How to Make Clam Soup_Nutritional Value and Calorie Content of Clam Soup

Clams They are said to be "the first delicacy under heaven" and "the king of flavors", with some even saying, "After eating clams, all other flavors lose their appeal". The nutritional characteristics of clams include high protein,high trace elements, high iron content, high calcium, and low fat. Apart from its nutritional value, clams also have a high culinary value. Now let's introduce some methods for making clam soup. Clam Soup Preparation

Winter Melon

Clam Soup Ingredients:

Clams, winter melon, cooking wine,

ginger slices, scallion, salt.Steps: 1. Rinse clams thoroughly to remove sand and debris; use a brush to clean the shells if necessary.

2. Add an appropriate amount of water to a pot and add cooking wine and ginger slices.

3. Put clams and scallions into the pot and cook for about one minute until they open up.

I put in the scallions first because I find modern scallions can be too pungent; I prefer them to cook a bit beforehand.

4. Add sliced winter melon.5. Once the winter melon is soft and cooked, add salt for seasoning before serving.

Winter Melon

Ham

Clam Soup Ingredients: Half a small winter melon, clams, ham, scallions, ginger threads, salt,

MSG,

black pepper,and sesame oil.，Steps: 1. Clean the clams and cut the winter melon into thick slices; slice the ham and chop the scallions.

2. Boil the clams in boiling water until their shells open slightly, then remove them.

3. Place the pot on a burner, add the ham pieces, ginger threads, and let it come to a boil over high heat before switching to low heat for 10 minutes or so.

4. Add the winter melon slices; cook until almost done.

5. After adding the clams, continue cooking for a short while.6. Season with salt, MSG, black pepper, and sesame oil before serving, garnishing with scallions. Mushroom Winter Melon Soup Ingredients:

Mushrooms, winter melon, clams. Steps:

1. Slice the mushrooms and winter melon.

2. Cook in water until boiling; add the clams and continue cooking.

3. Remove from heat when the clams open up; no additional oil needed!

The taste is exceptionally fresh.

Prawns and Clams

Winter Melon SoupIngredients:

Prawns, clams, winter melon,bamboo fungus,

ham, ginger, scallions, salt, black pepper.

Steps:1. Soak the bamboo fungus in warm water. 2. Slice the ham thinly.

3. Combine these ingredients with ginger slices and cook over high heat before switching to low heat for a bit.

4. Cut the winter melon into ball shapes.

5. Add this mixture back to the pot, cooking until almost done.

6. Add the mushrooms and continue simmering.7. Finally, add the prawns and cook until they boil again. 8. Season with salt, black pepper, and scallions before serving.

Nutritional Value of Clam Soup

Clams are renowned for their superior taste; "the first delicacy under heaven" and "the king of flavors". They also possess high nutritional value and culinary appeal.

Their characteristics include a high protein content, reasonable amino acid composition and ratios, low fat, higher unsaturated fatty acids, making them easy to digest and absorb by the human body.

Additionally, they contain various vitamins and medicinal components.

1. Lower cholesterol.

Clams contain deltapreterol-7-cholic acid and 24-methylene cholic acid that can reduce blood cholesterol levels; these compounds inhibit cholesterol synthesis in the liver while also promoting its excretion, thereby lowering cholesterol in the body.

2. Inhibit cancer. Clams have heat-clearing, diuretic, expectorant, and dispersing effects on nodules, which show significant inhibition for liver cancer. They are also effective for asthma, chronic bronchitis, goiter, lymphadenitis, etc.3. Clams have a nourishing effect on the body fluids.

Clam powder mixed with detoxifying herbs like indigo naturalis and skullcap can treat chronic bronchitis and asthma. Cholesterol Reduction Blood cholesterol reduction.

Clams contain compounds that reduce blood cholesterol levels, specifically deltapreterol-7-cholic acid and 24-methylene cholic acid, which have unique abilities to inhibit cholesterol synthesis in the liver while promoting its excretion, thereby lowering total cholesterol in the body. Cancer Inhibition

Clams' diuretic, heat-clearing,

expectorant effects on phlegm, and nodules show significant efficacy against liver cancer. They are also beneficial for asthma, chronic bronchitis, goiter, lymphadenitis, etc.

Nourishing Body FluidsClams have a nourishing effect on the body fluids; clam powder combined with detoxifying herbs like indigo naturalis and skullcap can treat chronic bronchitis and asthma. How to Clean Clams for Soup

Clams have little meat but absorb flavors well, making them quite tasty. However, they live in mud, so it's essential to clean them thoroughly before cooking clam soup to remove the sand; let the clams expel the sand after soaking them in salt water.Brine Soaking Clams and clams, use a ratio of about 1:6 for brine. Fresh clams typically need around 2 hours to expel all the sand.

Clear Water Soaking with KnifePlace clams in clear water, along with a knife or spoon. After 2-3 hours, the clams will naturally release their mud.

Oil-Drop MethodSoak clams in water and add several drops of oil or cooking fat; because the oil layer isolates some air from the water, the clams feel oxygen-deprived, forcing them to expel sand. If you have clam meat instead, first boil it briefly. Then use the boiling water to repeatedly wash the meat by hand until all the sand settles at the bottom.

Calories in Clam Soup

Clam soup is light and flavorful with low fat content, high unsaturated fatty acids, easy digestion; it doesn't add much bulk but still offers satisfying flavors!

If you lack an appetite, drinking clam soup or eating some clams can be a delightful experience. Clams can be cooked with tofu, winter melon,eggs or kelp for a delicious taste.Due to the small amount of meat in clams, you might find yourself eating large portions without realizing it. If clam soup is high in calories, that could be an issue.But since clam soup contains only 45 kcal per 100 grams, proteins at 7.7g,

fat at 0.6g, carbohydrates at 2.2g, andcholesterol at 22mg,

it's not calorie-dense. Therefore, drinking clam soup isn't likely to make you gain weight if you compensate by exercising afterward. But it depends on whether the calories burned from exercise outweigh those consumed. Clam Soup Cautionary NotesClam soup has a fresh taste; cooking with winter melon can be great, especially in summer to quench your thirst! However, there are some precautions when drinking clam soup:Avoid eating uncooked clams as they may cause hepatitis and other diseases.

Do not consume the intestines of clams. After drinking clam soup, avoid eating oranges or

celery,

as it affects vitamin absorption. Clam soup should not be consumed with

mussel

. It may cause diarrhea.

Due to their cold nature, those with a weak constitution should avoid clams; they are also contraindicated for:those who have caught a chill or a cold, women during menstruation and postpartum periods,

and those allergic to clams or seafood in general.Bulb snail Should not be eaten together, as it may cause diarrhea;

5. Clam meat is cold and cool in nature; those with spleen and stomach deficiency-cold or diarrhea should avoid eating it;

6. Those with coldness in the stomach or abdominal pain should not eat it;

7. People with qi deficiency constitution, damp-heat constitution, special constitution, yin deficiency constitution should not eat it;

8. Those with chronic diseases should be cautious about eating it;

9. Those with a cold and feverish condition should avoid eating it;

10. Women during menstruation and postpartum women should avoid eating it;

11. Those allergic to clam meat or similar seafood should not eat it.