What happens if you eat Snail? I am happy to tell you in clear terms, as I am aware a lot of people think snails are pests or a pet. This is not the case, especially with the numerous health benefits it possesses.
When you eat a snail that is properly processed and cooked, you get the benefits of enjoying premium quality protein.
I will leave here the health benefits of Snails. Now let me show you in details what will happen each time you consume snail.
Origin Of Snail As Food
Land snails have been eaten by humans for centuries, though not everywhere. They are famous gastronomy, particularly in France, Spain and West Africa, considered a delicacy.
The misconceptions about eating snails stem from the notion that they are pests and their slimy nature; however, if you get past these setbacks and learn the nutritional benefits of snails, you will find in no time this gift of nature is a blessing.
However, they must be consumed with caution because some snails harbor parasites that, once in the human or animal body, can cause severe diseases.
As a result, when handling land snails, either in your garden or in the wild, proper hygiene precautions should be taken to avoid dangerous diseases such as meningitis, among others.
Keeping the African giant Snail in the US is illegal; nevertheless, it is legal to purchase already processed snails. I recommend Jeb foods dried frozen African Giant Snail
I prefer buying already made snails because I don’t have to go through the rigorous preparation session, saving myself from possibly getting infected by contaminated snails and getting slime all over me.
What Do Snails Taste Like
Snails are flavourful; they are slightly chewy with a soft consistency similar to mushrooms, dripping in garlic butter, sauces, stews, coconut milk, spicy, skewered, grilled or sautéed or fried; they are delicious for many and worth a try!
The smaller species don’t have much flavor on their own but absorb the delicate flavors of the sauces and seasonings.
However, African giant snails have a unique flavor that any meal prepared with it absorbs; they are so delicious that your taste buds never forget the experience.
Can You Get Infected From Eating Snail
People may become infected if they consume an infected snail or slug. The parasite is more prevalent in certain parts of the world, particularly the Pacific Island, Australia, and Pacific Islands.
People at risk of being infected with this parasite have eaten or come in contact with raw snails or slugs intentionally or unintentionally. As an example:
- Undercooked culinary dishes containing snail meat are frequently to blame.
- Eating raw produce or fruit and vegetable juices containing a snail or slug part can also result in transmission.
- Contaminated hands also spread infections during the preparation of infected slugs and snails’ food.
- It’s also thought that eating unwashed produce containing the mucus residue left behind by infected slugs or snails can cause infection.
- Other commonly eaten creatures, such as freshwater shrimp, land crabs, and frogs, can be infected by rat lungworms. These foods, if consumed raw or undercooked, may also transmit the parasite to humans.
- Snails and slugs found by infants and children are sometimes eaten.
- Snails and slugs, or their slime, may also be eaten inadvertently by people while eating lettuce and other raw produce.
- Overseas travelers may be at risk, mainly if they visit countries where the parasite is common and consume raw or undercooked fresh produce, such as lettuce.
For this reason, I will love to recommend you to a well processed and fully certified dried freeze African giant snail on Amazon
What Happens If You Eat Live Snail
Eating raw snails can, in rare cases, result in rat lungworm disease. Fortunately, this infection can be avoided if you thoroughly cook snails before eating them.
If you get the dried freeze snails, you will have absolutely nothing to worry about.
How Can I Avoid Disease From Eating Snail
The most important precaution to keep is to buy already cleaned snails from snail farms or the grocery. The snails are bred and packed, following the government-recommended food standards.
If you decide to pick them from the wild, some simple steps to take to prevent rat lungworm disease:
- Snails and slugs should not be eaten raw. If you’re going to eat snails, make sure they’re thoroughly cooked first.
- Pay attention to infants and young children in areas where snails and slugs may be present.
- Before eating fresh vegetables and lettuces, thoroughly wash them to remove any snails or slugs (or their slime).
- After gardening or handling snails or slugs, thoroughly wash your hands.
Is The Packed African Dry Snail Safe
I prefer the dried-freeze snails because they are primarily bred in snail farms, meaning they are in an environment safe from diseases that can affect humans, unlike the snails picked from the wild or gardens. Farm-bred snails are also fed fruits and vegetables; they don’t forage on just anything.
Secondly, processing and packaging must pass the government-required standards to consider them safe enough to purchase from the grocery stores. All I do is follow the directions on the packs to get them soft like I did the cleaning. They turn out fresh and soft like I did the prep myself.
