Shucking the Secret : Are Oysters Good for You?

Are oysters good for you? Discover the health benefits of oysters while savouring their natural goodness paired with an effortless oyster rosé dressing. Ignite your culinary passion with this delectable combination. ​Oysters are loaded with zinc, a mineral that helps the body make testosterone which is important for libido function. You can eat oysters or take a zinc tablet – I know what I would rather do! Try the easy oyster rosé dressing in the recipe below and decide for yourself.

Are oysters good for You?

It seems oysters are a polarising dish.  You either love them or hate them, and there’s nothing in between. I dream about sitting at a white cloth-covered table in the middle of the ocean, enjoying oysters freshly pulled from the ocean and shucked in front of me. I don’t care if oysters are good for me, I love eating them anyway.

Please don’t offer me oysters covered in cheesy sauce or doused in anything to do with chilli or garlic. Why would anyone do that? However, oysters Kilpatrick are an old favourite.

My best oyster moment was in Grand Central Oyster Bar at Grand Central Terminal, New York. They claim to serve the freshest oysters and seafood in New York and have been doing that for over 100 years. Their daily menu has over 20 oysters from which to choose, but the one that caught my eye was called Ride a Naked Cowboy. When I asked the waitress whether I would like the taste of that oyster, she replied in a broad Southern accent, “Honey, who doesn’t like to ride a naked cowboy?”

In Australia, my oyster dreams came true at a small caravan on Bruny Island, Tasmania.  I’m told Get Shucked has changed, but I’m willing to make the journey again.  The oysters on this Tasmanian Seafood Cruise were fabulous, and I recommend it for all seafood lovers.  You’ll also be inspired by my ultimate oyster road trip down Tasmania’s east coast.

Closer to home, I’ll take a Champagne and Oyster Cruise on Moreton Bay any day. You can get your oysters fresh and local at the Stradbroke Island Oyster Festival.

​10 things you didn’t know about oysters and why oysters are good for you

1. Don’t use a fork to eat an oyster! Pick up the shell and slurp it from the wide end.  Make sure you chew it a little to release the flavour in your mouth. Some say the proper way is just to let the oyster slide down your throat, but that’s just a waste and a bad urban legend.
2. Even though they are the same species, Moreton Bay Rock Oysters are different to Sydney Rock Oysters because the flavour comes from the waters in which the oysters grow. Experts describe Moreton Bay oysters as salty with a sweet aftertaste.  They say this is due to the high-quality water of Moreton Bay, where there is no rainfall runoff.
3. Oysters are grown from spat (nothing to do with spit) and normally take six months to reach 25 to 30 mm wide.
4. Spring is a great time to enjoy oysters as they are nice and plump, while in warm summer weather, oysters spawn, giving them a creamy taste.
5. Will eating oysters improve your sex life?  Oysters are loaded with zinc, a mineral that helps the body make testosterone, which is important for libido function. You can eat oysters or take a zinc tablet – I know what I would rather do!
6. Oysters often start out as males and end up as females.
7. Recycle your oyster shells in the garden because they are full of calcium, which will make your garden grow. First, ensure no meaty bits are left, or that will create a smelly problem.  Pounding them up a bit might help too!
8. Do not eat oysters that have been sitting in the sun. Seafood is always touchy, and oysters are no different.  Keep them cold and eat them fresh.
9. Oysters filter up to 200 litres of water a day.  That’s why you want to eat oysters that are grown in pure, clean waters.
10. People have been eating oysters since prehistoric times. During the Roman Empire, they also worked out how to cultivate them.

While I’m saving up to enjoy an oyster farm experience, take a look at the oyster rosé dressing developed by cook, food stylist and Great Australian Bake Off winner Sian Redgrave for Cellarmasters.