I love oysters. The Kent Coast is one of the great places to find fresh, native oysters. I love their taste and texture. Knowing just how good they are for you is a bonus.
The Curious Oyster
Oysters have colourless blood and two kidneys which is why they can purify a cubic metre of water every hour, more than a Brita filter. Most oysters are bisexual, or alternating hermaphrodites, starting off as males and evolving into females. Note the sequence please. Others are intersexual. Eggs produced during the female stage are held in the gills while sperm in the water is ingested while the oysters filter feed. Yes! Non-binary does exist in nature!
Health Benefits
Oysters are a rich source of many vitamins and minerals, just 6 provides the full daily recommended dose of vitamin A, B1 (thiamine), B3 (niacin), C, and D, iron, copper, iodine, magnesium, calcium, zinc, manganese, phosphorus and selenium. It is their high concentration of this last which associates them with libido and also gives them powerful anti-cancer properties.
Oysters in Culture
The word “ostracise” means to banish, and comes from the Greek astrakeon, who used oyster shells to vote to banish unpopular citizens.
These are delicious Maldon (of Maldon salt fame) Native Oysters that I enjoyed during a brief respite from COVID lockdown with my Goddess along the sea wall in Margate. Bliss.
My question is this: do you swallow or do you chew?
Beyond Non-Binary 