New Zealand greenshell mussels or ‘Kutai’ deserve their global acclaim. A valued food source since initial human occupation 800 years ago, coastal Māori also used their shells for cutting hair and for scraping flax leaves.
Forget paleo – greenshell mussels belong to a genus which is ‘cretaceous’. The oldest greenshell mussel fossil found is approximately five million years old. Unique to New Zealand waters, greenshells are a biological marvel. Mussels filter feed upon the rich phyto plankton in cold seawater.
Omega oils combat inflammation in the body and promote joint, brain and heart health. Omega oils also improve emotional well-being. Greenshells contain the two Omega 3 oils (DHA/EPA) in the highest quantity of any shellfish on earth. They also contain another 30 essential fatty acids not in fish, which is why mussel oil commands a huge premium over regular fish oil on the nutraceutical market.
