What is periwinkle food? Uses and health benefits

Periwinkle food refers to a species of small edible sea snails, which is a mollusc with gills and an operculum. It belongs to the family Littorinidae and is a common delicacy in African and Asian cuisines.

Snails are consumed across different cuisines, and periwinkle food is quite common in Cantonese cooking, In this article, we bring you all you need to know about periwinkles and how to use them along with their potential health benefits.

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What is periwinkle food?

Snails are farmed commercially for food. (Image via Unsplash/Josephina Kolpachnikof)

Periwinkles are native to the northeastern coasts of the Atlantic Ocean, including northern Spain, France, Great Britain, Ireland, Scandinavia, Russia and Nigeria. They're consumed across these regions along with other species of snails and other mollusks.

Periwinkle food can be identified based on their dark spiral bands, which makes them unique. They have a hard shell; hence, they need to be boiled well and pulled out of the shell before being used in various recipes.

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Uses of periwinkle food

Cooking periwinkle food is simple and takes no time. Put them in boiling water with a little salt for about five to seven minutes. Drain the water, and use a fork or toothpick to pull out the meat.

Once cooked, the periwinkle’s operculum can be removed from the body easily. Cooked periwinkles taste amazing with garlic butter or just plain. The taste and texture are quite nice. You can add them to a broth or roast them in an oven. They taste amazing with tomatoes and can also be had with rice.

Here's the recipe for cooking periwinkle food with garlic and wine:

Ingredients

• 1 lb periwinkles
• 1 cup of chopped parsley
• 1/4 cup wine
• 5 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 bay leaves
• black pepper

Instructions

• Rinse sea snails with cold water to remove sand and dirt.
• Add all other ingredients in a small pot. Add water, and bring to boil.
• Drain the periwinkles to remove excess salt water.
• Enjoy delicious periwinkle food with lemon and herbs.

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You can also make Cantonese-style periwinkle snail in black bean sauce:

Ingredients

• 1-2 pounds periwinkle snails
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 teaspoons fresh ginger (peeled and finely chopped)
• 3 cloves fresh garlic (chopped)
• 1/4 cup chopped onion
• 1-2 tablespoons ground black bean & garlic sauce
• 4 tablespoons Shaoxing wine
• 1/4 teaspoon sugar
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon dark soy sauce
• A pinch of white pepper
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch
• 1 green onion (chopped)

Instructions

• Wash the periwinkle food well with water to remove sand and dirt.
• Drain them well, and remove excess water.
• Heat a strong iron or steel wok, as the periwinkle shells are hard.
• Add 2 tablespoons vegetable oil and 2 teaspoons chopped fresh ginger.
• Stir the ginger for 10 seconds, and add 1 tablespoon of chopped garlic, 1/4 cup chopped onion and 1-2 tablespoons ground black bean and garlic sauce.
• Stir everything together till they combine, and add the periwinkle snails.
• Turn the heat up, and stir the snails for 10 seconds.
• Add 4 tablespoons of Shaoxing wine. Stir well, and add sesame oil, sugar, soy sauce and dark soy sauce. Stir and cover the wok.
• Add the cornstarch slurry over the periwinkle snails and mix well.
• Add the green onions and white pepper and continue to stir. Serve hot.

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Health benefits of periwinkle food

Snails are nutritious and tasty. (Image via Unsplash/Sunira Moses)

All snails have a similar nutritional profile and can be considered among the nutrient-dense foods.

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, one 4-ounce serving of raw snails provides:

• Calories: 102 kcal
• Fat: 2 grams
• Cholesterol: 57 milligrams
• Sodium: 79 milligrams
• Carbohydrates: 2 grams
• Protein: 18 grams

These values are applicable to almost all types of snails, including periwinkle food. Snails are an amazing source of high-quality protein; hence, they can help with muscle gain and fat loss.

Periwinkles are good sources of iron, calcium, Vitamin A and various other minerals; hence, they can improve eyesight and make the immune system strong.

Calcium present in periwinkles can improve bone density, while iron can prevent anemia. Remember, if you're allergic to seafood, consult your nutritionist before including them in your diet.

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Indranil Biswas is a nutritionist and personal trainer with a diploma in dietetics and personal training with a specialization in sports nutrition and strength training.

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