An Ostreaphile's Journey

I have decided to take on a new challenge: to become an oyster connoisseur. I have enjoyed these delicacies for too long without understanding. It's time to get to know them on a deeper level. I suppose my curiosity started to bubble up when the subject arose during brunch with my college buddies, D and R. D also loves oysters, but she's afraid of the health consequences. Don't they have a lot of cholesterol? Aren't they kind of bad for you? I thought about the 24 Malpeques that I gobbled up a few days prior and wondered the same. So I decided to do a bit of research (aka Google).

As it turns out, oysters are not only low in cholesterol, but they are very high in vitamins, minerals, and omega-3 fatty acids. To quote the new book that I'm reading, A Geography of Oysters: The Connoisseur's Guide to Oyster Eating in North America:

People used to think all shellfish were high in cholesterol. Now, with better technology for distinguishing cholesterol from other, healthy sterols, we know that only shrimp and squid are high in cholesterol. Oysters, in fact, are astoundingly healthy foods. Nature's multivitamins, they boast an unmatched suite of minerals, vitamins, and omega-3 fatty acids. They are high in protein but low in saturated fat. And, with only about 10 calories per oyster, you'll go broke eating them long before you gain a pound. Consider that you burn almost as many calories shucking oysters as you get from consuming them, they may be the perfect diet food. - Rowan Jacobsen, Author

Perfect. Nothing (well, maybe except for my wallet) is going to stop me now! And by the way, an ostreaphile is an oyster lover (me). And the photo at the top is the amazing platter of oysters (6 types) from the Hog Island Oyster Co. in San Francisco.

UPDATE: I have decided to plunge into the subject, mouth first. Check out my blog DEDICATED to oysters: In A Half Shell.