Ashley Hunter
Greene Publishing, Inc.
While you may not have them off from work or printed on your refrigerator calendar, hundreds of national holidays exist; several take place each day! Many of these holidays were created in jest, and others honor lesser known historical figures and public servants. Whether World UFO Day (July 2), Middle Children's Day (Aug. 12) or National Cream Filled Donut Day (Sept. 14), you can find a unique way to celebrate each day.
The term 'oyster' is used as a common name for a number of types of saltwater clams that live in marine or brackish waters. Around the world, people farm and eat oysters either cooked or raw, the latter being something of a delicacy. Oysters are also well-known for their ability to create pearls. While all oysters can make a pearl or a variation of a pearl, only certain species create the beautiful and valuable pearls that are often sold as jewelry or for adorning clothing. The most valuable pearls occur spontaneously in the wild, but are also extremely rare. Because of the demand for pearls, however, farmers can cultivate, or farm, their oysters to create pearls that, while less exotic, are still beautiful. All the same, only one out of every 10,000 oysters will produce a pearl.
All over the world, oysters are a cuisine enjoyed by a multitude of people. Countries such as Australia, Nambia, Brazil, Japan, Ireland, France, Scotland and, of course, the United States all consider oysters to be a delicious seafood course.
Aug. 5 is National Oyster Day.
Oysters are pretty amazing, and here are some inserting facts about these mussels:
Eating four oysters a day gives you a complete supply of copper iodine, iron, magnesium and zinc. They are also high in vitamins A, C, D and B-12. B-12 is known to help people lose weight and improve memory.
Greek mythology claims that the Goddess of Love, Aphrodite, emerged from the sea in an oyster shell.
Oyster farms improve the health of nearby waterways by eating algae, filtering out particulates and excess nutrients as well as creating a habitat for other organisms to thrive.
Oysters taste differently depending on where they are raised.
The Chinese were probably the first to raise oysters artificially in ponds and use their crushed shells in medicines.
The Guinness World Record for the most oysters eaten in three minutes is held by Norwegian Rune Naeri, who consumed 187 in that time bracket in 2003.
Oyster reefs are the single most imperiled marine habitat on Earth, with 85 to 90 percent of the wild reefs of oysters lost. The main culprit is destructive fishing practices and over-harvesting. Habitat loss and declining water quality also plays a factor.
While the origins of National Oyster Day have not been determined, there is a hash tag, #NationalOysterDay, for those who wish to share the ways they get involved with either conservation, or celebrating the oyster by creating an oyster dish on this national holiday.