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Best to buy
Look for fresh mussels that smell clean, like the ocean, with tightly closed shells.
Store it safely
Refrigerate mussels in a bowl covered with a damp towel. Never store mussels in water or in an airtight container—either method will kill them. Cook mussels as soon as possible, but keep for up to a week.
Quick & easy recipe
In a large saucepan, boil mussels in white wine. Reduce heat to a simmer until shells open; discard unopened mussels. Serve in a bowl with broth.
Power food
Mussles are an excellent source of selenium and vitamin B12 and a good source of zinc and folic acid.
Inspect mussels to make sure they are tightly closed. Just before cooking, clean wild mussels by scrubbing with a stiff brush and pulling off the beard with a quick tug. Cultivated mussels need only be rinsed in cold water. To remove meat, either steam open or pry shells open and pick out meat.
Steaming
Place 1/4-inch (0.635cm) water (wine and seasoning optional) in the bottom of a large pan, and add mussels. Bring water to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until shells open (four to five minutes). Throw away mussels that don’t open. Serve mussels in bowls with broth.
Pan-frying
Heat frying pan, then add butter or oil. Add mussel meat and sauté until brown, about two to three minutes.
The blue mussels native to the Pacific Northwest may be wild-gathered or farmed. You can tell them apart because wild mussels are rough, while farm-raised muscles have a clean, smooth shell. Green mussels from New Zealand are larger. Mussels are sold live, frozen whole, as frozen or canned meat, sometimes smoked.
Mussels (cooked, moist heat), 3 oz. (85g)
Calories: 146
Protein: 20g
Carbohydrate: 6g
Total Fat: 4g
Fiber: 0g
*Excellent source of: Iron (5.71mg), Manganese (5.78mg), Phosphorus (242.25mg), Riboflavin (0.36mg), Selenium (76.16mcg), and Vitamin B12 (20.40mcg)
*Good source of: Folic Acid (64.60mcg), Niacin (2.55mg), Thiamin (0.26mg), Vitamin C (11.56mg), and Zinc (2.3mg)
*Foods that are an “excellent source” of a particular nutrient provide 20% or more of the Recommended Daily Value. Foods that are a “good source” of a particular nutrient provide between 10 and 20% of the Recommended Daily Value.
Provides 0.7 grams of omega-3 fatty acids
Copyright © 2007 Healthnotes, Inc. All rights reserved. www.healthnotes.com
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The information presented in the Food Guide is for informational purposes only and was created by a team of US–registered dietitians and food experts. Consult your doctor, practitioner, and/or pharmacist for any health problem and before using any supplements, making dietary changes, or before making any changes in prescribed medications. Information expires September 2008.
