Mussel
Mussel: Nutrition, History and Cooking Guide
The common mussel (Mytilus edulis) is one of the most important and widely farmed shellfish in the world, and one of the most sustainable animal proteins available by virtually any measure — mussels require no feed (they filter plankton from the water), improve water quality by filtering particulate matter, and can be farmed in dense quantities with minimal space and environmental impact. Mussels have been eaten in Britain since the Mesolithic period — shell middens along the British and Irish coastlines are among the oldest evidence of systematic shellfish harvesting. In France and Belgium, moules marinières — mussels steamed in white wine, shallots, and parsley — is one of the most beloved and replicated dishes in European cuisine. Belgium's national dish is effectively moules-frites: mussels with chips. In Spain, mejillones are served in seafood tapas across the country. In New Zealand, the green-lipped mussel (Perna canaliculus) is farmed extensively and has been studied for potential anti-inflammatory properties in its oil extract.
Nutritional Value of Mussels
Mussels provide 86 kcal and 11.9 g of protein per 100 g, with 2.2 g of fat. They are an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids (around 0.5–0.8 g EPA and DHA per 100 g), B12, iron, zinc, selenium, manganese, and folate. Their combination of omega-3, B12, and iron in a lean, sustainable, affordable package makes them nutritionally outstanding.
Health Benefits of Mussels
Mussels provide omega-3 fatty acids supporting cardiovascular and brain health alongside an exceptional B12 content important for neurological function. Their iron as haem iron is well absorbed and meaningful for iron status. Zinc supports immune function; selenium supports thyroid health. Mussels are also among the most sustainable animal proteins available — farmed mussels have a carbon footprint dramatically lower than any land animal protein and can even be carbon-negative in some calculations.
How to Select and Store Mussels
Live mussels should have tightly closed shells or close immediately when tapped. Discard any cracked or persistently open shells. Refrigerate in a bowl covered with a damp cloth — not submerged in fresh water, which kills them. Use within two days. Scrub the shells and remove the "beard" (byssal threads) just before cooking.
How to Cook Mussels
For moules marinières: sweat shallots and garlic in butter, add white wine, bring to a boil, add mussels, cover and cook over high heat for three to five minutes until all shells are open — shake the pot halfway through. Add parsley and cream if desired. Serve with crusty bread or chips. Discard any mussels that have not opened during cooking. Mussels also suit Thai-style preparations with coconut milk, lemongrass, and ginger.
Mussel in more detail
Mussels are the most nutritionally concentrated thing in this entire section and among the cheapest. They are also, by most measures, the lowest-impact animal protein available in Britain: rope-grown mussels need no feed, no fresh water and no fertiliser, filtering their food from the sea and improving water clarity as they do it.
The old rule about discarding mussels that do not open is worth restating correctly, because it is usually taught backwards. Before cooking, discard mussels that are open and do not close when tapped — those are dead. After cooking, a mussel that has not opened is usually just one whose adductor muscle held; it is not automatically unsafe, though most cooks discard them anyway and there is no harm in that. Cracked or broken shells go in the bin either way.
The debearding question: the beard is the byssal threads the mussel uses to anchor itself, and pulling it out kills the mussel — so debeard immediately before cooking, not hours ahead.
The real safety issue with mussels is not the shell test but the water they came from. Bivalves filter large volumes and concentrate whatever is in it, including norovirus and the algal toxins behind paralytic and diarrhetic shellfish poisoning. That is what commercial harvesting-area classification and closure exists to manage, and it is the reason to buy from a proper supplier rather than gather them yourself without checking local advice.
Nutrients worth knowing about
The panel on this page is remarkable. Per 100 g it shows Vitamin B12 (Cobalamin) at 24 µg — around 1,600% of the adult reference intake — along with Manganese at 6.8 mg (486%), Selenium at 89.6 µg (119%), Phosphorus at 285 mg (52%), Iron at 6.72 mg (45%), Vitamin B9 (Folate / Folic acid) at 76 µg (38%), Vitamin C at 13.6 mg (34%), Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin) at 0.42 mg (32%), Vitamin B1 (Thiamin) at 0.3 mg (30%) and Zinc at 2.67 mg (28%).
All of that at 86 kcal per 100 g. The iron content is the figure worth dwelling on: mussels carry more iron per 100 g than beef, in a well-absorbed form, which makes them genuinely useful for anyone managing low iron.
The Sodium figure — 369 mg per 100 g, 0.715 g as salt — is the one caveat, and it rises further if they are cooked in a salty broth.
Other shellfish
Micronutrients (per 100g, cooked)
| Nutrient | Amount | % adult reference intake |
|---|---|---|
| Minerals | ||
| Iron | 6.72 mg | 45% |
| Calcium | 33 mg | 5% |
| Magnesium | 37 mg | 12% |
| Potassium | 268 mg | 8% |
| Sodium | 369 mg | 23% |
| Chloride | not measured | . |
| Phosphorus | 285 mg | 52% |
| Zinc | 2.67 mg | 28% |
| Copper | 0.15 mg | 12% |
| Manganese | 6.8 mg | 486% |
| Iodine | not measured | . |
| Selenium | 89.6 ug | 119% |
| Vitamins | ||
| Vitamin A | 91 ug | 13% |
| Vitamin C | 13.6 mg | 34% |
| Vitamin D | not measured | . |
| Vitamin E | not measured | . |
| Vitamin K | not measured | . |
| Vitamin B1 (thiamin) | 0.3 mg | 30% |
| Vitamin B2 (riboflavin) | 0.42 mg | 32% |
| Vitamin B3 (niacin) | 3 mg | 18% |
| Vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid) | 0.95 mg | 14% |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.1 mg | 7% |
| Vitamin B7 (biotin) | not measured | . |
| Vitamin B9 (folate) | 76 ug | 38% |
| Vitamin B12 | 24 ug | 1600% |
Source: USDA SR Legacy, fdc 174217 (matched record: "Mollusks, mussel, blue, cooked, moist heat"). N = present but not quantified; Tr = trace; not measured = no value in the source.
What this food is a source of
High in by content (per 100g): Vitamin B12 (1600%), Manganese (486%), Selenium (119%), Phosphorus (52%), Iron (45%), Vitamin B9 (folate) (38%), Vitamin C (34%), Vitamin B2 (riboflavin) (32%), Vitamin B1 (thiamin) (30%).
A source of by content (per 100g): Zinc (28%), Sodium (23%), Vitamin B3 (niacin) (18%).
These figures are the amount in the food. How much the body absorbs can vary, see each nutrient's entry for detail.