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Eating shrimp as part of a balanced diet is not only safe but can offer a person several key nutrients.
Doctors previously recommended against eating shrimp as part of a heart-healthy diet, citing the high levels of cholesterol.
However, after years of research and better understanding of what contributes to heart disease and higher cholesterol, scientists now consider eating shrimp to be an excellent addition to a well-rounded diet.
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One serving of shrimp contains 189 milligrams of cholesterol, which translates to roughly 60 percent of the total recommended amount of cholesterol per day.
This high level of cholesterol was the reason why doctors used to believe that shrimp was bad for heart health.
It was thought that shrimp would increase levels of LDL, or "bad cholesterol" in people, but it is now known that is not the case.
Shrimp can actually increase the levels of HDL, or "good cholesterol" thereby supporting heart health.
Shrimp are now generally considered safe for people with high cholesterol to eat. They contain a number of useful nutrients.
Despite the higher cholesterol levels, shrimp contain minimal saturated fat and no trans fat. Both trans and saturated fat are considered factors to increasing bad cholesterol.
As part of a balanced diet, shrimp can be a good addition. People on a strict diet set by a doctor or dietitian should ask their provider before including shrimp.
What is more damaging to cholesterol and a heart-healthy diet is not the shrimp so much as the way it is prepared.
Here are some general tips and suggestions for preparing shrimp to be as heart-healthy and low in cholesterol as possible:
Do:
Don't:
Check the bag, box, or with the seafood department as to where the shrimp were caught or raised. Shrimp from farms in other countries often have higher levels of pollutants because of the unregulated farming practices.
Unfortunately, it is difficult to tell whether or not the shrimp being sold comes from a safe farming practice or even if it was caught in the wild. Both farmed and wild-caught shrimp run a risk of containing pollutants, so look for the labels, "sustainably farmed" or "MSC-certified" that indicate better choices.
One last consideration for consuming shrimp is that it is a known allergen to some people. Shrimp are shellfish, so people allergic to shellfish should avoid eating them.
Shrimp, like most seafood, offers a variety of nutrients that are recommended in any diet.
Shrimp are naturally low in calories, offering less than 100 calories per serving. Additionally, shrimp are low in fat and high in protein.
Some additional benefits of shrimp include:
Seafood is getting a lot of praise lately from doctors and dietitians who recommend adding seafood regularly to a balanced diet. Shrimp, like a lot of shellfish and other food sources found in the sea, are high in cholesterol. This does not mean that they are necessarily dangerous for people to consume regularly, however.
Other popular seafood options may offer less cholesterol and similar health benefits. Here are a few other seafood sources and how they compare to shrimp.
Crab meat, like most seafood, is high in protein and is low in fat and calories. Crab contains less cholesterol and contains an assortment of vitamins.
However, unlike shrimp, crab is naturally higher in sodium levels. This makes it a bit of a challenge for people with high blood pressure.
One of the pricier alternatives to shrimp is lobster. This shellfish has a slightly higher level of cholesterol than shrimp. However, like shrimp, lobster is also low calorie, low in saturated fat, high in omega-3 and selenium, and has about 24 grams of protein in a single serving.
Salmon is rich in heart healthy omega-3. Salmon also has a higher fat content than either lobster or shrimp. Salmon has less cholesterol per serving than shrimp.
A serving of salmon is also high in protein and filled with B vitamins, which boost energy and support metabolism and a healthy nervous system.
Additionally, salmon is an excellent source of potassium and phosphorus, a nutrient that helps bone development. Potassium helps regulate the heart and blood pressure. For the most nutrients, look for wild salmon.
This group of seafood is packed full of nutrients such as iron, zinc, B12, phosphorus, niacin, and selenium. Clams both boost good cholesterol and lower bad cholesterol.
