Shrimp Is Packed With Important Nutrients Despite Its Cholesterol Content

While many different types of seafood are enjoyed worldwide, shrimp is the most popular pick for Americans, according to the Delaware Sea Grant.

This crowd-pleasing seafood can be farmed domestically or caught in the wild, but the vast majority of it is produced in countries throughout Southeast Asia and Central and South America, per the World Wildlife Fund.

If you don't eat much seafood, shrimp can be a versatile and accessible option because it pairs well with a number of other foods. Add it to stir-fries, salads or vegetable sautés. Shrimp provides high amounts of protein with very little fat, and can also protect your brain and heart.

Current dietary guidelines recommend Americans eat two seafood-based meals per week. Shrimp is a fantastic option to anchor your meals with and can be a part of a well-rounded, healthy diet.

Three ounces (about 8 to 9 medium pieces) of shrimp is equal to a single serving. The nutrition value of three ounces of cooked shrimp contains:

• Calories: 101
• Total fat: 1.4 g
• Cholesterol: 179.4 mg
• Sodium: 805 mg
• Total carbs: 1.3 g
• Dietary fiber: 0 g
• Sugar: 0 g
• Added sugar: 0 g
• Protein: 19.4 g

• ​Total fat​: Three ounces of shrimp has 1.4 grams of total fat, which includes 0.5 grams of polyunsaturated fat, 0.3 grams of monounsaturated fat, 0.4 grams of saturated fat and 0 grams of trans fat.
• ​Carbohydrates​: Shrimp does have carbs, though very few. Three ounces of shrimp has 1.3 grams of carbs, which includes no fiber or sugars.
• ​Protein​: The amount of protein in shrimp is quite substantial. Three ounces of shrimp has 19.4 grams of protein.

• Selenium: 77% of your Daily Value (DV)
• Vitamin B12: 59% DV
• Copper: 24% DV
• Phosphorus: 21% DV. Check out more foods high in phosphorus.
• Choline: 21% DV
• Niacin (Vitamin B3): 14% DV
• Zinc: 13% DV
• Vitamin B6: 12% DV
• Vitamin E: 12% DV
• Vitamin A (RAE): 9% DV
• Pantothenic acid (B5): 9% DV
• Magnesium: 7% DV
• Calcium: 6% DV
• Folate: 5% DV
• Potassium: 3% DV

The nutrition value of shrimp will vary depending on how it is prepared. Grilled shrimp will have a healthier nutrition profile than fried shrimp, for example.

Fried shrimp also contains a fair amount of carbs, unlike grilled shrimp or shrimp cocktail.

Grilled shrimp is a healthy option and easy to prepare. Cooking shrimp with oil adds way more calories and fat than you might realize, so do so sparingly.

Alternatively, you can use a cooking spray to avoid adding extra calories to grilled shrimp.

Grilled shrimp can be a low-calorie option if you cook them with very little added oil. Eight grilled shrimp have 44 to 52 calories, with less than one gram of carbohydrates. The majority of the calories in grilled shrimp comes from its protein.

As you can see, the calories in fried shrimp are far greater than those in grilled shrimp. Fried shrimp is not as healthy a pick as grilled because it contains excess calories and fat.

The carbs in fried shrimp especially stand out because when grilled or boiled, shrimp contains virtually no carbohydrates.

A 9-piece serving of fried shrimp also contains 1,050 milligrams of sodium (44 percent DV), while grilled or cooked shrimp contains 417 milligrams of sodium (17 percent DV).

If you're eating shrimp cocktail, know that its nutritional profile is very similar to that of grilled or cooked shrimp. Just be mindful of the cocktail sauce, which often contains added sugars.

Eating seafood such as shrimp can be part of a healthy diet, especially when it replaces sources of protein that are higher in saturated fat.

Shrimp is a lean protein source that can help you maintain a healthy weight, and it also provides brain-protective nutrients such as selenium, vitamin B12 and choline.

If you're wondering if shrimp is good for you, consider the amount of protein it provides.

"Shrimp is a fabulous source of lean protein, and it can replace other protein sources that may not be as heart-healthy," says Joan Salge Blake, EdD, RDN, a registered dietitian and clinical professor at Boston University.

"We're now asking Americans to have two seafood meals per week to potentially displace other meals that may not be as healthy."

Not all protein sources are created equal, but shrimp is a versatile protein source and can be easily mixed into healthy foods like salads.

Our body needs protein from food to build and maintain bones, muscles and skin, per the U.S. National Library of Medicine. Animal products like shrimp provide complete proteins, which means they supply all of the amino acids the body is unable to produce on its own.

While most Americans eat enough protein, many could benefit from making leaner and healthier choices such as swapping regular ground beef or sausage for seafood like shrimp, poultry or beans, per the Ohio State University Extension.

Shrimp provides a number of nutrients that can protect the brain and preserve cognitive function.

A 3-ounce serving of shrimp provides 77 percent of your DV of selenium, an essential trace mineral that plays a critical role in thyroid health, DNA synthesis, reproduction and protection from oxidative damage and infection, per the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

While most Americans get adequate amounts of selenium, a deficiency in this nutrient might be associated with age-related declines in brain function, possibly due to reduced levels of selenium's antioxidant activity.

Either too low or (to a lesser extent) too high levels of selenium are linked to a higher risk of depressive symptoms and negative mood in young adults in a November 2014 study published in the ​Journal of Nutrition​.

