ABOUT OYSTERS

Hokitika Guardian, 27 December 1928, Page 2

ABOUT OYSTERS

(Hy SIB W. ABRUTHNOT LANK, BAHT.)

THEIR FOOD VALUE

LONDON, November o

On being asked ifor an article 01. oysters, 1 secured the following intor matinii from one of the scientific ad visors of the New Health Society: In the first place, it is necessary t destroy certain illusions. Contrary tc file generally accepted opinion, tin nutritive value of oysters is not extraordinarily high. Analysis shows that about seven o-'glii.bs of the total weight o*l an oyster •i.'isisls of water, which may not even be clean water if the oyster lied i; situated in the vicinity of sewage eiilueni. In most eases, however, pre cautions are taken to avoid the dangei of Kimli contamination, and outbreaks of typhoid 'lever due to eating oyster; are now comparatively rare. Careful experiments have shown tlnr typhoid bacilli, which can be picked u] !'r *in sewage bv oysters and held in an aitive condition for several days, can lie washed out by steady currents o" salt water, such as are found in pro perly planned oyster beds. HOW TO EAT THEM.

Of the remaining otic-eighth part o solid matter, roughly one-luilf, or one sixteenth of the original weight of the oyster, consists of nitrogenous sub stances. Bart of these lire proteins oi llcsli-formiiig material, part are de gradation products of the proteins compounds of lower nutritive value. As a source of protein, however, oysters are surpassed bv other kinds ol fish 'notably herrings, eels, cod, and bad deck) as well as, of course, by most meals and dairy products. Al ter making these rather derogatory remarks, it, is only fair to consider the other side of the ease. While the actual food value of oysters is not high, the constituents which arc present are readily digested, provided that (lie usual custom be adopted and the oysters eaten raw, and no ali-oho' be taken. It lias been found that the stomach can entirely dispose of a reasonable amount of oysters in less than two hours, or little more than half the time taken to deal with an average meal. ’Phis rapid digestibility is due C the fact that the carbohydrate in oysters is present in the relatively simple form of glycogen, the same compound as is found in tho human liver and muscles.

In eases of dyspepsia, where the digestion of starch presents a difficulty, glycogen (obtained either from oysters or other shellfish, or from liver or fron veast) may be a very valuable food

constituent. - About one-thirtieth o*f the total weight of an oyster consists ol glycogen.

It may be advisable to add a word ol warning in regard to the use of oysters by diabetic patients. While fish foous in general contain practically no carbohydrate, and are therefore acceptable

articles of diet, oysters, by reason on tneir glycogen, must only lie taken by diabetics with caution, under the directions oi the medical adviser. Since oysters are eaten raw, they contain the salts which are so otten removed from other food in the processes of cooking. The vitamin content oi oysters, so far as is known, is of little importance. Scientific investigation broadly confirms the generally accepted view that the chief value of oysters lies in their palatability and ready digestibility.