Despite being low in calories, shrimp contains many nutrients, including iodine and antioxidants, that may offer health benefits. But it is high in cholesterol.
Many nutrients are found in high amounts in this food, including iodine, which isn’t found in many other foods.
On the other hand, some people claim that shrimp is unhealthy due to its high cholesterol content.
Additionally, it’s commonly believed that farm-raised shrimp may have some negative health effects compared with wild-caught shrimp.
This article explores the evidence to determine if shrimp is a healthy food to include in your diet.
It’s quite low in calories, providing only 84 calories in a 3-ounce serving (1).
Additionally, the same serving size provides more than 9 different vitamins and minerals (1).
Here’s an overview of the nutrients in a 3-ounce (85-gram) serving of shrimp (1):
Also, shrimp is one of the best foods to get iodine, which is a mineral that many people don’t get enough of. Iodine is required for proper thyroid function and brain health (2).
Shrimp is also a good source of omega-3 fatty acids (3).
A lot of people are afraid of high-cholesterol foods because they think they raise the cholesterol level in your blood and make you more likely to get heart disease.
But studies show that this might not be true for most people, since only 25% of people are sensitive to dietary cholesterol. For the rest, dietary cholesterol may only have a small impact on blood cholesterol levels (4).
This is because your liver makes most of the cholesterol in your blood, and when you eat foods high in cholesterol, your liver makes less of it.
What’s more, shrimp contains several nutrients that may actually boost health, such as omega-3 fatty acids (3).
Studies show that shrimp is one of the few foods that is not high in both cholesterol and saturated fats.
Even though more research is needed to fully understand shrimp’s impact on heart health, it does have many health benefits that may outweigh the cholesterol it contains.
Astaxanthin is a component of algae, which is consumed by shrimp. For this reason, shrimp is a major source of astaxanthin. In fact, this antioxidant is responsible for the reddish color of shrimp cells (7).
When you consume astaxanthin, it may help protect against inflammation by preventing free radicals from damaging your cells. It’s been studied for its role in reducing the risk of several chronic diseases (7).
Shrimp are a staple of seafood restaurants and dinner tables alike. These succulent shellfish are prized for their sweet briny flavor and tender texture. While shrimp dishes served up at restaurants often pack in extra calories from breading butter, or heavy sauces, the shrimp themselves are a surprisingly diet-friendly option. Keep reading to get the full low-down on raw shrimp nutrition facts so you can enjoy their natural health benefits guilt-free!
As a longtime pescatarian who eats ample amounts of salmon, tuna, and shellfish, I’m always on the lookout for lean, low-calorie proteins. I was pleasantly surprised to discover that raw shrimp fit the bill perfectly. Let’s dive into the nutrition facts and health benefits of these under-the-sea delicacies
Raw Shrimp Nutrition Facts: The Need-to-Know Basics
Raw, peeled shrimp nutrition offers this stellar lineup per 3-ounce serving
- 85 calories
- 0.5 grams of fat
- Zero carbohydrates
- 20 grams of protein
That’s right – a serving of raw shrimp clocks in at just 85 calories, with a tiny trace of fat, no carbs, and an impressive 20 grams of protein.
Shrimp provide a hefty dose of nutrition without packing on the pounds. Here’s how they stack up to other common sources of protein per 3-ounce cooked serving:
- 85 calories in 3 oz raw shrimp
- 179 calories in 3 oz grilled chicken breast
- 153 calories in 3 oz salmon fillet
- 290 calories in 3 oz steak tenderloin
It’s clear that raw shrimp offer the same satisfying protein punch as poultry, beef, and other fish, but with far fewer calories. This makes them an optimal choice for those watching their waistline.
In addition to their stellar macronutrient profile, shrimp supply key micronutrients:
- Selenium – 51% DV
- Vitamin B12 – 21% DV
- Phosphorus – 20% DV
- Zinc – 15% DV
- Copper – 15% DV
Selenium is a standout nutrient, with shrimp providing over half the recommended daily value. This mineral supports thyroid health, brain function, fertility, and immune system defense.
The Skinny on Cooking Shrimp: How Preparation Impacts Calories
When enjoying shrimp at home, opting for raw or lightly cooked is ideal to retain nutrients. However, restaurant shrimp dishes or heavily breaded, fried versions send calories soaring.
Here’s how preparation techniques impact the calorie content in a 3-ounce shrimp serving:
- Raw shrimp – 85 calories
- Boiled shrimp – 90 calories
- Grilled shrimp – 95 calories
- Breaded, fried shrimp – 140 calories
- Shrimp scampi – 205 calories
- Shrimp alfredo – 365 calories
While raw shrimp themselves are low in calories, heavy sauces and oils quickly ratchet up the counts. To keep calories in check:
- Stick to boiled, grilled or raw preparations
- Use heart-healthy fats like olive oil sparingly
- Choose lighter sauces like lemon butter over heavy cream-based sauces
- Watch portion sizes, as restaurant shrimp dishes tend to be supersized
Health Benefits: Why You Should Eat More Raw Shrimp
In addition to being low in calories, raw shrimp nutrition offers these science-backed health perks:
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Builds lean muscle – With a whopping 20 grams of protein per serving, shrimp help maintain and build metabolically active muscle mass.
