How Many Calories Are in 5 Shrimp? A Detailed Nutritional Breakdown

Shrimp is one of my absolute favorite go-to proteins It’s quick to prepare, versatile, and packed with nutrition Whether grilled, baked, sautéed or tucked into my favorite dishes, shrimp always satisfies.

But is this tasty shellfish a lower calorie option or diet disaster? If you love shrimp as much as I do, you may have wondered just how many calories are in those juicy succulent shrimps.

In this article, I’ll provide a detailed calorie and nutritional breakdown for 5 shrimp. I’ve compiled data from top nutrition databases to give you the full facts on the calories and macros in 5 jumbo, large, medium or small shrimps. Let’s dive in!

Calories in 5 Jumbo Shrimp

Jumbo shrimp refers to the very largest classification of shrimp, with under 15 shrimp per pound. These plump beauties contain the following nutrition per 5 shrimp:

• 43 calories
• 0.7g fat
• 0.4g carbs
• 8.3g protein

So 5 jumbo shrimp nets you 43 total calories, with the majority of calories coming from protein.

Here’s how the 43 calories break down:

• 15% calories from fat
• 4% calories from carbs
• 81% calories from protein

Jumbo shrimp offers a hefty dose of protein with little fat or carbs per serving.

Calories in 5 Large Shrimp

Next down in size from jumbo are large shrimp, with 16-20 shrimp per pound. Here’s the full nutrition data for 5 large shrimp:

• 37 calories
• 0.6g fat
• 0.3g carbs
• 7.1g protein

The calorie count for 5 large shrimp rings in at 37 calories, breaking down to:

• 16% calories from fat
• 3% calories from carbs
• 81% calories from protein

Again, an excellent source of lean protein!

Calories in 5 Medium Shrimp

Medium shrimp contain about 36 shrimp per pound. Here are the calorie and macro totals for 5 medium shrimp:

• 32 calories
• 0.5g fat
• 0.3g carbs
• 6.2g protein

The 32 calories divide up as:

• 16% calories from fat
• 3% calories from carbs
• 81% calories from protein

Whether jumbo, large or medium, shrimp packs a big protein punch!

Calories in 5 Small Shrimp

Lastly, small shrimp, typically wild-caught, have about 45-55 shrimp per pound. For 5 small shrimp you’ll find:

• 23 calories
• 0.4g fat
• 0.2g carbs
• 4.4g protein

Those 23 total calories are:

• 17% calories from fat
• 3% calories from carbs
• 80% calories from protein

Across all sizes, shrimp earn their reputation as an awesome source of protein with minimal fat and carbs.

Benefits of Shrimp for a Healthy Diet

Beyond being low-cal, shrimp offers many impressive nutritional benefits:

• High in protein – builds and repairs muscles. Great for dieters.

• Low in fat – especially saturated fat and cholesterol. Heart healthy.

• Provides selenium – antioxidant helps immune system and metabolism.

• Good source of B12 – prevents anemia and promotes brain function.

• Contains astaxanthin – a potent antioxidant with anti-inflammatory effects.

Shrimp checks a lot of boxes for a super healthy protein pick!

How to Incorporate Shrimp into a Low-Cal Diet

Here are some of my favorite tips for enjoying shrimp as part of a low-calorie meal plan:

• Opt for grilled or baked – skips the high-calorie breading and frying.

• Add to salads and wraps – bulks up the protein without many extra calories.

• Mix into veggie stir fries – stretches shrimp and adds lots of low-cal volume.

• Swap into shrimp tacos or fajitas – replaces higher-cal meats.

• Toss with zoodles or rice – makes shrimp the protein focus.

• Skewer for the grill – easy seasoning and portion control.

With a little creativity, shrimp can definitely be part of a healthy low-cal diet.

The Takeaway on Calories in Shrimp

When hunger strikes, shrimp is one of the most nutritious and guilt-free proteins around. While calories differ slightly by size, five shrimps generally clocks in around 30-40 calories with over 80% of those calories coming from protein.

Shrimp offers many impressive benefits like high protein, low fat, selenium, B12 and inflammation-fighting compounds. Enjoy shrimp baked, grilled, sautéed or mixed into low-cal veggie dishes for a slimming protein option.