Oysters are in season, so here's what you need to know before eating them.

Oysters are known as a representative winter health food. After the summer spawning season, oysters reach their peak during the fall and winter months. Enjoy the salty, sea-scented flavor of oysters, which are also rich in nutrients. Let's explore the health benefits of oysters.

 

Among the nutrients in oysters, protein accounts for the largest portion, excluding water. Oysters are also known as "milk of the sea" due to their high content of essential amino acids and calcium, especially among proteins. Oysters are particularly rich in taurine, which is beneficial for brain development, making them beneficial for pregnant women and children. Furthermore, oysters contain approximately 5 grams of sugar per 100 grams, most of which is glycogen, which is immediately absorbed by the body and used as an energy source. Oysters also contain a balanced amount of minerals, including iron, which helps prevent anemia, as well as vitamins A, B, and C.

Oysters have long been recognized as an aphrodisiac. This is because they are rich in zinc, a nutrient that helps produce the male hormone testosterone, at 13 mg per 100 g. Eating two to three oysters provides the recommended daily intake (15 mg) of zinc, which contributes to sperm production.

 

Eating oysters can also offer beauty benefits. The Donguibogam (Compendium of Traditional Chinese Medicine) states, "Oysters are the most precious item in the sea, as they thin the skin and brighten the complexion." .

 

Oysters' various vitamins and minerals help keep skin elastic and clear. The zinc in oysters regenerates skin tissue and strengthens the immune system, helping prevent acne.

 

To select fresh oysters, carefully examine their appearance. Oysters with their shells still attached should be kept in a clean tank with their mouths tightly closed. Good shucked oysters should have a milky color with a distinct black border and large, plump, and elastic roes. Soaking shucked and cleaned oysters in a 3% salt solution for 10 minutes before rinsing them, or soaking them in water with radish juice for about 5 minutes, helps remove any foreign matter. Soaking them in water with lemon juice or vinegar before removing them, can also help reduce the fishy smell.

Meanwhile, there are cases where people get norovirus food poisoning from eating oysters incorrectly.

 

To avoid norovirus, especially among shelled oysters, products labeled "for cooking" or "cooked" on the packaging must be cooked before consumption. If infected with norovirus, symptoms such as diarrhea, vomiting, abdominal pain, chills, and fever can appear after an incubation period of 12 to 48 hours. Because norovirus is sensitive to heat, it's safer to cook oysters in dishes like oyster soup, steamed oysters, or pancakes rather than eating them raw.

 

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I don't really eat raw oysters.

So things like steamed dishes, rice, soup, etc.

I like it so much.

I can't eat raw oysters because of their peculiar smell.

 

Oysters are a norovirus so you have to be careful.

It's safer to eat cooked.