Households urged to eat oysters this winter for important reason

October is arriving and with it come the onslaught of coughs, colds, flu and even Covid, all making a lovely mix of winter viruses ready to take us out of action as the weather turns.

That's why health experts are urging people to make changes to their diet to help protect against colds and viruses naturally. And one unusual dietary change involves eating oysters.

The reason is that oysters are rich in zinc, a vitamin which not only boosts your immune system before you catch something but can also help to reduce the length of time you're unwell when you do get a bug.

And one of the most abundant food sources of zinc is oysters. If you can't stomach an oyster, then other shellfish like crab and sardines also contain zinc, albeit in lower quantities.

Pharmacist Boots says on its guidance about vitamins: "Keeping your immune system as strong and healthy as possible is the best way to help your body fight off any bugs you might come into contact with.

"Eating a varied, balanced diet with plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables is one of the best ways to help support your immune system.

"Zinc contributes to the normal function of the immune system."

But your body does not produce zinc naturally, so you need to get zinc from your food, or take a supplement. Although you can find zinc in some plant based foods like oats and peanuts, they're in a much lower quantity.

Health Direct, an Australian health website, says: "Zinc is found in many foods. Your body can absorb zinc better from animal-based foods, rather than plant-based foods.

"The best source of zinc is oysters, but red meat and poultry are also good options."

Health Direct says oysters contain 15mg of zinc in a 90g serving, while crab contains 6mg of zinc per 100g.

By comparison, 120g of oats contains just 3mg of zinc, while peanuts have 0.9mg.