“As I ate the oysters with their strong taste of the sea…I lost the empty feeling and began to be happy and to make plans.”
-Ernest Hemingway
An Oyster’s Environmental impact
Oysters have been on Earth for millions of years and on our dinner plates for an estimated 164,000 years! A single oyster can filter 50 or more gallons of water a day, helping clean the bays where they live and creating healthier habitats for their aquatic neighbors. Once considered the common man's food, oysters were overharvested in the early 1900s, leading to a major decline in wild populations. Thankfully, advances in oyster farming and restoration efforts have helped turn the tide. In fact, oysters have been used in marine habitat restoration projects since the 1950s. Every oyster you enjoy helps support the farms and ecosystems working to keep our coastal waters thriving. Oysters are proof that sometimes doing something good for the planet can also be delicious!
Oysters may be small, but they pack a nutritional punch unlike many other foods. Each briny bite is filled with protein, zinc, iron, vitamin B12, and omega-3s. Here’s some of our favorite ways to enjoy oysters to maximize their nutritional value: as a post-workout snack to lock in the gains, before a night out drinking in Logan Square to boost our energy, and when we’re just starting to feel a little sick to give our immune system a jump start. Oysters are proof that good things come in small shells!
An Oyster’s Nutritional Value
Just like wine has terroir, oysters have merroir…the unique combination of water, climate, salinity, and farming method that shapes their look and taste. While there are five main species of oysters that we eat in the US, even two oysters of the same species can taste completely different depending on the merroir. East vs West Coast oysters is the classic debate amongst US oyster eaters. East Coast oysters are typically known for their brininess, crisp minerality, and clean finish (like sipping some fresh ocean water). West Coast oysters, on the other hand, tend to be sweeter and creamier, usually with notes of cucumber and maybe even butter. Order a half dozen of each and decide for yourself which coast you prefer!
An Oyster’s Taste
