【蟹季到了】蟹！蟹！全部都是蟹！
#原來平常吃的七種蟹都是青蟹
#大閘蟹開售當然先吃為快
#星期四食材
智吃秋蟹免不適
正所謂「秋風起，蟹腳癢」秋風一起，菊黄蟹肥，又到了吃蟹好時節，除了一期一會的大閘蟹，奄仔、膏蟹、肉蟹、黃油蟹都各有捧場客，很多人以為它們是不同蟹種，原來統統都是不同成長階段的青蟹！
奄仔 — 3個月大、未經交配的雌青蟹，全身充滿青春期成熟的脂膏。
重皮蟹 — 奄仔蟹需要經過數次褪殼成長，新殼未硬還藏在舊殼內就是重皮蟹。
軟殼蟹 — 重皮蟹當外殼脫掉，內裡的軟殼還沒長硬便是軟殼蟹。
水蟹 — 軟殼蟹吸滿水份，當新殼變硬時，是為水蟹。
肉蟹 — 長肉後的雄性水蟹成為肉蟹。
膏蟹 — 成長後的雌性水蟹成為膏蟹。
黃油蟹 — 成熟的膏蟹產卵時喜歡爬到淺灘曬太陽，蟹膏受熱溶化流滿全身，成為黃油蟹。
大閘蟹 — 正值繁殖期的中華絨蟄蟹，豐富的蟹膏來自蟹的性腺，蟹乸的卵巢和卵細胞呈橙紅色，即紅膏；蟹公的精囊及精液呈乳白色半透明果凍狀，俗稱白膏。
至於令蟹迷瘋狂的大閘蟹，品種為中華絨蟄蟹，秋冬正值大閘蟹繁殖之時，於是體內充滿蟹黃。進食時記得把最寒的六角形蟹心位置取出，配以性溫的薑醋同吃，因為醋有開胃、活血、解魚蟹毒之效，可減低蟹的寒性，稍微紓緩吃蟹後有可能出現的胃脹不適。避免與柿、山楂、橙、李子、桃等高鞣質食物同吃，否則會出現腹瀉、嘔吐的症狀。
無論哪個品種或階段的螃蟹，從中醫角度來看都屬性寒涼，有清熱、散瘀血、通經絡的功效，氣滯、血瘀及濕熱體質人士可適量食用。不少人吃蟹後容易腹瀉，都是因為蟹屬性寒涼之故，所以體質虛寒、手腳冰冷、脾胃虛寒、容易腹瀉及胃脹人士、孕婦、坐月、行經中的婦女都應避免進食；膽固醇高和有心血管病的人不宜進食；螃蟹屬動風發物，容易透發或加重皮膚瘡瘍腫毒症狀，所以皮膚敏感、濕疹患者或容易出風癩者不宜吃。
為了消減螃蟹的寒性，除了烹調時加入薑、蔥、蒜等溫熱食材，飯後喝杯紅糖薑茶亦有暖胃驅寒作用。
紅糖薑茶
功效：驅寒暖胃
材料：薑片10片、紅糖適量
做法：煲滾約800毫升水，加入薑片，調中火煮約30分鐘，加入紅糖拌至溶化即可。
Smarter ways to eat crab
Autumn is a good season to have crab. In addition to the seasonal hairy crab, young mud crab, female mud crab, male mud crab, yellow butter crab are also popular. Many people think that they are different species. In fact, they all are mud swimming crab but in different growth stages!
Young mud crab- 3-month-old, immature female mud crab that is full of crab butter.
Double-shelled crab- The young mud crab need to be shelled several times. They become double-shelled crab with new shells are not hard and hidden in the old shell.
Soft-shell crab- The double-shelled crabs are soft shell crabs when the outer shell is taken off and the soft shell inside has not yet harden.
Water crab- When soft-shell crabs are full of water and the new shell becomes hard, they become water crab.
Mud crab (male) - when male water crabs matures and is full of meat
Mud crab (female)- when female water crabs mature and is full of butter
Yellow butter crab- Mature female mud crabs like to climb to the shallow beaches to sunbathe when they lay their eggs. The crab butter is melted by heat and the crab become the yellow butter crab.
Hairy crabs- the breeding season for Chinese mitten crab. The rich crab butter comes from the gonads of crabs. The ovaries and egg cells of female crabs are orange-red, which is red cream. The seminal vesicles and semen of male crabs are milky white translucent jelly, commonly known as white butter.
As for the hairy crabs that make crabs fans crazy, the variety is Chinese mitten crab, and the autumn and winter are when the crabs are breeding, so the body is full of crab butter. Remember to take out the coldest part of the crab which is in the center of the crab and hexagon-shaped. Have the crab with ginger vinegar. Vinegar is warm in nature and can stimulate appetite, promote blood circulation, and detoxify the toxins from the crab and fish. It can reduce the coldness of the crab and relieve any stomach discomfort after eating them. Avoid eating foods with high tannins such as persimmon, hawthorn, orange, plum, peach, as that may cause symptoms such as diarrhea and vomiting.
No matter which species or stage of crab, from Chinese medicine perspective, they are cold in nature, they can clear heat, dispel blood stasis, open up meridian. Those with qi stagnation, blood stasis and damp heat can appropriately consume. Many people are prone to diarrhea after eating crabs due to the cold nature of the crabs. Therefore, those with asthenic and cold body constitution, cold limbs, asthenic and cold spleen and stomach, prone to diarrhea and abdominal bloating, pregnant, in confinement month and menstruation should avoid eating. Those with high cholesterol and cardiovascular disease should not eat crabs too. Crabs is a wind stimulating food, easy to permeate or worsen the symptoms of skin sores, skin allergies, eczema. It is especially not suitable for those with hives.
In order to reduce the cold nature of crabs, in addition to adding warm and hot-natured ingredients such as ginger, spring onions, garlic. You can drink a cup of ginger tea with brown sugar to warm the stomach and dispel cold after the meal.
Ginger tea with brown sugar
Effects: dispels cold and warms the stomach
Ingredients: 10 slices of ginger, appropriate amounts of brown sugar
Preparation: Boil about 800ml water then add in ginger slices. Turn to medium heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Add brown sugar to taste until they melt.
#男 #女 #陽虛 #我畏寒
