver, and aperitif. Meanwhile, modern gourmets believe that shark fin is an extremely nutrient-rich part, containing a lot of collagen, which helps prevent osteoporosis, cancer, beautifies the skin, and prolongs life.

In fact, from a nutritional perspective, shark fins have no special nutritional value. The main component of shark fins is collagen - a protein.

No matter how miraculous protein is, consuming it cannot have an immediate effect on the body. Protein will be digested into amino acids in the stomach and intestines, and then absorbed by the human body.

From a nutritional perspective, shark fins have no special nutritional value.

So no matter what type of protein you eat, the result is the same, it's digested into amino acids. There are 20 types of amino acids that make up proteins.

Some proteins found in eggs, milk, and meat contain all 20 amino acids, which are called complete proteins and have higher nutritional value. While some plant proteins are incomplete proteins, lacking certain amino acids, the nutritional value is poor.

Therefore, the nutritional value of shark fin is not high, can not be compared with fish meat containing complete protein.

Regardless of the point of view, eating shark fins is not beneficial, on the contrary, it is also harmful to health. The content of mercury and heavy metals in shark fins is much higher than in other fish.

This is because industrial wastewater is constantly being discharged into the ocean, making the heavy metal content in seawater high and entering the body of marine organisms. Sharks often swallow other fish, so the concentration of heavy metals accumulated in its body is also higher.

In 2001, a random test of shark fins at the Chinatown market in Bangkok showed that 7 out of 10 shark fins contained 42 times the allowable amount of mercury.

An on-site inspection of the Hong Kong market in 2008 found that eight out of 10 shark fins contained levels of mercury four times higher than the legal limit.

The content of mercury and heavy metals in shark fins is much higher than in other fish.

Cooking does not remove the toxicity of mercury or heavy metals.

After eating shark fins, mercury and other heavy metals enter the body, difficult to excrete out, but accumulate inside, which can harm the central nervous system.

In addition, it also causes dizziness, headache, muscle tremors, mouth ulcers, kidney damage, sexual dysfunction, miscarriage, etc.

Eating shark fins is similar to eating bear's nests and paws, tiger bones, rhinoceros horns and bear gall bladders. All are considered precious medicinal herbs, part of China's traditional health-promoting culture. But this type of food has no good scientific basis for the human body.

Over-confidence in the effects of shark fins is seriously threatening the survival of shark species around the world. Prohibiting eating shark fin is difficult to do, but you should consciously refuse to enjoy this dish.