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 is one of the most popular seafood options around. Many of us love to order shrimp scampi at restaurants or throw some shrimp on the barbecue in the summertime. But if you’re keeping an eye on your calorie intake, you may be wondering – how many calories are actually in shrimp?
In this article, we’ll take a closer look at the calorie, protein, fat, and other nutrient content of raw shrimp. We’ll also look at how the calorie count changes when shrimp is prepared different ways. Let’s dive in!
The Calorie Content of Raw Shrimp
First, let’s start by looking at calories in raw, untreated shrimp.
According to the USDA. a 100 gram serving of raw shrimp contains
- 85 calories
- 356 kJ energy
- 20.1 grams of protein
- 0.51 grams of fat
So in a 3 oz (85 gram) serving of raw shrimp, you’re getting about 76 calories and 17 grams of protein. That’s a pretty low calorie count for the amount of protein you’re getting!
Shrimp is low in fat and high in protein, which makes it a great option if you’re looking to gain muscle or strength. The high protein content will help you feel full and satisfied too.
How Does Cooking Impact the Calories in Shrimp?
Of course, most of us aren’t eating our shrimp raw. Cooking shrimp impacts its calorie content and nutritional value. Let’s look at how different cooking methods affect the calories and nutrients in shrimp.
Grilled
Grilling shrimp adds very minimal calories. Since you aren’t adding any oils or butter during cooking, the calorie count will remain very similar to raw shrimp. You’ll get right around 76 calories in a 3 oz serving.
Grilling brings out the natural sweetness in shrimp, while adding char and smoky flavor. It’s one of the healthiest ways to prepare shrimp if you’re watching your calorie intake.
Sauteed or Pan Fried
Sauteeing shrimp in a bit of oil adds some additional calories. If you’re sautéing 3 oz of shrimp with 1 tsp of olive oil, you’ll add about 40 calories, bringing the total up to about 110 calories.
While the calories increase slightly, sautéing is still a relatively healthy cooking method. You can add lots of flavor by sauteeing shrimp in garlic, lemon, herbs, etc.
Fried
Deep frying adds a significant amount of calories from the oil. Three oz of shrimp fried in oil will have about 200 calories.
Fried shrimp coated in batter will have even more calories. For example, fried shrimp from restaurants with heavy breading can have as much as 300-400 calories for 3 oz.
While delicious, deep fried shrimp is significantly higher in calories and lower in nutrients. It’s best to enjoy it in moderation if you’re counting calories.
Baked
Baking shrimp in the oven with herbs, lemon and a bit of olive oil will add some additional calories from the oil. You can expect around 110-130 calories in 3 oz of baked shrimp, depending on exactly how much oil is used.
Baking brings out delicious flavors in shrimp and is lower in calories than frying. Just be mindful of any sauces or butter added, which will up the calorie count.
Factors That Impact Calories in Shrimp
A few things impact the calorie and nutrient counts found in shrimp. Here’s what to know:
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Size – Smaller shrimp have a higher calorie density and more calories per ounce than larger shrimp. For example, extra colossal shrimp may have around 60 calories in 3 oz, while small shrimp have closer to 90 calories in 3 oz.
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Preparation method – As noted above, preparation and cooking can significantly change the calories and nutrients. Opt for grilling, baking or sauteeing over deep frying.
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Breading/batter – The more breading or heavy batter used, the higher the calorie count. Lighter breading adds less calories than deep frying in batter.
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Sauces and seasonings – Sauces like drawn butter, cocktail sauce, tartar sauce or creamy dressings add calories and fat. Seasonings like herbs and lemon add lots of flavor without the calories.
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Wild caught vs. farmed – Wild caught shrimp tends to be a bit lower calorie and higher in certain nutrients than farm-raised shrimp. The difference is small, though.
So if you want to lighten your shrimp meal, go for wild caught, grilled or baked jumbo shrimp with lemon rather than fried popcorn shrimp drenched in sauce.
