about mussels
Did You Know?
Did you Know?
- That PEI and NS fresh blue cultured mussels are a ‘power food’? Not only are they a healthy choice for you and your family, but they are also harvested with a concern for the environment.
- That mussels have more iron and Vitamin B12 than beef? Now that’s really saying something!
- That fresh blue mussels are gluten free?
- That an average serving of mussels has 18g of protein?
- The mussels are an excellent source of iron? A factor in red blood cell formation. An average serving of mussels has 5mg of iron!
- That mussels have 9 times the amount of B12 found in Halibut?!
- That the recipe, Citrus Honey Mussel Salad is a healthy alternative for an entree, full of protein, delicious and kid friendly?! Try it at home!
Myth Busters
- Myth: You should only eat mussels in months with the letter “R” – Mussels are delicious and nutritious every day of the week, 365 days a year!
- Mussels have gone bad if they are open before cooking – Mussels that are open before cooking are most likely still alive. Give them a tap either with your finger or on the side of a bowl and wait for the shell to close up. If the shell does not close after taping, then discard them.
- Myth: You should throw away any mussel that does not open after being cooked – It takes around 5-7 minutes, covered (no peeking!), for an average serving of mussels to be fully cooked. Try to time your mussels when you’re cooking to ensure they are all fully open and cooked!
- Mussels smell fishy! – Mussels are supposed to have a fresh clean smell, just like the ocean. If your mussels smell really fishy, that means they have gone bad!
Fun Facts
- Mussels are filter feeders and filter 0.5 to 1.25 gallons of water every hour!
- Mussels are an aphrodisiac! An average serving contains 2mg of zinc that is helpful in releasing hormones in males ;)
- Mussels can actually live up to be 50 years old! But the cultivated ones are harvested around 12 -18+ months
- It takes 11,000 acres of mussel leases to grow 45 million pounds of mussels
- Mussel meat is gender specific. The female mussels are orange/pink while the male’s mussel meat is almost white