The 2 primary methods given to get the snails soft are leaving them to tor at room temperature overnight or soaking the snails in water boiled at a 100-degree temperature. I prefer the latter because it is an opportunity to double-check that I complete anything that escaped from their processing.
Can I Overeat Snail
If you are asking what the adverse effect of consuming a lot of Snail is, then I am here to tell you there is no adverse effect of consuming Snails.
But this depends on the meal prepared with it. Snails are very proteinous, low in fat, and rich in several vitamins and minerals, including selenium and iodine, that reduce disease risk.
Interestingly, snails have low-fat but high cholesterol content, implying that they belong to the class of food (shellfish) that the high cholesterol level won’t affect your health.
As a good source of protein, vitamin B12, and choline, one serving of most shellfish also provides approximately 90% of the DV for selenium, a mineral that reduces inflammation and may reduce the risk of prostate cancer.
However, the delicacies prepared with snails may be a high cholesterol meal; for instance, the famous french delicacy escargot is cooked with the classic garlic-butter sauce, which contains a significant amount of saturated fat. Even this, however, can be avoided by substituting extra virgin olive oil.
Because there is 50 mg of cholesterol per 100 g serving, those on a low-cholesterol diet may find this an issue. Furthermore, while eating escargot will not provide you with fiber.
Can You Ingest Snail Slime
It has been demonstrated that slug slime may contain fewer parasites compared to the slug’s body. Ingestion of a few parasites could result in an infection, but it would most likely be mild. There are no studies that show skin contact can cause disease.
What Can I Use Snail Shells For
In culinary, These shells are washable and reusable:
- Put the used shells in a pot of water with some white vinegar.
- Bring the water to a boil, then add the shells and cook for a few minutes.
- The empty escargot shells are excellent for stuffing or using as a garnish in culinary applications. They can be filled with escargot a la bourguignon for a delicious classic French dish.
In aesthetics, the shells are used to decorate aquariums and various other purposes
Are Snail Eggs Edible
Yes, Snail caviar or escargot pearls are one of the newest by-products. These are colorless snail eggs that resemble Tapioca and dissolve in the mouth.
They taste like baked asparagus and are served with sour cream and champagne on toast. Depending on how many eggs a single snail lays in a year, you might conclude that snail eggs are expensive to farm and thus very rare.
In Spain, snail eggs are called ‘Pearls of Aphrodite,’ also known as white caviar, sell for around £1,600 per kilo.
The eggs are mostly ‘farmed’ in Spain, where they are laid twice a year, collected with tweezers, washed, purified, and sterilized before being lightly salted and tinned – hence the high price.
What Are The Benefits Of Eating Snails During Pregnancy
Eating snails while pregnant is healthy but ensure the snails are healthy by purchasing already processed snails.
Though eating snails is a hotly debated topic on social media, many believe that snails are especially beneficial to pregnant women’s health.
In contrast, others believe that pregnant women should avoid eating snails during pregnancy, or their babies will be given birth to with a lot of drool. So, what exactly is the truth?
Snails are rich in calcium for pregnant women, helping to support strong mother bones. At the same time, it promotes the healthy development of the fetus’s bones.
Snails have a high nutritional value and, therefore, safe for pregnant women to eat snails
Snail is a food that contains many nutrients that are beneficial to the body, such as protein, iron, fat, and especially calcium, which is an essential source of nutrients for pregnant women.
According to the concept of Oriental medicine, snail meat can also help eliminate inflammation, clear heat and prevent many other diseases such as epistaxis and constipation.
Final Thoughts
Snails, depending on your point of view, can be a source of protein or a pest. Your guess is as good as mine. I choose snails to be one more source of protein to my lists!
Let me recommend where you can find freeze-dried-packed snails here.
Snails captured while camping or backpacking can provide you and your companions with adventure and a varied diet and new recipes to try; however, it’s important to be health-conscious and use gloves.
They can also provide you with extra energy when you need it the most. Snails are widely distributed and can serve as your go-to food in a survival situation.
You can collect as many snails as you want and store them until they’re ready to use. Identifying edible snails in the wild may help you survive while you wait to be rescued.
Sharpen your survival skills by identifying snails in your garden and comparing them to wild snails to determine edible species.
