Stuck in a grilled chicken rut? Sick of lean steak? Why not try something new to get the protein you need?
Enter escargots, a delicious but unexpected way to pack your diet with protein. While snails are typically served with plenty of butter – which is not, as the French say, tres bien for your health – snails themselves are actually good for you. Snails can benefit your health, and you can serve them healthfully for delicious meals.
Basic Nutritional Information
Snails are low in calories and high in protein. A 3-ounce portion of snails – served plain – contains just 76 calories, or about 4 percent of the calories you're allowed to eat in a 2,000-calorie diet. For that calorie investment, you'll get 14 grams of protein. Like any other animal-derived protein, the protein in snails is complete – which means it contains each amino acid you need to get from your diet. Snails also contain tiny amounts of carbohydrates and fat – 2 grams and 1 gram, respectively, to be exact.
A Source of Iron
In addition to getting protein for your calorie investment, you'll get dietary iron. An essential mineral, iron makes up a key part of your blood, and helps your blood carry oxygen throughout your body. Iron is also important for your active lifestyle because it supports energy production, and iron is also crucial for immune health. A serving of snails has about 3 milligrams of iron, which covers between 17 and 38 percent of the iron you need for the day.
A Boost of Zinc
Speaking of immune health, snails also enhance your immunity because of their zinc content. Zinc's most important role in your body is making up the structure of various proteins and enzymes – and it's so important to the function of immune proteins that immune dysfunction is one of the tell-tale signs of a zinc deficiency. Zinc also helps with cell growth, healthy cell development, and a range of other processes your cells and tissues need to work properly. A serving of snails provides 0.9 milligrams of zinc – between 8 and 11 percent of your daily needs.
Serving Tips for Snails
Head to a French restaurant, and you'll find snails smothered in butter – but that's not the best approach for serving snails at home. Instead, try topping your snails with a healthier sauce made from olive oil, chopped herbs and roasted garlic. Or combine snails with portobello mushrooms and whole-wheat bread crumbs to form palm-sized fritters, which you can sauté in a nonstick pan
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