HealthyPIG Magazine

Seafood is the most widely traded food commodity globally. More than 3 billion people consume wild-caught and farmed seafood as a primary source of animal protein. About 14% of global seafood consumption is bivalve molluscs. The vast majority of bivalve molluscs come from aquaculture, with only 11% being wild-caught. Bivalve molluscs are in twice as much demand as crustaceans, making them an integral part of the global food supply.

The most commonly eaten bivalve molluscs are clams, mussels, oysters and scallops. These are all members of the taxonomic class Bivalvia and the phylum Mollusca—although they belong to different subclasses, orders, and families. All bivalves have two shells that enclose their gelatinous and fragile bodies. They feed primarily on plants, algae, and bacteria, which filter through hair-like cilia. Because of this digestive process, their diet imbues the bivalves with the unique flavor they call the sea.

From a culinary perspective, scallops are one of the most unique and delicious bivalve molluscs. Chefs and food lovers love their unique meaty texture and relative ease of preparation compared to their bivalve cousins. To understand why scallops are so noteworthy, let’s take a closer look at what scallops are and what they taste like.

Can’t put down the potato chips? Science shows the problem isn't you, it's junk food. Experts say ultra-processed foods (UPF) are as addictive as nicotine, cocaine or heroin, with more than one in 10 people addicted.

But did you know there are dozens of varieties of lemons? We probably only come into contact with two or three species every day. Some can be grown at home or outside the home, while others can be found through international grocery stores or local farmers markets.

If you've ever doubled over in pain after eating ice cream, or hiked to the bathroom after drinking milk, you may be lactose intolerant. This happens when your body can't digest dairy properly, and you end up in an injury situation.

Lactose is a natural sugar found in milk and dairy products. Normally, an enzyme in your intestines called lactase breaks it down after you eat or drink something that contains it. But people with lactose intolerance cannot make enough of this enzyme. Therefore, undigested lactose ends up in the colon, where bacteria begin to ferment it. This procedure can be very uncomfortable, causing symptoms such as bloating, gas, pain, nausea, and diarrhea.