A Complete Guide About Oyster: Choosing, Knowing, & Enjoying Oysters

Whether you get it or not, oysters remain as one of the world’s most popular food loved by many. You’ve also probably heard a lot about this tasty, slimy and expensive seafood, but it’s time to get your facts straight. This is your complete guide to knowing, choosing, enjoying and all about oyster!

The first guide to understand about oyster

Oyster refers to the salt-water bivalve Mollusca that live in marine or brackish habitats. Its most renowned status is as an aphrodisiac although nothing has been scientifically proven about its ability to sexually excite the eater.

Still, oysters have a bunch of health benefits that you can enjoy for example :

Oysters contain more zinc than any other food, which is necessary for proper growth and development, strengthens the immune system and promotes healing.
Oysters are high in omega – 3 fatty acids, potassium and magnesium which can help reduce your risk of heart attack, stroke and lower blood pressure.
Oysters are low in calories, low in fat and a good source of protein which makes you feel fuller after eating.
Oysters are a good source of other essential nutrients, including vitamins A, E, and C, zinc, iron, calcium, selenium, and vitamin B12.
Oysters can help improve your energy as they are a good source of iron.
Oysters can help lower your cholesterol. A study done by the University of Washington found that eating oysters can help raise the HDLs (good cholesterol levels) and lower the LDL’s (bad cholesterol levels).

Common types of oysters

Oyster Japan (12pcs) Frozen

The fresh hard-shelled creatures can be divided into 5 common types below :

Pacific Oysters (Crassostrea gigas): The Pacific Oysters are the world’s most cultivated oysters with small size but has a creamy and sweet taste.
Kumamoto Oysters (Crassostrea sikamea): Mostly cultivated in Japan and the West Coast, this is the perfect oysters for beginners with its deep-cup, smaller meat, and sweet taste.
Atlantic Oysters (Crassostrea virginicas): 85% of this type is harvested in North America with larger features then the other. Has a slight metallic aftertaste.
European Flats (Ostrea edulis): Native to Europe, this type has a unique taste that is rich and extremely flavourful compared to the other types.
Olympia Oysters (Ostrea lurida): The least common type nowadays as it’s nearly extinct. Tiny in size.

How to safely select oysters

Oysters should smell briny-fresh, and look bright and clean.
Inspect the meat. It should be plump and glossy, not dry or cloudy.
The shells should be tightly closed so that you can’t pull them apart, or should close tightly when tapped.
Always buy oysters with closed shells. Also avoid shells that sound hollow or have damage.

Enjoying oysters: Raw VS Cooked

Oysters can be eaten either raw or cooked. This all boils down to preference, because some people refuse to eat them raw for fear of contamination or bacterial infection.

This can be avoided by selecting fresh quality oysters, and making sure that your body has good immune prior to eating oysters. More importantly, it’s a bad idea to get oysters from a source you don’t trust.

If you plan to eat oysters raw, here are a few tips :

Forget the fork! Shuck directly from the shells to fully enjoy its freshness.
Prepare some slices of lemon, just a few drops can boost the brightness and its naturally delicious flavors.
Try pairing your oysters with wine, because it can enhance and draw out certain aspects of the oysters and vice versa.
To really taste the oysters, some chewing is recommended.

Now, for those who plan to cook oysters. One tip is to use plenty of fat such as butter since oysters themselves are very low in fat. Try adding some herbs and bacon for extra flavor. For your cooking ingredients, head over to LuxoFood today. Our fresh quality food awaits