75 calories in one serving of scallop
Health Benefits
Most people know that fish is good for you, but what about otherseafood? As it turns out, scallops, in addition to their delectabletaste, contain a variety of nutrients that can promote yourcardiovascular health, plus provide protection against colon cancer.
A Nutrient Team for Better Cardiovascular Health
Scallops are actually a very good source of a very important nutrient for cardiovascular health, vitamin B12. Vitamin B12 is needed by the body to convert homocysteine,a chemical that can directly damage blood vessel walls, into otherbenign chemicals. Since high levels of homocysteine are associated withan increased risk for atherosclerosis, diabetic heart disease, heartattack, and stroke, it's a good idea to be sure that your diet containsplenty of vitamin B12 to help keep homocysteine levels low(homocysteine is also associated with osteoporosis, and a recent studyfound that osteoporosis occurred more frequently among women whosevitamin B12 status was deficient or marginal compared with those whohad normal B12 status.) Four ounces of scallops contains 33.3% of thedaily value for vitamin B12.
In addition to their B12, scallops are a very good source of omega-3 fatty acids and a good source of magnesiumand potassium, three other nutrients that provide significant benefitsfor the cardiovascular system. Omega-3 fats keep your blood flowingsmoothly by preventing the formation of blood clots. Magnesium helpsout by causing blood vessels to relax, thus helping to lower bloodpressure while improving blood flow. Potassium helps to maintain normalblood pressure levels.
Increases Heart Rate Variability-A Measure of Heart Muscle Function
One of the ways in which consuming fish rich in omega-3 fats, suchas scallops, promotes cardiovascular health is by increasing heart ratevariability (HRV), a measure of cardiac function, in as little as threeweeks, according to a study published in the April 2005 issue of Chest.
By providing greater variability between beats, the marine omega3 fatty acids, EPA and DHA, reduce the risk of arrhythmia and/or suddendeath.
Researchers from Atlanta, GA, Boston, MA, and Cuernavaca,Mexico, took the HRV of 58 elderly patients every other day for twomonths to establish an HRV baseline for each participant. For the next11 weeks, half of the study participants took a daily 2 gram supplementof fish oil and the other half took a daily 2 gram supplement of soyoil.
Patients in both groups experienced a significant increase inHRV, with those who took fish oil achieving a greater increase in ashorter time period. Patients who received fish oil experiencedincreased HRV within the first 2.7 weeks, whereas it took 8.1 weeks fora significant increase in HRV to be seen in the group taking soy oil.
On the other hand, while none of the study participantsexperienced significant negative side effects, 41% of participants inthe fish oil group reported belching, compared to 16% in the soy oilgroup.
"Our findings contradict the current belief in the medicalcommunity that increasing the intake of omega-3 fatty acids producesonly long-term cardiac benefits," said the study's lead author,Fernando Holguin, MD, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA."In fact, our study group showed improvements in heart function in aslittle as two weeks."
"Studies like this demonstrate that there are additionalapproaches we can take to protect ourselves from heart attacks," saidPaul A. Kvale, MD, FCCP, President of the American College of ChestPhysicians. "It's exciting to see the potential for omega-3 fatty acidsin improving heart function when it complements a healthy lifestyle ofexercising, maintaining a healthy weight, and getting eight hours ofsleep."We'd add eating healthful foods to this proactive list. Rather than popa daily pill, we'd rather enjoy a daily "dose" of delicious scallops, soyfoods, or tuna. For recipes certain to not only increase your heart rate variability but also your delight in eating, click Recipes.
Protection against Stroke
Eating fish, such as scallops, as little as 1 to 3 times per monthmay protect against ischemic stroke (a stroke caused by lack of bloodsupply to the brain, for example, as a result of a blood clot),suggests a meta-analysis of 8 studies published in the July 2004 issueof Stroke.
