Is It OK To Eat Mussels Every Day?

Mussels are enjoyed all over the world, and it is no wonder at all. With their mild taste of the ocean, their sweet and tender meat, and their blending so well with almost any flavors that you decide to steam the mussels, mussels make a delectable meal. But despite all of this, is it good for your health to eat mussels every day, or can it be harmful?

It is safe for a person to consume around 12 ounces of shellfish in a week, and one serving of mussels for one person is three to four ounces. Taking this into account, you can safely eat mussels three to four times a week. Though mussels are healthy, too much of a good thing is harmful and boring.

Though you should not eat mussels daily, they should find a place on everyone’s shopping lists. At least for those of us who can’t get enough of this fine delicious food from the ocean. They are healthy, but you should limit your intake. Let’s look at a few of the dos and don’ts of eating mussels.

How Often Can You Eat Mussels?

Though mussels and all seafood offer plenty of nutrients and are healthy to eat, mussels also contain mercury, which is why you should not eat mussels every day. It is vital for your health not to expose yourself to too much mercury. Eating too much of a delicious and healthy thing is also never advisable.

You can safely eat mussels every other day if you choose to, or three to four days a week, and obviously not as breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Only one meal a day should contain mussels. Another thing we should ask ourselves is, will it be good for the environment if everyone starts eating mussels every day or as often as possible?

Is It Bad If You Eat Mussels Too Often?

We established that mussels contain some levels of mercury, and we know that too much mercury harms your health. Mercury poisoning can cause so many problems that it’s nearly impossible to list them all. But the question is, what other risks are there to eating mussels daily?

Of course, some people are always at risk when eating mussels. Shellfish allergies are rampant, and the harmful effects could range from mild itching and irritation all the way to life-threatening respiratory issues and cardiac arrest.

Apart from the allergies, mussels are filter eaters, leading to a separate range of potential diseases and infections. But our fish markets and supermarkets do their best to ensure that we only receive the best products- farm-raised mussels. Farm-raised mussels are cleaner, containing fewer toxins and bacteria than wild mussels from the ocean.

Even though we know that farm-raised mussels are cleaner, there are still risks to eating mussels every day since you can still contract foodborne illness from consuming too many toxins and bacteria, as you would from eating mussels too often.

People who aren’t allergic to shellfish can develop an allergy from consuming too many mussels in a week. When this allergic reaction occurs, it could lead to you being allergic to mussels for the rest of your life, and this reaction can be life-threatening for some individuals.

And then, of course, some people shouldn’t risk eating mussels at all. These include children, pregnant women (specifically your unborn baby), older individuals, and people with weak immune systems. A healthy person’s immune system can eliminate the negative things in mussels, but anyone with a weak immune system could develop severe illnesses.

What Are The Benefits Of Eating Mussels?

The news is not only bad, though, and there are plenty of reasons to eat mussels regularly. The nutritional value of eating mussels is astounding, and you should change your eating habits to include mussels in your diet more often if you can. Eating mussels regularly, and balancing them with other healthy seafood, gives you the ultimate superfood.

This superfood is essential to any person’s healthy lifestyle because mussels are high in protein and nutritional value. Even the FDA recommends having a diet that contains more shellfish and fish.

Mussels are a source of protein that should make it to your dinner table more often because mussels are high in protein, giving your body the amino acids required to function correctly and be healthy. Amino acids are a vital nutrient for your body. The protein content in mussels also helps your digestive system to work correctly.

Here are some of the nutrients that can be found in mussels based on a serving of 3 ounces. You can eat this amount four times a week.

Calories And Fat

One three-ounce serving of mussels contains 146 calories and 4 grams of fat. This again shows how beneficial eating mussels is to your overall health and diet plan. With the calories and low fat, you can also see how eating mussels more regularly can help you to lose weight.

Omega 3

This superfood also contains Omega 3 fatty acids that are essential to your heart health. It helps to regulate your heartbeat, ensuring that your blood vessels are functioning healthy and decreasing the risk of high blood pressure.

Vitamins

With all the vitamins found in mussels that are beneficial to your body’s production of red blood cells, healthy immune system, cell generation, and even your vision, it makes you wonder why people don’t realize the fantastic nutritional value found in foods such as mussels.

Selenium

Selenium is a mineral commonly found in mussels. It is a selenoprotein and is essential for your body, protecting your cells and fighting against infections.

Iron

The iron found in mussels is essential for your health, especially if you struggle with iron deficiency, as many people do, especially women. Signs of iron deficiency include tiredness and insufficient concentration. Eating mussels regularly can help regulate your iron levels and fight iron deficiency.

Use Variants If You Eat Mussels Regularly

We already established that you could eat mussels and other seafood on a regular basis (though not every day), but how do you eliminate food fatigue if you choose to make this an essential part of your diet?

First, you can frequently change how you prepare the mussels. The profile of mussels will change with it. Have you ever noticed before that eating mussels at two different restaurants will not have the same taste profile? This is precisely how you can change your meal to make it easier on your tastebuds.

Mussels can be steamed, fried, or baked, and we know that if you want to eat them and stay healthy, you should not always serve them with that delicious butter or rich and creamy sauce. You will need to find better ways to keep the balance when you want to eat mussels as often as possible.

There are a few ingredients, like wine, that you can always turn to when you want to make your dinner an experience.

Healthy Flavors

Here are some healthy flavors you can add to your mussels for a flavor profile change. One crucial point to remember is never to overpower the ingredients. The stronger a taste becomes, the more the mussel will mimic that strong flavor. To change the flavor profile of mussels, you can use the following:

Garlic
Herbs (Dill, Parsley, Thyme, and Cilantro)
Chilli
Paprika
White wine

And then, of course, there are unhealthy options like using a lot of butter with garlic. You may treat yourself occasionally, but it is essential to keep the balance. Use your butter, but in small quantities. The same goes for that delicious creamy sauce, which Is even sometimes prepared with cheese.

Conclusion

You should not eat mussels every day or for more than one meal per day. It could lead to different kinds of health issues and eventual food fatigue. But it’s good to eat them regularly, if you can since mussels have tremendous nutritional benefits. Be wise in preparing your mussels, and you can get many years of enjoyment from them!

References

Chrissie Smuts

+ posts

X (Twitter) Facebook LinkedIn Pinterest Flip it