This could be because selenium protects the body from oxidative damage through glutathione peroxidase, a key antioxidant enzyme that functions best at certain selenium concentrations. Oxidative damage to the brain and nervous system may contribute to the development of depression.

Shrimp also provides 59 percent of your DV of vitamin B12, which our bodies need to make red blood cells and carry out other essential functions, per Harvard Health Publishing.

A B12 deficiency is common in older adults, per a March 2015 review in the ​Hong Kong Medical Journal​. This deficiency is linked to cognitive difficulties, such as trouble thinking and reasoning or memory loss. The body cannot make B12 on its own, and this vitamin only naturally occurs in animal products such as shrimp.

Choline, an essential nutrient, is also present in shrimp. It's needed to produce acetylcholine, an important neurotransmitter for mood, memory, muscle control and other brain and nervous system functions, per the NIH.

People with Alzheimer's disease have lower levels of the enzyme that turns choline into acetylcholine in the brain. That said, more research is needed to confirm the relationship between choline intake and cognitive function, and to clarify if choline supplements might help those with dementia such as Alzheimer's disease.

While shrimp is packed with nutrients and protein, it's low in calories, which could help you attain or maintain a healthy weight when eaten as part of a healthy diet.

A 3-ounce serving of this shellfish contains just 101 calories — but you'll feel satiated after eating it since protein takes more energy for your body to digest than, say, refined carbohydrates, and helps you feel full for longer, per Harvard Medical School.

Eating protein sources like seafood was associated with less weight gain in a June 2015 analysis of 120,000 adults' dietary habits in ​Clinical Nutrition​. Eating red meat, full-fat cheese and chicken with skin, on the other hand, was linked to greater weight gain.

What's more, researchers found that weight loss and weight maintenance may depend on the high-protein (not necessarily the low-carbohydrate) component of a diet in an October 2012 study published in the journal ​Physiology & Behavior.​

Strong evidence also shows that eating patterns including seafood are associated with a lower risk of heart disease, according to the 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

Shellfish is one of the most common food allergens. Within the shellfish family, crustaceans like shrimp, lobster and crab cause the most allergic reactions.

Although many individuals who are allergic to shellfish can eat mollusks like scallops, oysters and clams, it's important to talk to an allergist before trying any other type of shellfish, per the American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. Cross-contamination can also occur because shellfish are often stored together in restaurants and markets.

Although shellfish allergies can affect children, they most commonly develop in adulthood. They can cause symptoms such as vomiting, stomach cramps, diarrhea, wheezing, weak pulse, hives and swelling. Food allergies may cause anaphylaxis, a severe whole-body allergic reaction that can be life-threatening.

If you have a shellfish allergy, your allergist will likely provide you with epinephrine to keep on hand — and a written emergency treatment plan.

There are currently no known drug interactions associated with shrimp. Be sure to discuss any medication and food interactions with your health professional.

It's important to purchase seafood like shrimp from certified processors and dealers, and to follow general rules for safe preparation and storage.

You can experience seafood poisoning from eating shrimp that hasn't been handled properly or is improperly cooked. Follow these tips to safely purchase, store and cook shrimp.

Fresh shrimp has a mild odor and firm-textured meat, and the shell or meat is not slippery, according to the Clemson Cooperative Extension. It should not have any black spots or patches on the shell or meat. The shell may be light pink, pinkish-tan or grayish-green.

If you're buying frozen seafood, make sure the flesh is solid and there's no discoloration or freezer burn on the surface. There should be no odor (or it should smell fresh and mild). Make sure the wrapping material is moisture-proof and doesn't have any indications that the package might have thawed at one point, like water stains or ice crystals. The shrimp should separate easily from each other.

"Both wild-caught and farmed shrimp could have potential problems, so don't assume that wild-caught shrimp is always sustainable and farm-raised shrimp is not."

You can consult the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch to determine if shrimp has been fished or farmed in ways that have less of an effect on the environment. Select the type of shrimp, whether it was farmed or wild-caught and where it's from to easily determine if it's considered the best choice, a good choice or a choice to avoid.

"Both wild-caught and farmed shrimp could have potential problems, so don't assume that wild-caught shrimp is always sustainable and farm-raised shrimp is not," Blake says.

Store fresh seafood like shrimp in the refrigerator immediately once you're home, after wrapping it in cling wrap or storing in an airtight container. Frozen shrimp should be placed in the freezer immediately, and kept in its original moisture- and vapor-proof packages, per the Clemson Cooperative Extension.

Thoroughly wash your hands with hot, soapy water before and after handling seafood. Keep raw food separate from cooked foods, and wash all surfaces raw seafood has touched. Raw shrimp will turn firm and pink when cooked thoroughly.

It takes 3 to 5 minutes to boil or steam a pound of medium-sized shrimp in the shell, depending on the size, according to the extension service. Keep a close eye on your seafood: Shrimp becomes dry and tough when overcooked.

Need some shrimp inspiration? Here are a few of our favorite shrimp recipes to get you started.

• Coconut Shrimp
• Spicy Shrimp Fajitas
• Lemon Garlic Shrimp Pasta
• Avocado Soup With Shrimp
• Shrimp and Tofu Panang Curry

Shrimp contains a variety of healthy nutrients and antioxidants that can benefit weight loss or weight management, brain health and heart health.

Prawns offer many of the same nutritional values as shrimp, as do fish like salmon, tuna or cod. In general, you should aim to eat seafood like shrimp with at least two meals per week.