People are just discovering what happens when you eat an oyster

Oysters have always been one of those polarising foods. Some people love 'em and others hate 'em.

We're personally on team 'love' here at Twisted HQ – the saltier and slimier the better, if you ask us – but it turns out some of you are just discovering a fact which is putting you off giving them a try.

You see, TikToker Joseph DeCandia Jr, who is chef over at Lenny’s Clam Bar and Restaurant, took to the video sharing platform to share some intel some might not know.

You can watch the clip below:

We thought it was common knowledge, but not everyone seems to be aware that oysters are actually alive when you eat them.

"Is it true that when you eat oysters they are alive?" he was asked before responding: "Of course! When you open them up fresh, they are alive."

"Most times, if you squeeze lemon on those now, you'll see the motherf**ker jiggle and move."

Crikey.

Oysters are alive until they're shucked (Credit: Getty)

"I did not need to know or see this," said one person in the comments.

Whilst another wrote: "I never ate oysters before & now that I know they're still alive I'll never try them."

"When you slurp back oysters raw, they are still alive or just freshly killed or shucked prior to serving, which is why you oftentimes see them on ice," says Alex Lewis, RD, LDN, a dietitian for Baze in a chat with Eating Well.

Apparently, eating them alive ensures they're the right flavour profile and texture.

It also improves digestion and is a matter of food safety.

The TikTok has put some people off oysters (Credit: Getty)

"Dead raw oysters run a greater risk of being infected with viruses and bacteria that can have a negative impact on your health — although the overall risk is relatively low," she says.

However small the risk, this is why people are all for eating oysters alive.

Oh, and they also lack a central nervous system, so it's not like they are feeling pain in the same way we would.

What they have instead is a ganglia nerve, but we're getting a bit science-y now.

The long and the short of it that oysters are safest and most delicious when shucked and eaten immediately. Grab some hot sauce and your mind will soon be at ease.

Featured image: Getty