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Supports heart health – The omega-3 fatty acids in shrimp can lower blood pressure and triglycerides.
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Boosts immunity – High selenium content aids the immune system and fights inflammation.
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Supplies key brain nutrients – Shrimp provide omega-3s, vitamin B12 and selenium to support optimal brain function.
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Strengthens bones – The phosphorus, zinc and calcium in shrimp promote bone density.
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Aids fertility – Selenium enhances reproductive health in both men and women.
So by choosing shrimp, you gain muscle-building protein, heart-helping fats, and immunity-boosting minerals in one low-calorie package. It’s a no-brainer for optimal health.
The Verdict: A Near-Perfect Protein
With their supremely low calorie counts, ample protein, and wealth of vital nutrients, shrimp are a top pick for any healthy eating plan aimed at weight management or overall wellness. Raw and lightly cooked shrimp provide full-on flavor without the extra calories and fat from heaviest preparations.
While fried coconut shrimp or shrimp scampi may be an occasional indulgence, making raw and simply prepared shrimp your go-to provides maximum nutrition payoff for minimal caloric cost. So embrace shrimp as your new lean protein powerhouse and reap the rewards – a healthy body, sharp mind, and revved-up immune system.
Symptoms of shellfish allergy
Symptoms of shrimp allergies vary and may include (16):
- tingling in the throat
- digestive issues
- breathing difficulties
- skin reactions
Some people with shrimp allergies may have anaphylactic reactions, as well. This is a dangerous, sudden reaction that can lead to seizures, unconsciousness, and even death if it is not treated immediately (16).
If you’re allergic to shrimp, the only way to prevent allergic reaction is to completely avoid eating it.
In some instances, even the vapors from cooking shrimp can trigger a reaction. So, those with shrimp allergies must also avoid situations where they may be exposed to it indirectly (16).
It’s important to choose high quality, fresh shrimp that isn’t damaged, infected, or contaminated.
When purchasing raw shrimp, make sure they’re firm. The shells should be translucent and grayish-green, pinkish tan, or light pink in color. Blackened edges or black spots on the shells may indicate quality loss (17).
Additionally, raw and cooked shrimp should have a mild, “ocean-like” or salty smell. Shrimp with an overwhelming “fishy” or ammonia-like odor is likely spoiled and unsafe to consume.
You should only buy shrimp from a reputable and knowledgeable seller who can answer your questions about where the shrimp came from and how it was handled.
Heart and brain health
Many studies have found astaxanthin may help strengthen arteries, which may reduce the risk of heart attacks. It may also help increase levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL), or “good” cholesterol, an important factor in heart health (8).
In addition, astaxanthin may be beneficial for brain health. Its anti-inflammatory properties may prevent damage to your brain cells that often leads to memory loss and neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer’s (7).
Even with these results, more studies on humans are needed to find out what effect astaxanthin in shrimp may have on health in general.
Due to the high demand for shrimp in the United Sates, it’s often imported from other countries.
Between 75 and 80% of the seafood eaten in the United States is imported from other countries, like Thailand, China, Canada, Indonesia, and Vietnam (9).
Although this helps increase access to shrimp, most imported shrimp is farm-raised, which means it’s grown in industrial tanks that are submerged in bodies of water (10).
Farm-raised seafood from other countries is frequently treated with antibiotics due to its high susceptibility to disease. However, the United States does not permit the use of antibiotics in shrimp and other shellfish (10).
For this reason, it’s illegal to import shrimp that contains antibiotics. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is responsible for inspecting imported shrimp to ensure it doesn’t contain antibiotics (11).
However, due to the high volume of shrimp imports, the FDA is unable to regulate all of them. Because of this, farm-raised shrimp contaminated with antibiotics has the potential to enter the U.S. food supply (12).
Using antibiotics in shrimp has not been confirmed to have any major adverse health effects. However, it may lead to antibiotic resistance, which can cause outbreaks of diseases that do not respond to antibiotic treatment (13).
If you are worried about antibiotics in shrimp, choose wild-caught shrimp instead. These shrimp are never given antibiotics. Additionally, you can be assured that shrimp caught and prepared in the United States does not contain antibiotics.
Shellfish, including shrimp, are classified as one of the top nine food allergies in the United States, along with fish, peanuts, tree nuts, wheat, milk, and soy (14).
The most common trigger of shrimp allergies is tropomyosin, a protein found in shellfish. Other proteins in shrimp that may trigger an allergic reaction include arginine kinase and hemocyanin (15).