Data on nine independent groups participating in eight differentstudies found that, compared to those who never consumed fish or atefish less than once per month, risk of ischemic stroke dropped:
- 9% in those eating fish 1 to 3 times per month
- 13% in those eating fish once per week
- 18% in those eating fish 2 to 4 times per week
- 31% in those eating fish 5 or more times each week
Eating fish daily provides substantially more protection against heart attack
While as little as a weekly serving of fish lowers risk of ischemicstroke, enjoying a daily serving omega-3-rich fish, such as scallops,provides significantly greater reduction in the risk of coronary heartdisease than eating fish even as frequently as a couple of times aweek, show the findings of a study published in the January 17, 2006issue of Circulation, the journal of the American Heart Association.
Researchers in Japan followed 41,578 men and women aged 40 to59, none of whom had cardiovascular disease or cancer when the studybegan, from 1990-1992 to 2001. Food frequency questionnaires completedat the beginning of the study and in 1995, provided information onweekly fish intake, which was analyzed for omega-3 content.
When individuals whose fish consumption was in the topone-fifth of participants at 8 times per week were compared to thosewhose intake was in the lowest fifth at once per week, they were foundto have a 37% lower risk of developing coronary heart disease and a 56%percent lower risk of heart attack.
When the effect of omega-3 fatty acid intake on cardiovascularrisk was analyzed, coronary heart disease risk was lowered by 42% amongthose whose intake was the highest at 2.1 grams per day or morecompared to those whose intake was the lowest at 300 milligrams perday. Those whose intake of omega 3s was in the top fifth received a 65%reduction in the risk of heart attack compared to those whose omega 3intake was lowest.
The authors theorize that daily fish consumption is highlyprotective largely due to the resulting daily supply of omega-3 fattyacids, which not only reduce platelet aggregation, but also decreasethe production of pro-inflammatory compounds called leukotrienes.Lowering leukotrienes reduces damage to the endothelium (the lining ofthe blood vessels), a key factor in the development of atherosclerosis."Our results suggest that a high fish intake may add a furtherbeneficial effect for the prevention of coronary heart disease amongmiddle-aged persons," note the study's authors.
Choose Broiled or Baked, but Not Fried Scallops to Reduce Risk of Atrial Fibrillation (Heart Arrhythmia)
Eating scallops that are broiled or baked, but not fried, may reducerisk of atrial fibrillation, the most common type of heart arrhythmia,especially in the elderly, according to a Harvard study published inthe July 2004 issue of Circulation.In the 12-year study of 4,815 people 65 years of age or older, eatingcanned tuna or other broiled or baked fish 1 to 4 times a weekcorrelated with increased blood levels of omega-3 fatty acids and a 28%lower risk of atrial fibrillation. Eating broiled or baked fish 5 timesa week lowered risk even more- a drop in atrial fibrillation risk of31%.
Eating fried fish, however, provided no similar protection. Not only isfried fish typically made from lean fish like cod and Pollack thatprovide fewer omega-3 fatty acids, but in addition, frying results inthe production of damaged, free-radical-laden fats in the fish as wellas the frying oil.In further research to determine if the omega-3 fats found in fishoil were responsible for fish's beneficial effects on the heart'selectrical circuitry, Dariush Mozaffarian and colleagues from HarvardMedical School analyzed data on fish intake and electrocardiogramresults from 5096 adults, aged 65 or older, who were enrolled in theCardiovascular Health Study from 1989-1990.
Eating tuna or other broiled or baked fish at least once a weekwas associated with lower heart rate (-3.2 beats/minute) and a 50%lower likelihood of prolonged ventricular repolarisation (the period oftime it takes the heart to recharge after it beats, so it can beatagain), compared to those consuming fish less than once a month.
Consuming 1 gram/day of omega-3 fatty acids from fish wasassociated with 2.3 beats/minutes lower heart rate and a 46% lower riskof prolonged ventricular repolarisation.Eating fish at least 5 times per week was associated with an evenhealthier heart rhythm. However, eating fried fish (typically sold inthe U.S. as fish burgers or fish sticks) was not associated withincreased blood levels of omega 3 fats or any beneficialelectrocardiogram results. In fact, a previous study led by the sameresearcher (Mozaffarian, Am J Cardiol 2006 Jan) found that while eatingbaked or broiled fish was linked to a slower but more powerful heartbeat and lower blood pressure, eating fried fish was associated withheart muscle motion abnormalities, a reduced ejection fraction, lowercardiac output, and higher blood pressure. Since irregular heart beatsare a major precipitating factor in sudden death due to cardiac arrest,promoting a healthy heart rhythm by eating baked or broiled-notfried-fish several times a week makes very good sense. Happily, as ourrecipes, such as our serving ideas for scallops (immediately below)show, it's a quick, easy and most importantly, delicious prescription.
