It’s very likely that you found this article because someone near and dear to you told you about how well they feel after consuming “Green Lipped Mussel“.  Say what?  I had never heard of the stuff either until a friend of my wife was visiting.  I was quietly minding my own business, banging away on my Macbook, when I heard the magic words.  “Suddenly my arthritis pain was gone” is what this lady told my wife.

My wife is a dog trainer and this lady is a client – learning to handle her dogs.  Now my ears are focused and I wanted to know more.  I’ve spend most of my life dealing with alternative health and wellness therapies.  I wanted to know all  about this green lipped mussel.

Green Lipped Mussel – Here is what I’ve learned so far.  Green Lipped Mussel is really a miracle food? In case you don’t know this, green lipped mussels are a type of shellfish which are found only on the shores of New Zealand. They owe their name to their appearance-the edges of their two shells (where they meet when they are closed together) have a green color thus giving them the visual resemblance of green lips.

These shellfish actually caught the attention of the medical community when they studied the life of the Maoris – the indigenous people of New Zealand. What was striking about them was that, even elderly people over seventy years old, were still able to move around and do demanding physical activity like mountain climbing, with impressive agility, displaying no symptoms of arthritis.  That said, I played rugby against the New Zealanders in my youth and they were all tough as nails.  So maybe its just genetics?

After considerable research, it was concluded that the secret of their amazing youthfulness most probably was attributed to their nutrition-specifically to the green lipped mussels that were a big part of their daily diets.

In light of this discovery and corresponding superior health benefits, green lipped mussels have been labeled by many marketers as being “miracle food”, the reasoning being that it is currently one of the most whole complete foods known to man.

In addition,  the mineral salts that are found in this type of mussel have a striking resemblance to the mineral composition of the human body.

During the last few decades and after the results of more thorough research in terms of their nutritional value have been known to the public, green lipped mussels have become increasingly popular.

The local people prefer to take advantage of the health benefits that they have to offer in many different ways: Some buy them either frozen or marinated and cook them because they like their taste, while others  include them in their diet in supplement form, either in oil or powder form in capsules or soft gels.

However, there is a caveat here, which you should definitely take note of: While they can be quite a delicious food when taken on their own, the sad reality is that green lipped mussels don’t retain their nutritional value once they are cooked or even frozen.

Therefore, if you are interested more in their health rather their culinary value, then you should eat them either raw or take them in a supplement form. Of course, as you realize, since eating them raw is not a very attractive or practical option, then what you should really do is dig into more information about your options regarding supplementation.

I will be testing the efficacy of this product with family and friends over the next six months or so.  Stay tuned for more information and feedback as the results come in.

In the meantime, if you want to try them for yourself, here’s a link to where we get ours.