What’s your favorite food?
I’m willing to bet it’s probably not jellyfish.
That’s right, we’re talking about that ooey gooey sea creature that ruins your beach day.
There are more than two thousand known species
of jellyfish and they’ve been floating in the ocean for at least 500 million years.
But should they be on our plate?
In today’s video we’re gonna find out.
First thing’s first...
CAN YOU EAT THEM?
Yes, but not all species are safe for human consumption.
Out of the thousands of different species of jellies out there,
about 11 are considered safe for humans to eat.
It’s a million dollar business in Southeast Asia,
and Western cultures are just starting to warm up to the idea of jellyfish as food.
Jellyfish are generally low when it comes to nutritional content,
and marine life treat jellyfish like a snack to tie them over, more than a meal.
However, many animals eat them ranging from penguins, crabs and ducks.
So, why not humans, right?
Typically when jellyfish are caught, they must be cleaned and stored quickly,
otherwise they’re likely to spoil.
Since there are many microorganisms that live in the ocean, and possibly
on the freshly caught jellyfish, it’s important to get it from a trusted source.
It has to be thoroughly cleaned and processed in order to be safe to eat.
There are a few ways to do this, but just make sure you’re getting it from a trusted source.
Which brings us to our next point…
HOW DO YOU EAT IT?
Well, if you look online, there are tons of recipes for jellyfish.
Even though these brainless floating organisms look like jell-o, they have an unusual texture.
Jellyfish are often described as chewy, or even crunchy.
When buying jellyfish you want to look for some that’s either white or yellowish in color.
As it ages it’ll turn from white, to yellow to brown.
Once it’s gone brown, it’s not safe to eat anymore, and you’ll have to throw it out.
You can buy jellyfish dehydrated, but it’s often
recommended that you de-salt and rehydrate it before you dig in.
Otherwise you’re in for a really, really salty food experience.
In general jellyfish seems to be pretty salty,
even though a cup of the gelatinous creature contains less than 5 calories.
Both the umbrella part and the “arms” are edible,
and they are already widely consumed in parts of Asia, and Italy.
One chef says jellyfish remind him of oysters,
and when you eat them you experience a taste of the ocean as they are made up of 90% ocean water.
Now that you know what to look for, why would you ever want to eat a jellyfish?
This brings us to our next question...
SHOULD WE EAT THEM?
It turns out that we might see jellyfish on the menu sooner than later.
Jellyfish are a huge global problem.
They are wreaking havoc in our oceans,
as jellyfish blooms are increasing in intensity, duration and frequency.
Not only that, they are the “perfect pest” and are incredibly hard to kill.
They range from a millimeter in size, to meters across.
The bad news is that climate change has created the perfect conditions for jellyfish to thrive.
One of the biggest contributors is the warming of our oceans.
Warm water is a jellyfish’s best friend.
It can cause them to grow faster, boost their metabolism, and reproduce at a faster rate.
Climate change is also attacking the predators of jellyfish which means that
jellyfish have less and less competition, and can continue to grow in numbers.
This overpopulation of jellyfish affects humans in a variety of ways,
but one story shows the damage these jellies can do.
They have the power to shut down nuclear reactors.
The Torness power station in Scotland had to shut down because of the jellyfish that
were sucked up in the sea water the plant draws to cool the reactors.
Any system that uses seawater for cooling has the potential
to run into a jellyfish problem like this one.
Not to mention, swarms of jellyfish can decimate
fish populations overnight as they can eat a number of different types of organisms.
Another part of the issue is that they’re affecting tourism as well.
No one wants to swim in jellyfish infested waters, and people certainly don’t want to get stung.
The Mediterranean reports upwards of
150 thousand people being treated for jellyfish stings each summer.
We don’t want to be all doom and gloom, but the worst problem of all,
when it comes to these pesky blobs, is that they are one of the hardest organisms to kill.
If you chop a jellyfish into pieces, those pieces will then re-grow into new jellyfish themselves.
Instead of one jellyfish, you now have 3 or 4.
The only real way to deal with this jellyfish problem is to fix the imbalance in the climate
that’s causing jellyfish to spawn at such an alarming rate, or…(gulp)...eat them.
The overwhelming numbers of jellyfish are a sign that something is out of balance in our oceans,
but there are a few projects currently in place,
like the Go-Jelly project, that’s trying to turn this problem into an opportunity.
Scientists are collaborating on ways we can sustainably use these problematic jellies,
which includes education on why eating them is good for the planet,
but also will propose new strategies to combat plastic pollution,
and find ways to use jellyfish raw material in products.
Because jellyfish are reproducing at such a fantastic rate,
they are now one of the most sustainable sources of food.
Already places like Italy are jumping on board with jellyfish salad to fried jellyfish.
So if you’re open minded and do order up a plate of fried jelly….
WHAT ARE THE HEALTH BENEFITS?
Depending on the type of jellyfish you eat they can be linked to helping with
high blood pressure, arthritis, bone pain, ulcers and digestive issues.
Jellyfish are not only low in calories,
they are actually a pretty great source of healthy nutrients.
Again it all depends on the type of jellyfish you are consuming, but generally they are low
in calories, provide you with antioxidants, protein and important minerals like:
Selenium, which can reduce the risk of illnesses like Heart disease,
Alzheimer’s disease and different forms of Cancer, and can aid your metabolism and thyroid function.
Choline, which is an essential and hard
to get nutrient that can help support your nervous system,
has been linked to improving brain function with better memory and
has also been linked with a few small studies reporting a reduction in anxiety.
And Iron, showing one cup of jellyfish can provide you with about 7% of you daily value.
Another health benefit of eating jellyfish is the fact that it’s a good source of collagen.
Collagen is what keeps you looking young.
It plays a huge role in the structure of our tissues in the skin, bones, and tendons.
Eating collagen from jellyfish might help you look younger as
is can improve skin’s elasticity and it might even help you with joint pain.
However we should mention that most of these benefits needs
to be studied further as there are limited trials on humans.
WHAT ARE THE RISKS?
First thing you have to be on the look out for is the type of jellyfish.
It’s unlikely that you’ll find toxic jellyfish for sale in any grocery store or restaurant,
but keep in mind only a few species of jellyfish are actually edible.
That being said, of the ones you CAN eat, there are a few things to watch out for.
The first thing is allergies.
Unless you were born in Asia, it’s unlikely that you’ve been exposed to jellyfish at a young age,
so the risk of being allergic is definitely one to consider,
especially if you already have allergies to seafood.
The next thing is foodborne illnesses from bacteria.
Like we mentioned earlier in this video,
you want to make sure you get your jellyfish from a trusted source.
It has to undergo certain processes in order for it to be deemed safe to eat.
WILL IT CATCH ON?
The idea that jellyfish is an exciting new food
might be the only way it’ll ever be accepted into western menus.
That or, an endorsement from a celebrity chef or cooking show like MasterChef.
So, in the end, if you’re someone who has a taste to something new,
maybe jellyfish should be on your radar?
The edible species have a substantial number of beneficial nutrients, they basically have
no brains, and are, presently, one of the most sustainable food sources in our oceans.
You don’t have to travel to Asia to try jellyfish anymore as it’s considered a delicacy in Italy,
but soon, you might find it popping up in your local grocery store.
Have you ever eaten jellyfish?
Would you try it?
Let us know in the comments below, we’d love to hear from you.
Enjoyed This Video? Hit Like, Share and Subscribe Bestie!