Fish, Fruit and Vegetables Protective against Deep Vein Thrombosis, Pulmonary Embolism
Deep vein thrombosis is a dangerous condition in which blood clotsdevelop in the deep veins of the legs, thighs or pelvis, causingswelling and pain. An embolism is created if a part or all of the bloodclot in the deep vein breaks off from the site where it was created andmoves through the venous system. If the clot lodges in the lung, a veryserious condition, pulmonary embolism, arises.
Fortunately, a healthy way of eating offers significantprotection, as demonstrated by a prospective study over 12 years thatinvolved almost 15,000 middle-aged adults. While those eating the mostred and processed meat doubled their risk of deep vein thrombosis(DVT), those in the upper 3 quintiles of fruit and vegetable intake hada 41-53% lower risk of DVT. And those eating fish at least once eachweek were found to have a 30-45% lower DVT risk. (Steffen LM, FolsomAR, et al.,Circulation)Practical Tip: For protection against deep vein thrombosis, increaseyour consumption of fruit and vegetables; eat fish at least once aweek; and decrease consumption of red and processed meats.
Protection Against Cancer
A high intake of vitamin B12 has also been shown to be protectiveagainst colon cancer. Vitamin B12 helps to protect the cells of thecolon from mutations as a result of cancer-causing chemicals - anothergood reason to eat plenty of vitamin B12. So add scallops, a very goodsource of protein and vitamin B12, to your list of healthy seafood andenjoy.
A Canadian study published in Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers(FritschiL, Ambrosini GL, et al.) suggests that eating fish frequently mayprovide serious protection against three types of cancer: leukemia,multiple myeloma, and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Researchers compared thediets of almost 3,000 individuals with these cancers to those of 4,200healthy controls. People who ate the most fish and who got most oftheir total fat calories from fish were 28% less likely to haveleukemia, 36% less likely to have multiple myeloma, and 29% less likelyto have non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.
Fish and Whole Grains Highly Protective against Childhood Asthma
According to the American Lung Association, almost 20 millionAmericans suffer from asthma, which is reported to be responsible forover 14 million lost school days in children, and an annual economiccost of more than $16.1 billion.
Increasing consumption of whole grains and fish could reducethe risk of childhood asthma by about 50%, suggests the InternationalStudy on Allergy and Asthma in Childhood (Tabak C, Wijga AH, Thorax).
The researchers, from the Dutch National Institute of PublicHealth and the Environment, Utrecht University, University MedicalCenter Groningen, used food frequency questionnaires completed by theparents of 598 Dutch children aged 8-13 years. They assessed thechildren's consumption of a range of foods including fish, fruits,vegetables, dairy and whole grain products. Data on asthma and wheezingwere also assessed using medical tests as well as questionnaires.
While no association between asthma and intake of fruits,vegetables, and dairy products was found (a result at odds with otherstudies that have supported a link between antioxidant intake,particularly vitamins C and E, and asthma), the children's intake ofboth whole grains and fish was significantly linked to incidence ofwheezing and current asthma.
In children with a low intake of fish and whole grains, theprevalence of wheezing was almost 20%, but was only 4.2% in childrenwith a high intake of both foods. Low intake of fish and whole grainsalso correlated with a much higher incidence of current asthma (16.7%).compared to only a 2.8% incidence of current asthma among children witha high intake of both foods.
After adjusting results for possible confounding factors, suchas the educational level of the mother, and total energy intake, highintakes of whole grains and fish were found to be associated with a 54and 66% reduction in the probability of being asthmatic, respectively.
