It's National Lobster Day, which is everyday here in Maine. To celebrate the delicious crustaceans special day we've compiled a bunch of random lobster facts.

Native Americans used lobster meat to fertilize their crops and bait their fishing hooks, but they also ate the lobster. They would cook them on hot rocks under seaweed which is now known as a traditional lobster bake.

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From history.com; Back in the 1800's lobsters were so plentiful in Maine and New England that you could just walk down the beach at low tide and grab as many as you wanted. When the first European settlers reached North America, there were so many lobsters that they would reportedly wash ashore in piles up to 2 feet high. It was a free way to keep families fed during hard times. That's what gave them the reputation as "poor man's protein."

Lobster was considered "peasant food." It was served to prisoners,apprentices, slaves and children during the colonial era as a cheap way to keep them fed.

A lobsters anatomy is very unusual. Its brain is located in its throat, its nervous system in its abdomen, its teeth in its stomach, its heart behind the stomach and its kidneys in its head. It also hears using its legs and tastes with its feet. There is one thing lobsters have in common with us humans, they tend to favor one front limb, meaning they can be right-clawed or left-clawed.

Something shifted in the 1880s and lobster started to gain more popularity in Boston and New York City, quickly becoming a delicacy. The demand for lobster began to rise, and so did the prices.

In 1876 the very first lobster pound was founded in Vinalhaven, Maine.

The largest lobster on record was caught off Novia Scotia in 1988. It weighed 44 pounds and was 42 inches long. Scientists believe it was at least 100 years old which is twice the lifespan of the average lobster.

Though rumored to be a rich heavy food, lobster meat contains fewer calories than an equal portion of skinless chicken breast. It also boasts healthy omega-3 fatty acids, potassium and the vitamins E, B-12 and B-6.

Celebrate National Lobster Day today. There is certainly no shortage of places to get lobster rolls for lunch, or a couple lobsters for dinner tonight!

 

 

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