Oysters

There are many different types of oysters; their briny, flavorful meat is considered a delicacy worldwide. There are many ways to prepare oysters. It is best to keep and serve them as fresh as possible; especially when consuming raw. If the raw oysters are not pleasant to the palet oysters are also delicious cooked.

I found a bunch of exciting information when researching the current literature surrounding oysters. Oysters are saltwater bivalve mollusks that live in marine habitats such as bays and oceans; they filter pollutants out of the water and provide habitats for other species.

Oysters are low in calories yet loaded with nutrients, including protein, healthy fats, vitamins, and minerals. A 3.5-ounce serving provides over 100% of the RDI for vitamin B12, zinc, and copper, and over 75% of your daily needs for selenium and vitamin D. They also a good source of omega-3 fatty acids. (1) Aside from being packed with beneficial nutrients like vitamins, oysters also contain a recently discovered, unique antioxidant called 3,5-Dihydroxy-4-methoxybenzyl alcohol (DHMBA).

DHMBA is a phenolic compound that exhibits powerful antioxidant effects. A test-tube study showed that it was 15 times more potent in fighting oxidative stress than Trolox, a synthetic form of vitamin E commonly used to prevent damage caused by oxidative stress. (2)

An article I found discusses DHMBA from oyster derivatives. In this study, the antioxidant, and hepatoprotective properties of 3,5-dihydroxy-4-methoxybenzyl alcohol, isolated from the Pacific oyster, were defined using cultured human hepatocyte-derived cells. It is concluded that DHMBA has powerful cytoprotective activities against cell death using the established cell line under normoxic conditions. The concentration of DHMBA was determined to be 24.4 μmol/kg wet oyster meat. During this study, three polyphenols, gentisic acid, daidzein, and matairesinol, were newly identified in the oyster extracts. (3) Scientists are hopeful that DHMBA may be useful in preventing or treating liver diseases in the future, but research is limited to test-tube studies at this time. DHMBA is a candidate antioxidant for the protection of the liver against reactive oxygen species. DHMBA serves as an effective antioxidant in cells, has low cytotoxicity, and is quickly eliminated from cells because of its hydrophilicity. Metabolic pathways, safety, and clinical usefulness remain to be studied. (4)

Here are some videos that have deepened my understanding of oysters, their harvesting practices, and how to prepare them.

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References:

1. Swanson D, Block R, Mousa SA. Omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA: health benefits throughout life. Adv Nutr. 2012;3(1):1-7. doi:10.3945/an.111.000893

2. Villuendas-Rey Y, Alvarez-Idaboy JR, Galano A. Assessing the Protective Activity of a Recently Discovered Phenolic Compound against Oxidative Stress Using Computational Chemistry. J Chem Inf Model. 2015;55(12):2552-2561. doi:10.1021/acs.jcim.5b00513

3. Fuda H, Watanabe M, Hui SP, et al. Anti-apoptotic effects of novel phenolic antioxidant isolated from the Pacific oyster (Crassostrea gigas) on cultured human hepatocytes under oxidative stress. Food Chem. 2015;176:226-233. doi:10.1016/j.foodchem.2014.12.066

4. Watanabe M, Fuda H, Jin S, et al. A phenolic antioxidant from the Pacific oyster (Crassostrea gigas) inhibits oxidation of cultured human hepatocytes mediated by diphenyl-1-pyrenylphosphine. Food Chem. 2012;134(4):2086-2089. doi:10.1016/j.foodchem.2012.04.001References: