Did you ever wish that Gulf oysters would give something other than a pearl? I know I wouldn’t mind if they would give me some cold hard cash. That would be extremely nice. I’d even take loose change. Instead of a money tree, I could have my own oyster farm. That sounds nice, doesn’t it? I could use that money to fix my leaky basement!

On a more serious note, if you want to learn more about what oysters really do and have (like pearls), you should check out Be Oyster Aware. For example, I learned that oysters are an excellent source of zinc, vitamin B-12, and omega-3 fatty acids. It almost makes me want to try them. They even have a list of oyster recipes!

The site is actually a really good source for information regarding Vibrio vulnificus. Healthy people don’t get this illness. However, if you are an at risk person, you could. How do you know if you are at risk? If you have liver disease, iron overload disease, diabetes, cancer, stomach disorders, or any illness or medical condition that weakens the body’s immune system, you are considered at risk and you should not eat raw oysters. I had no idea that this was even an issue for people, so I am glad to see there are sites out there warning people at risk. I found it extremely informative.