Long celebrated as an aphrodisiac, oysters may now have another reason to earn their place on a dinner menu — they could also help calm inflammation in your gut.
Chronic inflammation is a common thread linking many diseases, including cancer, type 2 diabetes, heart disease and inflammatory bowel disease.
It can be triggered by a condition often called ‘leaky gut,’ in which the intestinal barrier becomes more permeable, allowing bacteria and toxins to enter the bloodstream.
Maintaining a healthy gut barrier depends heavily on diet. Eating whole, nutrient-rich foods can strengthen it, while processed foods and sugar can weaken it.
To test whether oysters could help, the researchers analyzed the nutritional makeup of Pacific oyster soft tissue, cataloging its proteins, lipids, minerals, polyphenols and carotenoids.
