Whenever the tide goes out, the residents of Quan Lạn Island, Vân Đồn District, Quảng Ninh, eagerly gather to dig for sea worms, also known as “rich man’s noodles”. This refers to the harvesting of the sá sùng.
According to a local fisherman, sá sùng was once an overlooked seafood, primarily dug up by locals for their own consumption. However, in recent years, food enthusiasts have been spreading the word about this type of “natural noodle,” leading to a surge in its popularity and demand. Many customers now find themselves competing to purchase it.
The sá sùng is dubbed “natural noodles” by food connoisseurs. (Image: Traveloka)
What makes sá sùng so special that it is sought after by so many people?
Why is sá sùng called “rich man’s noodles”?
Sá sùng, also known as peanut worms, belongs to the Sipuncula family. Its scientific name is Sipunculus nudus. Depending on the region, this creature is referred to by various local names such as sá sùng, địa sâm, sâu đất, đồn đột, chặt khoai, giun biển, bi bi, con cạp đất,…
“Rich man’s noodles” resemble a giant multicolored worm. (Image: Traveloka)
Sá sùng is a soft-bodied creature that lives in sandy coastal areas, where the ebb and flow of the tides create sandy dunes. “Rich man’s noodles” take the form of a large, colorful worm, found in rock crevices and sandy burrows at depths of 10 to 30 meters. When fresh, sá sùng typically measures between 5 to 10 cm in length.
Once pulled from the sea, they retract into a round shape, resembling a small ball, with a mouth as tiny as a valve for inflating. Their skin changes color based on their environment, and they feel soft and cool to the touch. The insides of sá sùng are similar to those of a worm, consisting of a single tube from end to end, lacking a heart, liver, or lungs.
Sá sùng contains many vitamins, amino acids, and minerals, contributing to its distinct sweet flavor. (Image: Traveloka)
Research from the University of Science in Ho Chi Minh City indicates that sá sùng is a highly nutritious food with a significant protein content, rich in valuable amino acids and minerals. Specifically, it contains up to 17 mineral elements and 18 types of amino acids, including 8 essential amino acids that must be obtained from food…
In 100 grams of dried sá sùng, the free amino acids account for 10.3%, including sweet-tasting amino acids like glycine at 3.2%, alanine at 2.5%, succinic acid at 0.35%, and glutamic acid at 0.25%. These components contribute to the distinctive sweet flavor of this “rich man’s noodles.” Sá sùng is also rich in taurine at 3.2% and minerals at 1.2%, which is why it has been called địa sâm since ancient times.
Outstanding Properties of “Rich Man’s Noodles”
In Traditional Chinese Medicine, sá sùng has a salty taste and cooling properties, helping to clear heat and detoxify the lungs and spleen. Sá sùng has been renowned for ages for its numerous health benefits. For children with malnutrition, consuming “rich man’s noodles” can enhance immunity, support weight gain, treat rickets, and stimulate appetite for better food absorption.
Sá sùng is a highly nutritious food that is very beneficial for human health. (Image: Traveloka)
For adults, sá sùng is suitable for enhancing vitality for both men and women, treating cold-related illnesses, boosting male virility, and addressing gynecological issues such as deficiency, delayed menstruation, and chronic cough with phlegm. It also treats afternoon fevers that often disrupt body temperature balance.
In modern medicine, sá sùng aids in increasing milk production, reducing depression, alleviating night sweats, and chest pain due to its blood-boosting and nourishing properties, making it highly beneficial for postpartum mothers. Additionally, it treats toothaches, gum swelling and bleeding, and joint pain.
Sá sùng is effective in treating various diseases. (Image: Traveloka).
For those with weak health, sá sùng can treat coughs with phlegm, dry coughs, colds, prolonged asthma, tuberculosis, and discomfort in the chest. It is also suitable for individuals suffering from frequent urination, bedwetting, or nervous exhaustion.
Moreover, sá sùng supports the treatment of high blood pressure, improves neurological disorders, alleviates frequent urination, combats oxygen deficiency, and thrombosis, and has powerful anti-inflammatory effects, improving immune health and preventing cancer.
“Rich Man’s Noodles” Are Expensive Yet Highly Desired
Sá sùng is found in a few locations in Vietnam such as Vân Đồn, Móng Cái (Quảng Ninh), Hải Phòng, Cam Ranh (Khánh Hòa), Vũng Tàu, Cần Giờ (Ho Chi Minh City), Phú Quốc, and Dong Hung in China.
Sá sùng from Quan Lạn, Quảng Ninh is highly regarded for its premium quality. (Image: Traveloka).
However, when people mention sá sùng, they immediately think of Quan Lạn in Vân Đồn District, Quảng Ninh – a renowned location for high-quality dried sá sùng.
Food enthusiasts share that sá sùng caught in Quan Lạn is considered the finest, identifiable by its natural bright color, thick body, short length, and when cooked, it yields a sweet, rich broth. In contrast, sá sùng from other places tends to be longer, darker in color, and has a slightly fishy smell, making it of inferior quality and valued at only half that of the local catch here. Consequently, the price of “rich man’s noodles” from Quan Lạn is currently nearly one and a half to double the price of sá sùng from other regions.
Currently, sá sùng has suddenly become “rich man’s noodles,” increasingly sought after, making it rarer and harder to find. (Image: Traveloka)
With its outstanding characteristics, sá sùng is a seafood with significant economic value; 1 kg of dried sá sùng can be worth as much as gold. In today’s market, freshly caught, unprocessed sá sùng from fishermen ranges from approximately 500,000 to 550,000 VND per kg. Dried sá sùng of average size typically costs between 1,800,000 and 2,400,000 VND per kg. For premium dried sá sùng selected for size, sturdiness, and vibrant color, prices range from 4,000,000 to 6,000,000 VND per kg.
Moreover, while previously it was easy to dig for sá sùng, with locals able to find baskets full in just a few hours, it has now become “rich man’s noodles” and is in high demand, making it rare and challenging to acquire.
