Shark Fin Soup

Genuine shark fin soup or stew is made with shark fins obtained from any of a variety of shark species. Raw shark fins are processed by first removing the skin, trimming them to shape, and thoroughly drying them. They may be bleached with hydrogen peroxide before drying to make their color more appealing. Shark fins are the cartilaginous pectoral and dorsal fins of a shark. Shark's fins are sold in two forms - frozen and dried. Both need to be softened before they can be used to prepare soup. The frozen form is ready to use as it has been pre-prepared and therefore only requires about an hour of soaking. There are two types of the dried form, skinned (shredded) or un-skinned (whole) which require more preparation.

Shark fins, in common with other costly east Asian delicacies such as Bird's nest soup and sea cucumber, have very little flavor of their own. Their appeal lies more in their texture and their ability to absorb flavors from other soup ingredients, and also for the simple fact of their expense.

The soup is highly sought after in much of Asia because of its reputation as a powerful source of nutrition able to cure cancer; enhance the appetite; and strengthen the kidneys, lungs, and bones; as well as an aphrodisiac. There had been no scientific evidence to prove these claims except for the fact that the serving of the fins connotes prestige since it’s really expensive to come by especially if you’re serving a lot of people.

One nutrient the shark is rich in is “squalene”. It is an oily compound that’s good for the skin, reducing cholesterol, and lowering blood pressure. But looking in the fins won’t do you any good since squalene can be found mostly in the shark’s liver. Additionally, rice bran, wheat germ, and olives have significant amounts of squalene, and amaranth seed oil is particularly rich in it also.

According to research, the “shark fin” does provide some beneficial nutrients but these can be found in other food sources even in greater and more naturally beneficial forms. Most researchers would say that eating “shark fin soup” is more of a psychological aphrodisiac where it is the belief of harnessing the exotic animal’s strength, ferocity, and prowess that leads one to feel such and such rather than the actual nutritional value of the aphrodisiac. All in all, there is no direct evidence for any aphrodisiac effect from shark fins, and it is not apparent that they contain any chemical that would reasonably be expected to boost the libido. You can get healthy and naughty without necessarily decimating or harming the sharks.


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