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Considered the most beautiful element of the marine world, Mollusks are bivalve sea organisms. These double-shell organisms are not only nature’s unique creation but also the most demanded seafood in the world. Scallops, clams, oysters, mussels are some varieties. However, there has always been a debate between scallop vs clam because of their similarities.
Before throwing them on the season grilled pan, let’s proceed to know in-depth about clams and scallops.
What Are Scallops?
Scallops resemble oysters and mussels in appearance. The only unique factor about these bivalve organisms is their free-swimming capability. They are a class of mollusks, and several mollusks are also called escallops. Hence, the mollusk is a scallop a clam. They own a large, powerful central muscle better known as an adductor to shoot water to move ahead.
What Do Scallops Taste Like?
For all the foodies like you, the adductor is the primary eatable part of the Scallop. It turns into a tender piece of meat when cooked, which contains the taste of oceanic sweetness balanced by the briny saltiness. The bright orange region of the organism that is known as coral is equally edible.
Scallops Nutrition Facts
Health Benefits:
They are a storehouse of minerals and an excellent source of nutrients. They contain selenium, zinc, and copper. Selenium promotes a healthy immune system with proper thyroid functioning. They are also a rich source of omega 3-fatty acids and high-quality proteins.
Nutritional Value:
| Calorie Content | 94 grams |
| Carbohydrate | – |
| Fats | 1.2 grams |
| Protein | 19.5 grams |
| Omeg-3-fatty Acids | 333 grams |
| Vitamin B12 | 18% of the daily Value |
| Calcium | 9% of the daily value |
| Iron | 15% of daily value |
| Magnesium | 12% of daily value |
| Phosphorus | 27% of daily value |
Types of Scallops
There are primarily two types of escallops available:
- Sea Scallops – sea scallop is found in the deep sea water beds all the year-round. They belong to the Pecten and Placopecten species family. They are ideal for searing and grilling.
- Bay Scallops – they are found near the shores during a specific season. They belong to the Agaroplecten family. They are smaller than seas escallops and used for ceviche and sautéing.
What is a Clam?
Regarding scallops vs clam, the latter owns two adductor muscles. It also has a small foot that helps it in burrowing. They are mostly found covered in sand or in the shallow ocean waters.
What Do Clams Taste Like?
In clam vs scallops, the taste difference is a big factor. While the latter tastes sweet and salty, the former is salty in taste. They are eaten raw or cooked in various manners. They have a tinge of fishy taste, but it does not overpower the other flavors.
Clams Nutrition Facts
Health Benefits:
They are a lean source of bodybuilding protein. They are rich in vitamins, minerals, and omega-3 fatty acids. Mollusks are a natural source of zinc that stimulates testosterone production and helps produce healthy sperm. Mercenaria mercenaria and Quahog varieties have shown cancer-preventive symptoms.
Nutritional Value: for every 3 oz serving:
| Iron | 133% of daily value |
| Vitamin C | 18% of daily value |
| Vitamin B12 | 1.2 grams |
| Calories | 63 grams |
| Protein | 22% of daily value |
| Fats | 1% of daily value |
| Carbohydrates | 1% of daily value |
Types of Clams
They are also of two types:
- Northern Quahog: It is also known as Mercenaria mercenaria. They are saltwater clams with grayish-white shells. They are sold according to their size under different names. Chowder mollusks are the largest of their kind.
- Pacific Geoducks: They are found on the Pacific coast, south of Alaska. They are the largest burrowing mollusks, with shell size up to nine inches. The siphon is served with sushi or even raw.
Scallop vs Clam: Similarities
With reference to scallop vs clam, there are several similarities between them.
- They both own a two valve shell cover.
- The Adductor muscles on each side in both the organisms hold the shells in place.
- They both have the same means for eating food. They use a single set of siphon gills for food particles and water.
- They both use small protrusions called cilia for locomotion.
Scallop vs Clam: Differences
The difference between scallops and clams are categorized under the following headings:
- Habitat: Clams consist of small feet for burrowing into the sand. Usually, they lie near the shores covered by sand while escallops are found in the deep beds of the ocean or seas.
- Preservation: Escallops lose their freshness easily. So they are preserved by freezing them directly on the boat or keeping them in a polyphosphate solution. They are shucked immediately after harvest. On the contrary, clams are sold fresh with shells intact in the market. They are shucked to remove the mass from the shell.
- Preparation: in the case of clam vs scallop, former is steamed or deep-fried and escallop is pan-seared. It is difficult to open the shells of these sea organisms even after shucking. A specialized knife for marine mollusks is used to open them up.
Final Word
We hope the detailed insights about scallop vs clam have helped you know more about these mouth-watering seafoods. So when are you planning to have a Spanish Paella or linguine Alle Vongole?
