I recently tried oysters for the very first time here in Toronto at Oyster Boy. The oysters were nothing less than amazing!
What I liked about this restaurant in particular was that they told you exactly where they got the oysters from, most of which (when I went) were from Prince Edward Island.
Not only are oysters delicious, they are also extremely high in the mineral zinc.
Per serving, oysters contain:
-33mg of zinc
-vitamin B12
-copper
-iron
-selenium
-omega 3s; 536mg EPA & 584mg DHA
Now, what exactly does zinc do and why do I need it?
Zinc has many purposes:
It works synergistically with vitamin A in vision that helps us sense light and sen nerve pulses to the brain.
Zinc is essential for testosterone and is important in sperm production.
It is a component of over 200 enzymes in the body.
Key for production/secretion of hormones in the thymus, crucial for immunity.
Important for protein synthesis, and cellular growth.
Helps liver metabolize alcohol as well as vitamin A
Deficiency is more common now due to soil depletion and food processing.
What happens if I am deficient in zinc?
Higher risk of infection.
Slow wound healing.
More susceptible to skin disorders.
Lower sense of taste and smell.
Enlarged prostate.
Can change the composition of sperm.
Lower sperm count.
Whats the best form of zinc to take?
When supplementing zinc, try to take the chelated version because zinc is best absorbed when bound to a protein.
BUT make sure you take it with food; because I can tell you through personal experience that it can cause nausea if you don't! haha
*always consult your doctor/practitioner before taking new supplements*
Or you can always get through zinc rich foods like oysters. SO good! Highly recommend
Leave comment below of what other topics you wanna hear about!
sources:
The Encyclopedia of Healing Foods - Michael Murray, Joseph Pizzorno, Lara Pizzorno
Staying Healthy with Nutrition - Elson M. Haas, Buck Levin
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