The difference between octopus, cuttlefish and squid

Some of you may think that octopus, cuttlefish and squid are the same. It is also possible that you don’t know how to distinguish them and cannot tell them apart at all. In fact, octopus, cuttlefish and squid are three different things. The squid has a better taste, and the cuttlefish has a worse taste. Octopus is a food that has more meat, a darker color, and relatively poor quality.

Distinguish the three dry goods

Dried squid. Squid is known for its dryness and delicate texture. It has a complete, shiny and clean body, a color similar to that of dried shrimp, a layer of white powder on the surface, and is dry and light in taste. The best quality ones are those that are complete, shiny and clean. Those that are damp or have the powder film peeled off are defective products, while those that have spots or a musty smell are inferior or deteriorated products.

Squid, also known as cuttlefish and calamari, has high nutritional value and is a precious seafood. It has basically the same nutritional functions as other soft-bodied brachiopod seafood such as cuttlefish and octopus. They are all rich in protein, calcium, phosphorus, iron, etc., and are very rich in trace elements such as selenium, iodine, manganese, and copper.

Dried cuttlefish. High-quality dried cuttlefish has a complete shape, bright color, clean flesh, is flat and thick, is brown-red and translucent, and has a fresh fragrance. The soft and inferior ones have black spots on the surface, pink-white, and dark red on the back.

Dried octopus. Dried octopus is a dried product made from true octopus, short octopus and long octopus. Qualified dried octopus has a complete body shape, firm and plump flesh, thick claws, bright persimmon red or brown-red color, white frost on the surface, and is dry with a fresh fragrance and a light taste. The quality is poorer if it is dark purple in color.

Squid is rich in calcium, phosphorus and iron, which is very beneficial for bone development and hematopoiesis, and can prevent anemia. In addition to being rich in protein and amino acids needed by the human body, squid is also a low-calorie food that contains a large amount of taurine. It can inhibit the cholesterol content in the blood, prevent adult diseases, relieve fatigue, restore vision, and improve liver function. The peptides and trace elements such as selenium it contains have antiviral and anti-radiation effects. Traditional Chinese medicine believes that squid has the function of nourishing yin and stomach, replenishing deficiency and moisturizing the skin.

Use your finger to press hard in the middle of the carcass. If it feels firm, it is cuttlefish. If it is soft, it is squid. The feel is different because cuttlefish have a hard, boat-shaped cuttlefish bone, while squid only has a leaf-shaped, transparent membrane across its body. In addition, squids generally have slender bodies with long rhombus-shaped ends and fleshy fins on both sides of the body. When viewed upside down, they look like a "javelin head", while cuttlefish have slightly broader shoulders and are also different from squids in other characteristics.

The above introduces in detail the differences between octopus, cuttlefish and squid. I hope you can learn how to distinguish them in your life. We all know how to distinguish between cuttlefish, octopus and squid, so that we can correctly choose the ingredients we want when we go to the market to buy things.