Unlike salmon, people are often less sure of whether or not shrimp is good for you. We’re not going to try to tell you one way or the other, we’re just going to present the evidence and let you decide for yourself.
Shrimp is Mostly Protein.
90% of all calories in shrimp come from protein. That means it can help you feel full quickly from fewer calories. That’s good for anyone wanting to lose weight without feeling hungry or run down.
Protein is also essential for building up muscle, repairing tissue damage, and having strong bones.
Shrimp Contains Almost Half Your Recommended Selenium.
Selenium helps your body in two really important ways. First, it can reduce inflammation. Inflammation itself can lead to a lot of other problems including joint pain and heart disease. For that reason, selenium is also really important for you heart health.
Shrimp Contains 21% of Your Recommended B12
B12 comes with a whole list of important health benefits, including:
- Prevention of anemia.
- Promotes bone health.
- It can help prevent osteoporosis.
- Can help improve symptoms of depression.
- It can reduce your risk of macular degeneration.
- Can help your long-term brain health.
- Can be good for your heart.
- Is great for healthy hair, skin, and nails.
It’s a good thing for you that a serving of shrimp contains 21% of your RDI of B12.
Shrimp Contains 15% of Your Recommended Iron
Iron is one of the most critical minerals your body needs.
Without iron, your body can’t make hemoglobin, which is the molecule that carries a little thing called oxygen all over your body.
Iron is also needed to make certain hormones.
Some symptoms of iron deficiency include:
- Severe fatigue.
- Weakness.
- Chest pain.
- Cold hands and feet.
- Pale skin.
- Shortness of breath.
- Brittle nails.
- Unusual cravings for things that aren’t food.
All in all, iron is not something you want to be short on.
Shrimp is a Good Source of Omega-3s
Omega-3s, that magical fatty acid.
Omega-3s are all the rage with anybody who wants to be healthy. For good reason, too. There are a lot of health benefits associated with them.
They can:
- Fight depression and anxiety.
- Improve eye health.
- Reduce some risk factors for heart disease.
- Fight inflammation.
- Help fight autoimmune diseases.
- Help fight Alzheimer’s and other age-related mental decline.
- Potentially help prevent cancer.
- Reduce asthma in children.
- Reduce liver fat.
- Improve bone and joint health.
- Improve sleep.
- Alleviate menstrual pain.
- Reduce symptoms of ADHD in children.
That’s a lot of health benefits. On top of everything else, omega-3 fatty acids are good for your skin.
The Big Cholesterol Question
When people are wondering whether or not shrimp is good for you, they often circle back around to the cholesterol question. Shrimp can be high in dietary cholesterol.
For about one-fourth of the population, that can be a problem.
The fact is that for most people, dietary cholesterol doesn’t have a huge impact on blood cholesterol. Blood cholesterol is the cholesterol that matters. That’s not to say it’s true of everybody, though.
One thing to note about shrimp is that some studies have suggested that it can raise your HDL levels. HDL is what some call the “good” cholesterol.
So, in short, it seems that shrimp is pretty good for you. That said, you should ask your doctor before adding too much cholesterol to your diet.
