Oysters For Acne: A Shellfull of Clear Skin?
Oysters have been part of the human diet since before we were fully human. In 2000 an international team of geologists working in East Africa discovered the remains of oysters said to be over 125,000 years old.
The scientists unearthed a treasure trove of stone tools like two-sided stone hand axes as well as flaked obsidian blades – all found at the same site as fossilised remains of oyster, crabs, as well as shrimp. The scientists dubbed the discovery “the planet’s first oyster bar”.
In relatively more recent history, Ancient Greeks used to serve oysters in wine as well as the Chinese used their crushed shells in medicines. The Romans were obsessed with oysters as well as imported them coming from all over the Mediterranean as well as European coastline, as well as King Henry IV of England used to stuff down 300 oysters as a mere appetiser.
Throughout which time oysters have been most revered as an aphrodisiac, not a remedy for skin ailments. nevertheless if only one food on earth could be branded a silver bullet against acne, I’d have to pick oysters. You see, oysters are by far the planet’s richest source of zinc, the single most important mineral for clearing acne.
The best source of zinc within the planet
In general, animal foods are the greatest sources of zinc. Am 8oz lamb steak contains 72% of the RDA as well as three boiled eggs contains 12%. Sunflower seeds as well as pumpkin seeds also contain decent amounts of zinc although the bioavailability can be not as high due to the phytic acid content. different shellfish are fairly high in zinc: 100 grams of crab contains 24% as well as shrimp contains 10%.
However, all those foods pale in comparison to the oyster. Per weight an oyster has over six times more zinc than any different proper food. The recommended daily allowance of zinc for both men as well as adults can be 15mg. For acne clearing purposes I recommend getting roughly 30mg per day. Here are the 5 richest food sources of zinc, per 0 calorie serving, on the planet:
Eastern oysters – 91mg.
Enriched bran flake cereal – 64mg.
Soy protein isolate – 60mg.
Multi-Grain Cheerios – 52mg.
Total Corn Flakes – 50mg
As you can see, the next best four zinc sources are all breakfast cereals, as well as the next 5 are as well. Not only do oysters beat them by a long shot for zinc content, nevertheless the zinc within the cereals will have a lower bioavailability due to, firstly, the zinc being a mineral added for required dietary fortification as well as probably the cheapest as well as poorest absorbed one the producer could find.
Secondly, the original zinc within the cereals will be bound with phytic acid. In my eBook Annihilate Your Acne we discussed how grain-based foods such as cereals may contain minerals like magnesium, nevertheless are useless because you cannot absorb them. Furthermore, cereals are destructive to your gut lining as well as are a serious inflammatory villain behind acne which you need to avoid.
The next best source of zinc after the breakfast cereals can be mineral fortified peanut butter, with 15mg. Then, beginning at 13mg as well as lower, you get the seeds as well as meats.
The fact can be which oysters reign supreme when This particular comes to zinc as well as they’re so untouchable which if they could they’d be laughing about This particular. nevertheless why can be zinc so great anyway?
In short, This particular’s the number one mineral for acne as well as This particular has been confirmed by several direct studies. One study gathered 332 acne patients as well as gave them a daily supplement of 30mg of zinc gluconate. After three months, the improvement was enormous; the average total pimple count had fallen by 49.8%. 31.2% of the patients had a reduction in acne of over two thirds or more.
A smaller study on 54 acne patients fed them either a daily zinc supplement or a placebo. After six weeks, the average amount of acne within the zinc group had fallen by 33%.
Finally, a Turkish study gathered 87 volunteers: 47 with acne as well as 40 without This particular. The two groups were divided as well as their blood zinc levels were tested. The scientists discovered which zinc deficiency was far more common within the acne group; 54.1% of acne patients had a deficiency compared to only 10% within the group without acne. The average zinc level was also substantially lower within the blood of acne patients. The scientists concluded: “we believe which… prescribing zinc supplement treatments for patients with low serum zinc levels may help increasing the success rate of acne treatment”.
