Eating a Paleo diet is all about consuming nutrient-dense foods. There are a few reasons that we avoid grains, but one of the big reasons is that they are extremely nutrient deficient. Have you ever heard of someone suffering from a grain deficiency? Me neither.
Nutritional Benefits of Oysters
Oysters are at the other end of the spectrum, among the most nutritious foods you can find. Any time you consume an animal in it’s entirety, you can be sure that you’re getting just about all of the nutrients you can. You may have to pry that shell open, but it’s well worth the effort. These slimy little shellfish are packed with zinc, iron calcium, selenium, vitamins A and B. To get the most nutritional benefit from your oysters, they are best eaten raw. No, going Paleo does not mean you have to become a raw foodie, but sometimes there is crossover between the two.
An Effective Aphrodisiac?
Oysters are commonly thought to be an aphrodisiac and there may actually be evidence to back up that claim. Oysters are rich in certain amino acids that trigger increased levels of sex hormones. Also, the zinc found in oysters aids in the production of testosterone.
Mark Sisson has a whole post on why we should be eating our shellfish.