Are horseshoe crabs safe to eat?

A vlogger tried eating horseshoe crabs for his mukbang video once. However, are these safe to eat?

On Kuya Kim’s report on “24 Oras” Monday, content creator Ryan Renzon said it tasted like real crabs, but he felt uncomfy after consuming a lot.

“Nahilo ako bigla tapos tumataas yung dugo ko. Medyo kinakabahan ako. Baka bigla akong mahimatay o ano,” he said. “‘Di na talaga mauulit.”

While it is usually eaten in other countries, nutritionist and dietician Ryan Moralde, RND said horseshoe crabs should be eaten in moderation.

“Mataas kasi yung cholesterol content lalo na yung aligue kaya dapat i-monitor yung dami. Possible na yung taba non, bumara sa puso natin,” he said.

There is no law that prohibits eating or catching horseshoe crabs. However, animal rights activists are calling for the creatures’ protection as they are already in danger.

“Bilang conservationist, ‘wag natin itong kainin lalo na’t isa na itong endangered na hayop,” said Lea Janine Gajardo, University Research Associate at Western Philippine University.

According to Kuya Kim, horseshoe crabs are called such because they’re shaped like a horse’s shoe and have a hard back called a carapace. However, they are actually arachnids like spiders and scorpions.

They have blue blood, which is used to study medicine.—Franchesca Viernes/LDF, GMA News