Are Shrimp A Healthy Food?

Author: Marko Balašević Time for reading: ~1 minutes Last Updated: August 08, 2022

Shrimp are one of the most common seafood, they are a source of many vitamins, but also cholesterol.

Shrimp are one of the most popular seafood delicacies. They are foods with high nutrient density. They are a source of iodine, which is not found in many products. There are also opinions that shrimp are not very healthy due to their high cholesterol content.

Shrimp have low calorie but high nutritional value. 85 grams of shrimp contain no more than 80 kcal and do not contain carbohydrates. Approximately 90% of the calories in shrimp come from protein and the rest from fat. This amount of shrimp also provides 20 different vitamins and minerals, including about 50% of the selenium needed for the day. Shrimp are sources of protein, selenium, vitamin B12, iron, phosphorus, niacin, zinc and magnesium. They also contain omega-3 and 6 fatty acids.

Shrimp are rich in cholesterol. The reputation of shrimp is often tarnished by this fact. 85 grams of shrimp contains about 170 mg of cholesterol. This is 85% more than the amount of cholesterol that any other seafood provides. Most people, especially those with heart disease, avoid eating such foods. There are studies that reveal that foods rich in cholesterol are not the root cause of high blood levels. Only a quarter of the population is sensitive to dietary cholesterol.

In other cases, the cholesterol we take in with food has very little effect on blood cholesterol levels. This is because most of the cholesterol is produced by the liver. When a food contains more cholesterol, the liver produces less.

A new study shows that healthy adults who consume 300 g of shrimp a day increase HDL (good) cholesterol levels by 12% and reduce triglyceride levels by 13%.

Many people are allergic to shrimp. Seafood, including shrimp, is ranked in the top 8 food allergens in the United States. The main ingredient in shrimp that causes an allergic reaction is the protein tropomyosin. The symptoms that occur with an allergic reaction are: numbness of the tongue, upset, nasal congestion, redness and itching on the body. Some people may experience anaphylactic shock , which is an acute allergic reaction. This is an emergency and requires a very quick response.

Are Shrimp A Healthy Food?

Related Articles