What are cuttlefish?
Cuttlefish are mollusks belonging to the family Sepiidae, which in turn includes the Metasepia Genres, Sepia and Sepiella, and the cuttlefish found in the Mediterranean and the Atlantic Ocean typically found at our dinner tables, the species Sepia officinalis. Cuttlefish (Sepia officinalis) is widespread in local cuisine and its meat is tasty and valuable from a nutritional point of view.
What are its nutritional properties?
100 grams of cuttlefish provide 72 calories broken down as follows:
- 78% protein
- 19% lipids
- 3% carbohydrates
In particular, 100 grams of cuttlefish contain:
- 81.5 g of water
- 14 g of protein
- 1.5 g of lipids
- 64 mg of cholesterol
- 0.7 g of available carbohydrates
- 0.7 g of soluble sugars
- 273 mg of potassium
- 0.8 mg iron
- 27 mg of calcium
- 143 mg of phosphorus
- 32 mg of magnesium
- 4.2 mg zinc
- 1.1 mg copper
- 25 micrograms of vitamin a retinol equivalent
When should you not eat cuttlefish?
There are no known interactions between the consumption of squid and the intake of drugs or other substances.
Seasonality of cuttlefish
Cuttlefish fishing is practiced all year round, but the best times are between January and April and between September and December.
Possible benefits and drawbacks of cuttlefish
Low in cholesterol and low in calories, the squid is found in low-calorie diets. For the same characteristics it can also be used in the diet of patients with dyslipidaemia and type 2 diabetes. Mellitus contains high biological value proteins that raise energy levels.
Since the cuttlefish is composed largely of connective tissue – mostly of protein origin – it is not one of the recommended foods in the diet for gout and hyperuricemia. Also for those who suffer from gastritis or digestive disorders it is recommended to prefer cuttlefish small or medium in size as opposed to large ones, freezing it, cooking them properly – avoiding cooking for too long – and not not to consume excessive amounts.
