Can You Eat Starfish? The Gift Of The Sea

Can you eat starfish?

Starfish are edible. They have a creamy texture having the saltiness of the sea. Their taste is like the sea urchins. The texture of the skin is rough but the profile of its meat is smooth as if it dissolves in the mouth. They are packed full of important nutrients. These mysterious looking creatures are often found in a tide of the pool on the beach or the coral reef.

They are related to the sand dollar and has no blood and neither the brain. Not only seagulls, but humans eat them too. One may not find a starfish menu at most restaurants in North America but these carnivorous invertebrates are a delicacy. People enjoy these snacks and these are a popular street food. Starfish are sold in China, Japan and all across Asia.

The common species of starfish have molluscs in the shape of five-pointed stars. There are some species too who has multiply pointed or pentagon molluscs. Their bodies are flat, tapering towards the tips of the wings. Their mouths are tiny and have anal openings on the opposite sides of their bodies. These creatures have hard skin with spikes on them and bright colors.

It helps them to camouflage amidst the environment and protect them from the threat of wild predators. They move about through the process of hydraulic water vascular system. These creatures are actually a creation of a fragile network formed by thin muscles and very small ligaments.

They have small eyes which are located at the end of their molluscs. They themselves are carnivores in nature feeding on other sea creatures and sometimes on other starfish too.

People have various opinions about its taste. Some say it resembles Chinese rive crabs or maybe Qingdao, sea urchins. While others are of the view that it is like ocean waters and has the smell of the beach. To savor the creamy soft texture and may find it or do not find it bitter depends entirely on the palate of each individual. There are even some people who find its meat tasteless, so they dipthe starfish meat in a sauce while having them.

It must be taken a note of that, though starfish are edible, but not the entire creature. Although they have a high price but only a small portion of it can be eaten. The outer sharp shell and tube feet are not to eat but the meat which is inside its five legs are good to be eaten. One may break off each leg individually by putting pressure over the middle of the feet and cracking it open.

The olive-green mushy type of meat can be scooped out and cooked for eating.There are some parts outside its body too that are poisonous. So, it is always better not to prepare this by yourself, rather take the help of someone who has culinary knowledge or knows about this creature.

When you are cooking a starfish, you must remember that the stomach and the intestines are carefully removed. The most popular method to cook them is either to cook them in boiling salt water or deep-fry.

These creatures are such that that you cannot eat them raw and also when it is alive it can regrow its broken leg. And after they are dead, they must be cooked within 24 hours. These should never be eaten raw or its shell because they have poisonous casings.

Apart from its culinary uses, there are various medical uses of a starfish too. They help in fighting against body ageing and improves immunity. They are also said to improve memory, fight the tiredness of the body. They are a good support growth and development of the human body and helps in healing the wound after surgery.

Here are 10 unknown facts about starfish

They do not have brain or blood

Their lifespan is up to 35 years

They should actually be called sea star and not starfish

There are as many as 2,000 different species of starfish

They are unable to survive in freshwater

They can regrow their broken limbs

Their procedure of eating a prey is inside out

There are two methods of their reproduction

Scientifically, brittle stars which are of another species are the cousins of starfish

Starfish can have up to 40 molluscs

So, from the above discussion, it is evident that starfish are edible creatures but must not be eaten raw. Before cooking, the poisonous parts are to be chopped off.