Nutritional Benefits of Shrimp
While shrimp is relatively low calorie, it packs some great nutritional value. Here are some of the biggest benefits of shrimp:
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High in protein – With about 17g protein in a 3 oz serving, shrimp provides muscle-building protein.
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Low in fat – Shrimp get less than 1 gram of total fat per serving. It provides healthy fats like omega-3s without unnecessary saturated fat.
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Source of selenium – Shrimp provides over half your RDI of the antioxidant selenium in just 3 oz.
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Vitamin B12 – You’ll get over half your daily vitamin B12 in a serving of shrimp. This vitamin is important for red blood cell formation.
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Choline – Shrimp contains 112 mg choline per serving. This nutrient helps with muscle movement, mood and memory.
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Anti-inflammatory – Compounds in shrimp like astaxanthin may have anti-inflammatory properties in the body.
As you can see, shrimp provides some excellent nutrition in addition to being low in calories!
Healthy Ways to Enjoy Shrimp
Here are some of my favorite healthy ways to enjoy shrimp with lots of flavor but minimal calories:
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Ceviche – Marinate raw shrimp in citrus juice, tomatoes, onions, cilantro and jalapeño for a refreshing ceviche.
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Shrimp salad – Toss cooked shrimp with mixed greens, chopped veggies, a bit of olive oil and fresh lemon juice.
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Shrimp kebabs – Skewer shrimp and vegetables like peppers, onions and zucchini and grill them.
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Shrimp tacos – Top corn tortillas with blackened shrimp, shredded cabbage, avocado and salsa.
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Shrimp stir fry – Quickly stir fry shrimp with seasonal veggies and serve over brown rice.
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Greek shrimp – Sauté shrimp in garlic, lemon and oregano, and serve over spinach with feta and olives.
With so many tasty recipes to try, you’ll never get bored with low calorie shrimp meals!
Bottom Line on Calories in Shrimp
So how many calories are in shrimp? In a 3 oz portion of raw shrimp, you’ll get about 76 calories and 17 grams of protein. Grilling, baking or sautéing will add minimal calories while deep frying can add significantly more.
While cooked properly, shrimp is low in calories and high in nutrients like selenium and vitamin B12. At under 100 calories for 3 oz cooked, it’s a great protein option if you’re watching your calorie intake.
Hopefully this overview gives you a better idea of the calories and nutrition in shrimp. Just be mindful of preparation methods, sauces, and pair it with lots of vegetables and you can enjoy shrimp as part of a healthy diet.
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).
Is Shrimp Healthy? Nutrition, Calories, and More
FAQ
How many calories in a single Shrimp?
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Cooked Shrimp (3 oz serving)
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|
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Fat(g)
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Cals
|
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1 medium
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0.10
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6
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1 large
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0.12
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7
|
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10 medium
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1.04
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64
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How many calories are in 100 grams of shrimp?
There are 106 calories in 100 grams of Shrimp. Calorie breakdown: 16% fat, 4% carbs, 81% protein. There are 106 calories in 100 grams of Shrimp. Get full nutrition facts and other common serving sizes of Shrimp including 1 small and 1 medium.
How many calories are in a pound of shrimp?
There are 481 calories in 1 pound of Shrimp. Calorie breakdown: 16% fat, 4% carbs, 81% protein. There are 481 calories in 1 pound of Shrimp. Get full nutrition facts and other common serving sizes of Shrimp including 1 small and 1 medium.
How many calories are in 10 large shrimp?
There are 74 calories in 10 large Shrimp. Calorie breakdown: 16% fat, 4% carbs, 81% protein. There are 74 calories in 10 large Shrimp. Get full nutrition facts and other common serving sizes of Shrimp including 1 small and 1 medium.
How many calories are in a 3 ounce serving of shrimp?
Shrimp has an impressive nutrition profile. 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 ):