Unlike vitamin A, which mainly acts by reducing sebum production, zinc can clear your skin in a myriad of ways. Zinc can…
- Lower chronic inflammation. Zinc can be known for preventing colds, nevertheless This particular also lowers overall immune system-induced bodily inflammation by increasing the immune system’s efficiency. Zinc keeps inflammation on a leash as well as hence prevents immune assaults on bacteria like p.acnes coming from becoming unnecessarily powerful (study). This particular study found which zinc can downregulate levels of NF-KappaB, an inflammatory switch which controls the Discharge of many pro-inflammatory chemicals behind acne.
- Increase antioxidant levels. This particular can be often said which zinc can be a “powerful antioxidant”, nevertheless which’s misleading; zinc can be actually a main ingredient in glutathione, the most powerful antioxidant which humans manufacture themselves.
- Enhancing vitamin A. Zinc can be needed to manufacture retinol-binding protein, which carries all vitamin A through the bloodstream as well as to the skin where This particular’s needed. More zinc hence equals less sebum as well as controlled keratin.
- Much more. There’s evidence which zinc can control stress hormone levels in humans, This particular could combat depression by providing the ingredients for serotonin (hence lowering stress hormones further), as well as zinc can be known to accelerate wound healing.
The massive zinc content of oysters can be seen in their storied reputation as an aphrodisiac. Testosterone can be the single most important hormone for sexual desire, libido, as well as health in general. Zinc can be the best studied mineral for boosting testosterone as well as can be often taken by bodybuilders for which purpose, as well as by older men looking to boost sexual function.
Meanwhile, Casanova, the famous lady’s man of the 1700s, was reported to eat 50 oysters for his breakfast. The aphrodisiac powers of oysters are real as well as zinc can be the main player.
Oysters are bursting with selenium too
Zinc isn’t the only mineral for which oysters are a stellar source. 100 grams of oysters contains 63.7mg of selenium, or 91% of the RDA. which’s again one of the best food sources.
Seafood such as salmon, shrimp, as well as crab can be generally stronger than meat for selenium as well as oysters are one of the better sources. They pale compared to 6 Brazil nuts with 774% of the RDA, nevertheless still, a meal of oysters can supply your entire daily allowance. Selenium can be another important mineral for acne, with one standout quality: This particular can be the main ingredient of the antioxidant glutathione. Many types of glutathione like GSH1 as well as GSH2 depend on selenium for their existence. Selenium has also been directly shown in studies to help acne.
Oysters are also a not bad source of a mineral which can be challenging to get enough of: magnesium.
Since the early 1900s, a whirlwind of factors have come together to rob magnesium coming from the diet of humans worldwide. Firstly, endless farming has robbed magnesium coming from the soils, so there simply isn’t as much left to be taken up into fruits as well as vegetables through their roots.
Secondly, farmers have become very depend on synthetic phosphorous fertilisers, rather than organic compost composed coming from a variety of plants as well as hence containing a variety of nutrition. The quantity of phosphorous in fruits as well as vegetables has increased nevertheless which of every different mineral has declined as well as magnesium has been the most severe. This particular’s which estimated which the magnesium content of collard greens has fallen by over 80% over the last few decades (coming from 57mg to 9mg).
There are very few stellar sources of magnesium. For example: a beef steak contains 10%, a banana contains 6%, strawberries contain 3%, as well as sweet potatoes contain 6%.
Therefore, even a moderately not bad source of magnesium can be useful today, as well as which’s what oysters deliver. 100 grams contain 14% of the daily magnesium requirement.
Magnesium does not affect acne directly, nevertheless This particular plays an extremely important role in several of the conditions which are notorious for causing This particular. Firstly, magnesium can be needed to manufacture neurotransmitters such as melatonin which are needed for efficient sleep; sleep deprivation can be a massive cause of acne. Secondly, magnesium regulates cellular signalling across the entire Centeng as well as can be thus needed for proper insulin sensitivity, as well as hence keeping insulin levels down.
