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Healthy Diet Plans >>  Therapeutic Value of Different Foods >>  Fish and Seafood >>  Shrimp

Shrimp protein diet

Although small in size shrimps have a large appeal and a delicious crisp taste. It is one of the most popular sea foods, next to canned tuna in the United States and can be served steaming hot or cold. Frozen shrimps are available throughout the year. Shrimps are smart swimmers; they use their abdomen to move forward and tail to move backward. Depending on the variety shrimps can be pink, grey, brown, or yellow, but after cooking it becomes light pink or opaque in color.
The most commonly available deep water shrimp in U.S is the pink shrimp.

Health and shrimps

Shrimps are small packs with high nutrient profile. They are excellent source of proteins, selenium, very good source of vitamin B12, vitamin D, and good sources of iron, phosphorous, zinc, niacin, copper, magnesium and not to forget omega 3 fatty acids.
  1. Although shrimp is low in fat (4 ounces of shrimp provides less than a gram of fat) it is high in cholesterol (3.5 ounce gives 200 mg cholesterol). This is the main reason for some people to avoid shrimp. In a study where people were on shrimp diet, showed raised LDL cholesterol levels by 7% and HDL cholesterol levels by 12%, and levels of triglycerides were decreased by 13%.
  2. 4 ounces of shrimps provides 28.2% of daily value for vitamin B12 and 14.8% daily value for omega 3 fatty acids. Both act synergistically to protect the cardiovascular system and decrease the risk of heart diseases, improve the HDL to LDL ratio, prevent atherosclerosis, prevent the blood to clot in the arteries, prevent fatal heart arrhythmias, control high blood pressure and reduce the risk of stroke.
  3. Shrimp consumption is also related to other benefits like having a protective effect against cancer, helps lessen age-related cognitive decline and Alzheimer’s disease in the elderly population and reduces inflammation. The omega 3 fats also improve moods and reduce depression.
  4. Shrimps should be cooked in such a way that it should allow minimum nutrient loss. Shrimp recipes should include cooking methods like broiling, baking, or grilling instead of deep frying to lower atrial fibrillation that is the most common type of heart arrhythmia.
  5. Shrimps are one of the common allergic foods that can cause allergic reactions in susceptible individuals. Common symptoms with this allergen includes gastrointestinal disturbances, frequent infections, asthma, eczema, joint pain, acne, hives, fatigue, headaches, migraines, depression, insomnia and hyperactivity. People with allergic reactions should learn to identify the allergen and avoid it completely.
  6. People with purine related problems like gout, uric acid problems or kidney problems should consume halibut with caution as it has these naturally occurring purines that should be avoided in such conditions.
Submitted on January 16, 2014