It’s our very own superfood.
High in protein, low in fat and rich in essential oils, vitamins and minerals – the Greenshell Mussel’s super power is that it’s good for you for just about everything.
From relieving arthritis, to maintaining brain health to alleviating PMS, the humble Greenshell has a list of natural health bene ts as long as your arm.
It’s so good for you, that Omega Seafood’s marketing manager Johanna O’Connell is encouraging industry to sell it as such – our very own Superfood.
“New Zealand Greenshell Mussels need to get more traction from their rare nutritional properties,” she said.
“It’s a 100 per cent natural Superfood and it should be marketed that way. But it needs the whole industry to get behind it.
“New Zealand has a unique opportunity. It’s a seafood that only grows in our waters, it’s amazingly good for you and I don’t believe we’re getting the leverage o. it.”
There’s no doubt a title like ‘Superfood’ would be a great selling point, but is it a claim backed by science?
In his report for Aquaculture New Zealand, food scientist Grant MacDonald analysed the nutritional components of Greenshell Mussels and concluded they are a high protein, low fat, low calorie food rich in omega-3s, iron, iodine, selenium, manganese and niacin and contain a host of other vitamins and minerals.
“There’s not many foods that have all those properties,” Dr MacDonald said.
Dr MacDonald said the wide range of nutrients gave the mussel a host of applications including: being a recovery food for athletes, providing relief from arthritis, maintaining brain health and helping anaemics overcome iron deficiency these combine to make a compelling marketing case.
“Selling these messages can only have a positive effect,” Johanna said.
“We’ve got a unique product, unique to our growing conditions in an aquaculture industry renowned as the cleanest in the world – it would be really easy to position it as a Superfood and build further on the 100 per cent Pure brand.
“It’s almost 100 per cent pure luck (that New Zealand alone can produce it) but we need to take advantage of it.”