Can You Eat Seahorse?
There are more than 33,000 known species of fish in the world, and few are as easily recognizable as the seahorse. The seahorse gets its name due to their heads being similar to that of a horse, though the similarities end there. Found in both the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans, seahorses tend to stay close to the floor of the seas they swim in, sticking to reefs and grass beds.
While almost everyone has seen a seahorse either in person or in images, you probably don’t know anyone that’s ever eaten one. In many parts of the world, you may even be asking yourself, “can you eat seahorse?” Just like any other fish in the sea, it’s a question that involves some nuance to answer. Let’s take a closer look at the seahorse and its history as a meal across the world.
Seahorse Background
There are currently 47 species of these curious little creatures and they are typically found in shallow, warm, bodies of saltwater. Seahorses are among the 3-5% of animals that practice monogamy, mating for life. Even more intriguing, the males are not only responsible for producing sperm to fertilize the eggs given by the female, they are one of only two species where the males get pregnant and give birth.
Following the two to four weeks of gestation, the male seahorse gives birth to as little as 5 and as many as 1,000 babies at once. Sadly, only an average of 5 babies make it to adulthood. The species that are most closely related to the seahorse is the sea dragon.
Seahorses need to eat 30-50 times a day and can consume over 3,000 pieces of food throughout that time. They have a constant need to feed because they lack an important organ, a stomach, so whatever they ingest goes through them rather quickly and they must constantly eat to survive. Seahorses vacuum food up into their long snout-like mouth, sticking only to smaller fares that are easy to eat because seahorses also lack teeth. A seahorse’s diet mostly consists of brine shrimp, because of its extremely small stature.
Here are some interesting facts about the seahorse:
Are Seahorses Edible?
Seahorses are, in fact, edible. They are even considered a delicacy in some parts of the world. Although they share no resemblance to the marine animals we know as “fish”, sea horses are classified as fish. Seahorses are known for being comprised mostly of bones, which can make them difficult to eat.
The meat is edible, though, and isn’t considered to be poisonous or toxic. For those that aren’t looking to eat the meat, their bones and ligaments are also edible and considered among the tastier and more nutritious parts to those that eat seahorses.
How Seahorses Prepared to Eat
Seahorses are often dried and used as souvenirs that tourists quickly scoop up. They are also used in a variety of food dishes and for medicinal consumption. You’ll typically find seahorses fried on a stick, or dried and ground up into a powder that can be added to soups, teas, rice wine, and pill capsules.
The lack of meat, nutritional value, and the toughness of their bony exterior can make one wonder why they’ve massively sought after. Seahorses are typically consumed after being cooled or dried. They are not eaten raw, though there is not much information on why. Seahorse yields a texture similar to fried squid and a very salty taste.
Potential Health Benefits of Eating Seahorses
While they can be eaten, they are mostly used in Chinese medicine practices, dating back an almost immeasurable amount of time. In these parts of the world, it is widely believed that the medicinal properties of a seahorse include helping those affected by impotence, baldness, asthma, pain, and bed wetting, as well as inducing labor. However, there is no real data or studies to prove seahorses have any medicinal properties.
When walking through the streets of Hong Kong or China, you’re likely to see street vendors selling dried seahorses. It’s typically elder men that purchase seahorses for around $5 each, mainly due to the belief in a cure for impotence and baldness.
Why Most People Don’t Eat Seahorses
Next to crabs and other fish, humans are one of the biggest predatory threats to seahorses. It’s estimated that humans harvest 37 million seahorses every year. Mainland China is the largest consumer of these adorable creatures, purchasing a whopping 500 tons of seahorses each year. Seahorses are used in various ways in countries such as Singapore, Japan, Taiwan, and the Philippines as well. Dried seahorses can go for as much as $600-$3,000 per kilogram, more than the weight-based price of silver in that part of the world.
Besides how harmless and cute they are, there’s no legitimate reason for the consumption of seahorses. Seahorses have been declared an endangered species due to overconsumption, accidental by-catch, invasive species, climate change, and destruction of their habitat. There are many unusual uses for harvested seahorses.
The most popular form of selling them and 95% of their consumption are dried ones. Seahorses are also sought after in Indonesia, used for practicing traditional jamu medicine, an herbal approach to curing ailments. Although there are restrictions and regulations put on the seahorse trade, they make up a decent portion of marine life sold through the black market due to high demand.
Summary
At the end of the day, you can eat a seahorse without having to worry about any illness or negative side effects. However, the chances of eating seahorses in the western part of the world are incredibly slim. Seahorse trade regulations and the general lack of proven nutrition make it less than appealing for westerners to even want to try.
On the other hand, many have visited eastern countries and have said that seahorses were a fine delicacy when they tried them. For now, you can expect to see squid (calamari) as a mainstay on menus while seahorses are held at bay. Speaking of calamari, many describe the taste of seahorses as being the same, while others have said that they taste like pork rinds. It all comes down to how they’re prepared and the taste buds of those daring enough to nibble on these petite creatures.
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