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Turtle Eggs: Myth and Reality

In this sea turtles nesting season, one of the most common problems is the theft of eggs to sell on the black market. The reasons that people eat them are somewhat complex because this practice has links to ancient customs and popular beliefs.

Our Ancestors and Turtles
The use and consumption of sea turtle meat and eggs date from pre-Hispanic times, when it was part of the regular diet of indigenous cultures, who took advantage the theses animals merely because they were nutritious, without any thought of extraordinary powers. Contrary to what happens now, the use of sea turtles was solely for their livelihood, while maintaining a conservational approach, capturing only what they would consume.
Mexican folklore has since magically endowed the turtle egg with mysterious (and completely baseless) aphrodisiac powers, which have contributed to the decline of natural populations of sea turtles, despite a federal law prohibiting the consumption of turtle eggs or any products or by-products.

The Myth Grows
At some point in more recent history, turtle eggs were said to possess certain qualities related to fertility and as an aphrodisiac, which have no scientific basis and are simply linked to machismo. Although the origin of this belief is difficult to pin point, it is believed to have arisen in part by the observation of turtles during mating, which can last between 4 and 8 hours continuous.
It is commonly believed that the male's ability to "mount" the female continuously may be obtained through the consumption of turtle eggs, believing them to functions as a natural aphrodisiac, endowing consumers with a feeling of greater energy and virility; all totally false, however there could be a psychological boost or placebo effect for those who firmly believe it.

What about Cholesterol?
In the last decade, authorities and conservationists in Mexico and other countries have reported that turtle egg contains high amounts of cholesterol. A single turtle egg can contain the same amount of fat and cholesterol as 20 tacos or 20 chicken eggs. Considering this data, and knowing that those who has the bad habit of eating turtle eggs generally swallow more than 5 at a time, says we can understand why these consumers often feel strange effects on their body. High cholesterol levels increase the risk of heart disease and stroke.

What Does Science Say?
There have been scientific assessments stating that the nutritional and energy content of a turtle egg is up to 50% less than a chicken egg. In addition, there is no scientific evidence whatsoever that turtle eggs have any aphrodisiac attributes.
Regardless of whether turtle eggs are healthy or aphrodisiac, or not, their continued consumption will inevitably contribute to their extinction. People living on the coast are driven more by habit than necessity, and foreign tourists are often simply keen to try to eat something exotic. Those who continue to eat them say that although they are generally eaten raw, they do not dare to eat them alone, because their taste and texture are not pleasing to the palate. So they add chili and lemon to mask the taste, so in reality it is not eaten for the taste of the egg itself, but the lemon and chili.
In the end, and no matter what their taste or energy content, we must recognize that the continued consumption of turtle eggs is contributing to the disappearance of more than one species of turtle from the face of the earth. People who justify their consumption, arguing that "turtle lay many eggs" forget that only 1 out of every 1,000 baby turtles that are born will reach adulthood, the egg they eat could be that turtle.
If we want a better world, we must be willing to make a difference. We will not die of hunger if we do not eat turtle eggs. Instead, we can contribute restoring the natural cycle of sea turtles; a cycle that we have broken.

Turtle Eggs: Myth and Reality

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