Lobster

In addition to being delicious, lobster also boasts many nutritional benefits including protecting heart health, decreasing inflammation, boosting brain function, promoting growth, speeding healing, and increasing energy. In addition, lobsters are a great place to get many essential vitamins and minerals. Lobster is a rich source of copper and selenium and also contains zinc, phosphorus, vitamin B12, magnesium, vitamin E and  omega-3 fatty acids.

The amino acid profle of lobster protein is comparable to that of red meat protein, but it contains more amino acids, small peptides, trimethylamine oxide (TMAO), trimethylamine, creatine, creatinine and nucleotides. Proteins derived from lobster contain larger amounts of arginine, glutamic acid, glycine, and alanine. The nutritional value of lobster protein is fortifed significantly by its natural combination with a large amount of astaxanthin which is a very powerful antioxidant. Astaxanthin exists in a free form and in a complex form known as carotenoprotein.

The use of astaxanthin has amazing antioxidant activity. Antioxidant activity of astaxanthin was found to be 10 times higher than that of zeaxanthin, lutein, canthaxanthin, and β-caroten, and 100 times higher compared with vitamin E.  

• The recommended dosage of astaxanthin is 2-4mg.
• Astaxanthin is 295 μg/g of lobster protein (roughly 60μg/g in the meat). So 100g of lobster meat would give a whopping 6mg.

Oxidative molecules or free radicals such as hydroxyls, peroxides, and reactive oxygen species generated during normal metabolism. However, under certain conditions or periods of exposure such as physiological stress, air pollution, smoking or exposure to UV light, the increased production of these free radicals can be detrimental. The highly reactive nature of free radicals with essential cellular components such as proteins, lipids, carbohydrates, and DNA. As a result of oxidative damage through a chain reaction known as oxidative stress, proteins and lipids are oxidized, while DNA is severely damaged. It has been suggested that diseases such as macular degeneration (eye disease), retinopathy, carcinogenesis, arteriosclerosis, and Alzheimers may be induced by such damage. However, the levels of ontioxidant made in the human body are not sufficient to protect the body against oxidative stress. Additional supplement of vitamin C, vitamin E, beta-carotene and astaxanthin are required.