The probability of having asthma with bronchialhyperresponsiveness (BHR), defined as having an increased sensitivityto factors that cause narrowing of the airways, was reduced by 72 and88% when children had a high-intake of whole grains and fish,respectively.Lead researcher, CoraTabak commented, "The rise in the prevalence ofasthma in western societies may be related to changed dietary habits."We agree. The Standard American Diet is sorely deficient in thenumerous anti-inflammatory compounds found in fish and whole grains,notably, the omega-3 fats supplied by cold water fish and the magnesiumand vitamin E provided by whole grains. One caution: wheat may need tobe avoided as it is a common food allergen associated with asthma.
Description
Scallops are mollusks that have two beautiful convexly ridged, orscalloped, shells. Their two-part shell is why scallops are viewed bymarine scientists as bi-valve mollusks. The part of the scallop that isgenerally consumed is the "nut," the white muscle that opens and closesthe two shells. It has a soft, fleshy texture and a delicate flavorthat may be mild or briny depending upon the variety. The "coral," thereproductive glands, are also edible, although they are not widelyconsumed in North America.
In the United States, the most widely available types ofscallops include the Atlantic deep-sea scallop and the bay scallop. Theflesh of the sea scallop is large, usually about one-and-a-half inchesin diameter, while the bay scallop is tiny, averaging about one-half ofan inch in diameter. In Europe, the most popular type is the greatscallop, more commonly called Coquille St Jacques. Several hundreddifferent species of scallops are found worldwide, in shallow areas ofmost seas. The Latin name of the common bay scallop is Agropecten irradians.
History
People have been enjoying scallops as a food ever since thisbeautiful mollusk appeared in the Earth's waters, basically since timeimmemorial.
The great scallop gained great prestige during the medievalera. Pilgrims visiting the shrine of St. James in Spain began to useempty scallop shells for both eating and begging. The scallop and itsshell quickly became a symbol of this magnificent shrine with peopleusing them to decorate their doorways as well as their coats of arms.In honor of the shrine, they were called the shell of St. James, nowbest known by their translated French name of Coquille St. Jacques.
Scallops are found in many waters throughout the world. Thegreat scallop is abundant in the Mediterranean, while the sea and bayscallop are found concentrated in the Atlantic Ocean off North America.
How to Select and Store
Just as with any seafood, it is best to purchase scallops from astore that has a good reputation for having a fresh supply of fish. Getto know a fishmonger (person who sells the fish) at the store so thatyou can have a trusted resource from whom you can purchase yourseafood.
Since scallops are extremely perishable, they are usuallyshelled, washed and frozen, or packed in ice, as soon as they arecaught.
Fresh scallops should have flesh that is white and firm andhave no evidence of browning. Frozen scallops should be solid andshiny, and the inside of their packaging should be free of frost. Ifyou are planning on freezing the scallops, make sure to ask thefishmonger whether they are fresh or defrosted (if it is not clearlymarked) since you will need to cook previously frozen scallops beforerefreezing.
Smell is a good indicator of freshness with fresh scallopsbeing either odorless or having a slightly sweet scent. Since aslightly "off" smell cannot be detected through plastic, if you havethe option, purchase displayed scallops as opposed to those that areprepackaged. Once the fishmonger wraps and hands you the scallops thatyou have selected, smell them through the paper wrapping and returnthem if they do not smell right.
When storing all types of seafood, including scallops, it isimportant to keep it cold since seafood is very sensitive totemperature. Therefore, after purchasing scallops or other seafood,make sure to return it to a refrigerator as soon as possible. If thescallops are going to accompany you during a day full of errands, keepa cooler in the car where you can place the scallops to make sure theystay cold and do not spoil.
The temperature of most refrigerators is slightly warmer thanideal for storing seafood. Therefore, to ensure maximum freshness andquality, it is important to use special storage methods so as to createthe optimal temperature for holding the scallops. One of the easiestways to do this is to place the scallops, which have been well wrapped,in a baking dish filled with ice. The baking dish and scallops shouldthen be placed on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator, which is itscoolest area. Replenish the ice one or two times per day. Scallops canbe refrigerated for up to two days, although they should be purchasedas close to being served as possible.
You can extend the shelf life of scallops by freezing them. Todo so, wrap them well in plastic and place them in the coldest part ofthe freezer where they will keep for about three months. To defrostfrozen scallops, place them in milk (or water) that has been boiled andremoved from the heat. Alternatively, they can be placed in therefrigerator to defrost.
