I went to my local fish market and picked up some east coast Blue Point Oysters on the half shell. They have already been shucked and then frozen. I have never had oysters before, as far as I know. But theres one reason I decided to seek some out and try to add them to my diet.
Its their iron content. More specifically the amount of Heme Iron inside these shellfish.
Source: sheilakealey.com
There is two types of iron, Heme and Non-Heme. The later is harder to digest and not as bio-available. So trying to find heme iron sources is preferable.
Source: sheilakealey.com
Oysters are at the top of the list for their heme iron sources. So I figured I could buy a dozen of them and try out cooking with them.
But why do I want more iron in my diet? I deal with restless leg syndrome, and can make sitting still or going to bed real difficult. I also have tourettes. Both of those conditions from what ive read can be made worse with low iron in the body. And after tracking my diet I find myself not getting the needed amount every day.
So here I am looking at these shellfish, never eating them before. But hoping eating some daily will help with my issues I am dealing with.
Hah, well I have found some soup recipes that sound real good. Looking forward to trying them. @activate.alpha told me about how she tried grilled ones and they did not taste all that great to her. So I think trying them in a soup for the first time would be a good idea.
My plan is to follow a guide online, maybe use cashew milk instead of half and half like most oyster soups call for. Looks like ill be making a rue and adding spices and the "oysters liquor" into the mix. Thats the juice from the shells they rest in. Not sure if I am supposed to chop up the oysters. So I may watch some videos as well to get a better idea on how to make.
Maybe if I like the soup alot, ill try grilling them next. Figured I could make them in multiple ways if I like them, to supplement iron into my diet. Clams have alot of iron as well so I may find some of those. Liver and organ meat also have high iron content but I do not care for the ones ive tried. So hoping shellfish are something ill like, shrimp is the only kind of shellfish ive tried.
Looks real good, now I got to thaw them out and try making some of my own. Hope i am not allergic to shellfish, though never had a reaction to shrimp so I think ill be fine. I have this weird fear of biting into one and finding a pearl inside. Like biting into a olive with the seed inside. Well theres only a 1 in 10,000 chance of that. And I think the fish processor that did the shucking probably would have noticed a pearl and took it out for themselves? hah...
If anyone has suggestions on how to cook them I would appreciate feedback. In the mean time ill try out that soup recipe.
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