Finally, magnesium can be another ingredient of glutathione. In fact, zinc, selenium as well as magnesium are all ingredients of glutathione. which makes oysters a stellar food for boosting glutathione as well as hence overall antioxidant levels, despite their ORAC score being nominally close to zero.
Oysters are also a great source of omega 3 fatty acids, which function similarly to zinc by constraining the entire immune system. Furthermore, they’re within the well absorbed EPA/DHA form as well as there are nearly no omega 6s to counteract their benefits.
Oysters also contain a tiny amount of vitamin A – 6% of the daily allowance. However, This particular can be a clear underestimate compared to say, a carrot, because the vitamin A can be in retinol form, which can be easier utilised by humans then the plant form, beta-carotene. Additionally, the massive zinc content of oysters will amplify the benefits coming from vitamin A massively by increasing retinol binding protein levels, hence doing oysters an excellent food for vitamin A.
Watch out for raw oysters!
You’ve probably heard the stories about deadly bacteria as well as viruses lurking within the shells of oysters as well as unfortunately, those stories have some truth to them.
A lot of people love the silky, slimy texture of a raw oyster as well as like to suck them straight out of the shell. Casanova was one such man as in his seduction games he reportedly liked to place a raw oyster in his woman’s mouth as well as suck This particular out the shell directly through her lips. Many gourmet chefs refuse to cook oysters at all.
Apparently you’re 100 times more likely to find a pearl in an oyster than get food poisoning. Nevertheless, some oysters contain a bacterium called Vibrio vulnificus, which occurs naturally in warm seawaters as well as, according to the American Academy of Family Physicians, can be the main cause of death related to eating seafood within the United States.
For people that has a weak immune system, V. vulnificus can cause severe symptoms such as chills, fever, septic shock as well as, in bad news for acne patients, blistering skin lesions. In fact, those with an especially compromised immune system have a 50% chance of dying coming from v. vulnificus, which can occur within just two days.
Between 1989 as well as 2000, the U.S. Food as well as Drug Administration (FDA) recorded 282 serious illnesses associated with consumption of raw oysters as well as clams containing the Vibrio vulnificus bacteria, thus averaging about 25 a year. V. vulnificus can be safer in healthy people nevertheless nevertheless, half of the cases recorded by the FDA resulted in death. Among the unhealthy, v. vulnificus can be more dangerous than salmonella, with an apparent mortality rate of 40%.
Because many US oysters are sourced coming from the Gulf of Mexico, many assume which v. vulnificus contamination can be a result of pollution, nevertheless which’s false. Vibrio vulnificus can be found in many waters approved for oyster as well as clam harvesting since This particular grows naturally in warm waters. V. vulnificus cannot be spotted that has a quality assessment; your nose can’t smell the disease like This particular could with rancid milk. V. vulnificus does not affect the appearance, taste, or odour of oysters or different seafood.
The danger continues today; within the summer of 2013, the number of reported v. vulnificus poisonings in Washington state, Connecticut, as well as Massachusetts doubled compared to 2012. There were 113 instances of poisoning which summer. The authorities in Connecticut as well as Massachusetts responded by shutting down some of the active commercial oysters beds in their states, with authorities in Virginia, completely new York as well as completely new Jersey following suit.
The threat remains real. Generally, oysters coming from the Gulf of Mexico are safer because v. vulnificus grows in warmer waters, nevertheless raw oysters are risky everywhere.
A guide to safely eating oysters
I don’t want to sound like a healthy as well as safety mad, take no risks obsessive here, nevertheless nevertheless, cooking oysters can be easily the smartest idea, unless you are willing to take the risk. Cooking can be the only effective way to neutralise any bacteria lurking in oyster shells. The not bad news can be which unlike with potatoes or broccoli or kale, cooking oysters will barely affect the nutritional quality because minerals such as zinc as well as selenium do not degrade with heat.
