9 Things You Probably Didn't Know About Oysters

We bet you love eating oysters if you are here and reading this. They are a favorite of many, but many people can't stand them. The specific taste and slimy texture are not for everyone. But those who love them can't imagine their life without ever eating oysters.    So, what do you know about them? Do you know what types of oysters are there, or why do oysters make pearls? If you're interested to learn about these and other interesting facts, don't go anywhere.   

What Is an Oyster? 

If you are an oyster enthusiast, you know what it is, how it looks, and how you should eat it. But for those who ended up here, never encountered oysters, and never had a chance to try their specific taste, we will talk a bit about them.   Oysters are salt-water bivalve mollusks or, simply said, shellfish. These creatures have specific shells that are highly calcified and often irregularly shaped. In fact, an oyster is a common name for many different shellfish families.   Oysters are known as a delicacy, and many hedonists love to enjoy their taste combined with alcoholic drinks. Often, they are served raw as appetizers and combined with simple ingredients.  But there are many recipes where oysters are used, simple ones, and ones a bit more complicated.  Some oysters make pearls, and if you want to know why oysters make pearls, you'll have to continue reading.  

Interesting Facts About Oysters 

There are many interesting facts about oysters, but we collected those you probably didn't know. We hope that you'll enjoy them, and learn something new.  

• Oysters Are Healthy   

Oysters are full of zinc, and they are excellent immune system boosters. They're good for your bones, and they'll help them grow and be more robust. Oysters are perfect if you need an energy boost and something that will make you feel good. Some researchers suggest that they're also good for fighting acne.   

• Oysters Are Aphrodisiacs   

You've presumably already discovered this, but we had to add it to our list. Due to a high amount of unique amino acids eating oysters will boost your sexual desire, and because of that, they are considered aphrodisiacs.   

• Different Types of Oysters   

There are five different types of oysters in general, or to be precise, five different species. And among those five, there are certainly over a hundred varieties. The main different types are the European Flat Oyster, Olympia Oyster, Atlantic Oyster, Pacific Oyster, and Kumamoto Oyster. Their names represent the water they're from, but they also look very different. European type has a large shell with fine ridges, Olympia type has a smooth and round shell. The Atlantic type is large and has a shell looking like a teardrop. Pacific type is smaller, just like Kumamoto, but the Pacific one has a wavy shell, and the Kumamoto a rounder shape.   4.

• Oysters Are Good Cleaners  

Oysters filter out the water they grow in, and one tiny oyster can filter around 40 gallons of water every day. Yes, you've read that right. Thinking about it, we must conclude that oysters are of great importance for the water they grow in and for the environment.   

• Oysters Help Plants  

Did you know that you can use oyster shells in your garden? The oyster shell is full of calcium, essential for flowers and plants because it improves the soil's PH balance and adds plenty of nutrients. Save the shells if you love eating oysters at home and have your loving plants that need fertilizing. Please don't throw the shells away; you can crush them until you get a fine powder and add it to the soil of your plants.   

• Oysters Make Pearls  

Oysters indeed make precious pearls. But we must disappoint you because the ones we usually eat don't make them. Edible oysters are don't produce pearls, and you won't find a pearl in your oyster while eating your dinner, no matter how much you've wanted. The type that produces pearls is from a different family than the ones we eat, and they are often found deeper in the ocean. You can find them near the surface, like edible oysters. And if you want to know why oysters make pearls, there's a simple explanation. It's their natural defense mechanism against any intruders, like parasites or even dirt. They are protecting their delicate body by producing something outstanding.   

• Winter Is Oyster Season  

A true oyster lover will know that oysters taste the best in winter. There's even a saying that you shouldn't eat oysters in months that don't contain a letter R. Those months are when the temperature is higher, and preparing and keeping oysters fresh in those months is harder. Also, the oyster will taste watery and bland in the summer months. The months that contain an R letter are colder months when oysters blossom and taste the best. 

• New York City Was the Capital of Oysters   

If you wanted to eat live oysters, you had to go to New York. Okay, you didn't have to go, but if you wanted a delicious oyster, that was the place to find it. Manhattan island was covered in oyster beds when the Dutch first came there in the 17th century. As more people came to NYC, the more oysters became popular. People loved them, and they were at every corner. You could even get raw oysters as fast food from the street vendors. How cool is that? But if you wanted to go to a restaurant, you could go to an oyster saloon. In those saloons, you could eat a raw oyster and other dishes containing them, like stews, fried or roasted oysters, and oysters served in butter. Today, the story is a bit different. New York is not where it used to be, at least regarding oysters. The crazy demand destroyed massive oyster beds that once made NYC the capital of oysters. Maybe New York will again have that title one day, but it stays in the past for now.   

• Americans First Started Pairing Oysters With Alcohol  

Interestingly, people first tried pairing spirits with oysters in old New York oyster taverns in the 19th century. Then it was absinth in New Orleans, and now people pair them with a dirty martini or fin gimlet. In America, it's not typical to pair oysters with Champagne or any other fancy drink. Hard liquor is the way to go.    Now that you've learned a lot about oysters, you can call yourself a true oyster aficionado. And next time when you go out with your friends to eat oysters, you can impress them with your knowledge.    And if you want to experience the unique taste of this delicacy, book a reservation at Stubborn Seed for a fresh taste of the sea, combined with sake and herb oil.    Is there any other interesting fact that you know and that we didn't mention? We would love to know.