HEALTH BENEFITS AND DANGER OF SNAILS

Snails are the largest Mollusc subgroup, they have about 43000 species categorized into land snails, sea snails and freshwater snails, they are also about 400 living families. Snails are the common name given to a member of a class of molluscs gastropda. They are harmless creatures and they have many names according to cultures, ethnic groups, tribes and dialects, but there are some harmful species of snails which include; 1. Punk Rock snail 2. The King of Snails 3. Spiny Murex 4. Worm snails 5. Meat eating snails 6. Assassin snails.

Although snails may be one of the slowest creatures on earth, they have astounding health benefits.

Generally, snails contain vitamins A, E, B1, B3 and B6.

* Vitamin A is essential for the proper function of the eyes.

* Vitamin E acts as an antioxidant.

* Vitamins B1, B3, B6 are vital vitamins that helps to prevent and control diabetes.

* Snails are also rich in vitamin B12, which helps in the production of red blood cells, keeps the nervous system healthy, releases energy from food eaten and processes folic acid.

* Snails are low in calories and have a very high amount of protein, which is essential for building and repairing muscles and worn-out tissues in the body.

* They also serve as ideal weight watchers as they are low in calories and are good sources of protein.

* Interestingly, the slime found in snails is beneficial for the treatment of skin diseases because it is extremely rich in allantoin, collagen and elastin.

* Snails are also good sources of iron needed for building red blood cells and transporting energy to the body. Note that the lack of iron, which helps the body to maintain normal blood pressure, regular heartbeat in the body, can result in anaemia and extreme fatigue.

* Selenium found in snails helps to keep the immune system healthy and protect cells from damage.

* Snails are a great source of calcium orthphosphate, a chemical substrate used to cure kidney diseases.

* More so, snails contain glycoprotein which helps in fighting cancer, copper compound which helps to heal injury and prevent heart disorder.

* Omega-3 fatty acids which assist in the development of the brain and memory of children, prevent heart diseases and lower high cholesterol levels.

* Snails are also high in potassium and low in sodium, thereby, making them good for maintaining blood pressure levels and they also reduce the risk of stroke, heart and kidney diseases.

In addition to all these benefits, snails are tasty, delicious and nutritious. You can prepar them in any way you like. They can be fried, boiled or roasted and you can eat them with all sorts of vegetables and food.

DANGERS OF SNAILS TO HUMAN AND PLANTS

With all the many benefits of snail, there are little dangers of snails to both human and plants.

Some snail species affect the aquarium aquatic life by eating plants and clogging the filter intake tubes which causes a burden on biological filtration.

* Other than these wild freshwater snails can be deadly to humans as they cause disease like Schistosomiasis.

* Many snails harbor parasites capable of reaching other animals and people causing dangerous diseases such as meningitis.

Other than this there is no much danger of the snail to the lives of mankind.