Octopus

Octopus/Poulpe/Pulpo

Our friend who studied medicine often eats octopus, citing its many health benefits. She is from Chile and eats like a penguin, mostly seafood. But seriously, penguins eat krill, squids, and fishes. Their diet varies slightly on the species of penguins, which have slightly different food preferences. This reduces competition among species.  She is a self-proclaimed “Indigo” which is a term that was popularized in the 1970s by Nancy Ann Tappe, a parapsychologist and synesthete who claimed to be able to perceive auras. She used the term to describe a group of children who she believed possessed certain special and paranormal traits. The concept gained further attention and development in the 1990s through the writings of authors such as Lee Carroll and Jan Tober.

According to the concept of indigo children, these individuals are believed to possess unique and advanced traits that set them apart from previous generations. Some of the traits commonly associated with indigo children include:

High Intelligence: Indigo children are often described as having above-average intelligence and creative problem-solving skills.

Sensitivity: They are thought to be highly sensitive to their environment, emotions, and energy. This sensitivity can make them more empathetic and attuned to others’ feelings.

Strong Intuition: Indigo children are believed to possess a strong sense of intuition and a heightened ability to understand things beyond the conventional.

Rebellion Against Authority: These children may exhibit a strong resistance to authority figures and traditional systems, as they often reject societal norms they find unjust or restricting.

Strong Sense of Purpose: Indigo children are often believed to have a deep-seated sense of purpose or mission to bring about positive change in the world.

Spiritual Awareness: Many proponents of the concept suggest that indigo children are spiritually advanced, with a natural inclination towards spiritual and metaphysical topics.

Healing Abilities: Some indigo children are thought to possess natural healing abilities, both in terms of physical and emotional healing.

Despite the skepticism, the idea of indigo children has resonated with some individuals within New Age, spiritual, and alternative communities. Over time, variations of the concept have emerged, such as “crystal children” and “rainbow children,” each with their own supposed characteristics and purposes.  In summary, indigo children are a controversial and largely unproven concept that describes a generation of individuals with supposedly unique and advanced traits. While the concept has gained popularity within certain circles, it remains a topic of debate and skepticism in mainstream scientific and academic discussions.  In any event, octopus certainly has some health benefits if not spiritual benefits. Octopuses are considered to be highly intelligent and remarkable creatures. They have a complex nervous system and exhibit behaviors that suggest a high degree of cognitive abilities. 

Health Benefits of Octopus

When it comes to choosing your seafood, we’re willing to bet that octopus isn’t at the top of most people’s lists! Believe it or not, octopus is more of a delicacy than you might think; it’s widely sought after in many parts of the world. This isn’t just because octopus is considered delicious, either. Did you know that there are a lot of health benefits that can come from eating them? Read on to discover just how good octopus can be for you!

Octopus Has High Nutritional Value

Octopus is rich in many essential vitamins and minerals, making it an ideal choice for your seafood palette. Specifically, a serving of octopus is high in vitamin B12, potassium, iron, magnesium, and certain fatty acids. Vitamins and minerals like these have been proven to be good for your body’s development and maintenance.

If you’re not a huge fan of bananas, there are plenty of foods that you can eat to get your potassium in. We bet you didn’t know that octopus was one of them! The high nutritional value that octopus provides is worth giving the dish a second look.

Octopus Can Help Prevent Certain Cancers

Did you know that a deficiency of vitamin B12 puts you at a higher risk for developing breast cancer? Because octopus is rich in vitamin B12, it can greatly assist you in preventing such deficiencies.

Octopus also has an amino acid called taurine in it. Amongst other things, taurine is extremely helpful in reducing your risk for developing cancer. It helps protect your cells from damage that is typically associated with it by working as an antioxidant in your body.

Octopus Can Improve Your Brain’s Health

Amongst other vitamins and minerals, octopus is also rich in phosphorus. Phosphorus can be extremely beneficial in terms of your brain’s development. It can enhance the cognitive functions of your brain as well as foster positive cognitive growth. If you don’t have enough phosphorus in your diet, you may be doing yourself a disservice!

The magnesium found in octopus is also helpful for cognitive health. It can help improve your memory as well as heighten the learning functions of your brain. It can help prevent diseases like Alzheimers from developing in the future. Octopus is also helpful for preventing certain mental disorders such as depression thanks to the fatty acids it’s rich with.

 

INGREDIENTS

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

  • 3 pounds cleaned octopus
  • 1bay leaf
  • 4 thyme branches
  • 20 peppercorns
  • 1 teaspoon salt, plus to taste
  • 1 head garlic, cut in half along its equator
  • 3 lemons
  • 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • Freshly ground black pepper to taste
  • Minced parsley for garnish

 

PREPARATION

  1. Combine octopus, bay leaf, thyme, peppercorns, 1 teaspoon salt, garlic and 1 lemon, cut in half, in saucepan along with water to cover. Turn heat to medium, cover, and bring to boil. Adjust heat so that liquid simmers slowly, and cook until octopus is tender, for 30 to 90 minutes, depending on whether you’re using two smaller octopuses or 1 larger one (check for doneness with point of sharp knife). Drain, discarding everything but octopus. (You can prepare this 24 hours in advance up to this point; cover, and refrigerate octopus.) Set aside.
  2. Start charcoal or wood fire, or preheat gas grill; fire should be quite hot. Grill rack about 4 inches from heat source. Cut octopus into large serving pieces, brush it with half the olive oil, and sprinkle it with salt and pepper. Grill it quickly until outside browns but inside is not dried out. Cut remaining lemon into wedges.
  3. Brush octopus with remaining olive oil. Serve with lemon wedges, hot or at room temperature, garnished with parsley.