Vietnamese lobster is in the top three most nutritious lobsters

Associate Professor, Dr. Nguyen Duy Thinh - Institute of Food Science and Technology, said that the essence of lobster is concentrated in the white, firm, and chewy meat. The red fat in the head of the lobster has a much richer and more fatty taste than crab fat and shrimp whiskers. The abundant protein, vitamin, and calcium content in lobster supplements the body to help prevent high blood pressure, cardiovascular diseases, and increase vitality in men. Omega3 fatty acids in lobster have the effect of inhibiting and reducing the risk of cardiovascular diseases.

Lobster is also an effective source of vitamin B12 (Cobalamin) for the body. This is the most complex vitamin involved in the biochemical process and energy metabolism in the human body, playing an important role in the synthesis of nucleotides and proteins. Vitamin B12 deficiency can lead to fatigue, dizziness, muscle weakness, and in more severe cases, nerve damage, anemia and dementia.

Every 100g of shrimp provides more than 1/3 of the body's daily selenium requirement. Selenium helps prevent the growth of cancer cells and eliminate heavy metals from the body. The fat in shrimp is unsaturated fat, and the carbohydrate and cholesterol content is also much lower than other meats, so it is very suitable for people who do not want to gain weight.

Dr. Thinh said that there are 3 types of lobster in the world that are highly valued for their nutritional value:

Alaskan Lobster

Alaska lobster, also known as Canadian lobster, American lobster, is caught naturally in the Alaskan waters of the northwest of the United States. It is a species of lobster with a muscular body. This species of lobster lives in extremely cold, clear water reefs, so its meat is white, chewy, sweeter and more aromatic than farmed lobster.

According to Dr. Thinh, many studies have shown that Alaskan lobster meat contains many minerals and vitamins that are beneficial for the maintenance and development of nerve cells, helping to strengthen bones. American and Canadian fishermen catch Alaskan lobsters by hand. As soon as they are pulled ashore, the lobsters are kept in seawater tanks and shipped around the world to preserve their freshness and purity. This is considered a nutritious dish because the lobsters are caught naturally and have high quality meat.

Vietnamese Spiny Lobster

In Vietnam, only a small number of lobsters are caught from the sea, most of them are farmed at sea or frozen. Some types of lobsters in Vietnam are popular for their nutritional value and deliciousness such as flower lobster, lotus lobster, spiny lobster, green lobster...

Spiny lobsters, also known as star lobsters, are the rarest of all, and are known as the king of tropical lobsters because of their size and nutritional value. Spiny lobsters live at a depth of 1-50 m, commonly in coastal waters with low transparency. They often hide in rocky crevices with sandy or muddy bottoms near river mouths or on coral reefs, do not form schools, live alone, and only pair up during the mating season.

Vietnamese people often raise spiny lobsters in cement tanks. This method is considered an advanced farming technique, with high productivity and easy control of shrimp diseases. Spiny lobsters are more expensive than other types of lobsters, about several million VND per kilogram.

Crayfish

Crayfish are also known as red crayfish. They do not tolerate pollution and are usually found in clean water. One kilogram of cooked crayfish contains 70 calories and 14 grams of protein, along with small amounts of fat and carbohydrates, and 115 milligrams of cholesterol. Crayfish meat contains vitamins B12 and B6, which are essential for the nervous system, liver, eyes, skin, and hair. Crayfish are also a rich source of phosphorus, magnesium, and zinc, which help strengthen bones and teeth, support muscle and nerve function, promote wound healing, and boost immune function.

Vietnam imported crayfish from China, and tested them in Phu Tho, Ninh Binh and Ha Nam provinces in 2006. The results showed that this species lives hidden in tree roots along rivers and lakes, even crawls up to land to breathe oxygen, often digs burrows 1-2 m deep, so they can destroy agricultural irrigation systems. They are also hosts that transmit and spread many types of diseases into the environment, compete for food, and destroy native shrimp and fish. Therefore, crayfish are not suitable for farming in Vietnam, and currently only frozen products are imported.