Hence, some cooking strategies for shucked oysters are as follows…
- Boil or Simmer for 3 minutes plus.
- Fry at 375 degrees F for 3 minutes plus.
- Broil 3 inches coming from heat for 3 minutes.
- Bake at 450 degrees F for 10 minutes
For shelled oysters, use these strategies…
- Cook live oysters in tiny pots in order to cook the middle thoroughly.
- Steaming: In an already steaming pot, cook live oysters for another 5 to 9 minutes.
- Boiling: After the shells open, boil live oysters for another 3 to 5 minutes.
If you truly love raw oysters, then the shellfish industry can be also working on various methods of wiping out v. vulnificus completely such as Post Harvest Processed (PHP) oysters. These shellfish have been frozen in special ways designed to give them lower levels of the bacteria when eaten raw.
However, oyster experts claim which they lack the traditionally silky texture of completely raw ones. If you’re an oyster maniac who wants the full raw experience, then your best option can be to take your health to the max. V. vulnificuscan be can be primarily a danger to people who already have weakened immune systems. Healthy people can usually battle away the infection within a couple days with only minor symptoms.
As for the source, a reputable fishmonger can be always superior. If you want them raw, then visit a restaurant known for serving top quality raw oysters. Again, oysters coming from cold waters such as Alaska are safer than those coming from warm waters like the Gulf of Mexico, nevertheless they too can contain v, vulnificus. You can get canned oysters nevertheless they often contain a carrier oil like sunflower oil which can be too high in omega 6 fatty acids, which cause acne via inflammation when consumed in excess. Fresh oysters are optimal, nevertheless frozen oysters are fine as well, since they can be stored for longer.
Like all seafood, many worry about contamination with the heavy metal mercury, which can be a toxic pollutant ruining on of the planet’s most acne-friendly food sources. Luckily, oysters are low on the food chain as well as don’t contain much mercury, as well as they have enough selenium to bind to the mercury as well as render This particular harmless within the Centeng.
As with any fish, there are concerns about hunting This particular to extinction, nevertheless a large proportion of oysters are farmed as well as have no such problems. Oyster farms do not leak toxic chemicals as well as pollutants like salmon farms. In fact, oysters help to clean up the ocean by removing bacteria as well as sediments coming from the water, doing the environment safer for different fish. Farmed oysters are not fed an unnatural diet of soy as well as corn, they are happy to attach to manmade farm frames within the ocean as well as continue to eat their usual flora coming from the ocean around them. They don’t live in fish prison swimming around in a confined space with tons of different fish.
Conclusion
If you’re a dietary purist who wants to get all his or her nutrients through food, then the solution to your acne-clearing zinc requirements can be clearly oysters.
Oysters actually contain so much zinc which you could overdose (as well as develop hair loss, blotchy sin, nausea, etc.) if you weren’t careful. The RDA can be 15mg as well as they contain 91mg per 100 grams. I recommend 30mg of zinc per day to clear acne. Therefore, a smart idea can be to eat a meal of oysters once a week, as well as continue to eat more low level zinc sources daily such as meat, eggs, as well as different fish.
Finally, oysters are also a terrific food if you’re an athlete or bodybuilder, since their massive zinc content can be terrific for boosting testosterone levels. This particular will also aid sexual function if which’s what you’re looking for, as well as furthermore, there are different compounds in oysters which bolster its famous aphrodisiac qualities.
A recent study found which oysters contain relatively rare, hormone inducing amino acids called D-aspartic acid (D-Asp) as well as N-methyl-D-aspartate. Apparently, previous studies had found which injecting those amino acids into rats had spiked their testosterone levels significantly.
So if you’re looking to become a lady’s man like Casanova then follow his lead with the oysters, as well as the clear skin will only be a Insentif.
NEXT: why zinc can be the most vital acne mineral
Thanks for reading!