Prawns and shrimps are an extremely good source of protein, yet are very low in fat and calories, making them a very healthy choice of food. Although shrimps and prawns have a high cholesterol content, they are low in saturated fat, which is the fat that raises cholesterol levels in the body and is bad for you. For this reason, there is no need to avoid eating shrimps or prawns, as the cholesterol in the food is not the same as the cholesterol in one's blood. Meat and dairy products are also sources of protein but they tend to be very high in calories and saturated fat. A 4 oz (115g) portion of shrimps contains almost half the recommended daily protein needed but only contains 112 calories and less than 1g of fat.
Shrimps and prawns do contain a lot of omega-3 fatty acids, but these fatty acids are good for you and help prevent against heart disease, circulatory diseases and many other types of illnesses. Prawns and shrimps also contains high levels of vitamin B12, zinc, iodine, phosphorous, potassium, selenium and iron and have smaller quantities of calcium, magnesium and sodium. Many of these vitamins are essential for healthy skin, bones and teeth.
Shrimp Are Not Bad for You!
At least once a week I'll be talking with a patient about their high
cholesterol and it seems like every third person will say, "But Doc, I
don't eat any shrimp!" Almost every time they're shocked when I say tell them that shrimp is OK. The best part is that this gets their
attention and I love talking about the things you can eat. (I get a
similar reaction when I talk about eating red meat or eggs.)
At the core of eating healthy is to eat less saturated fat and trans-fats, more fruit and vegetables, more legumes like beans, good fats like olive oil and nuts and more fish. And shrimp does qualify as fish.
Shrimp does have a more cholesterol than many other ingredients.
While the amount of cholesterol that you eat is important, by eating
lean meats, fish, veggies, legumes, fruits and nuts that are low in
cholesterol, it's OK to have shrimp or (gasp!) eggs. The more
important factor, as you have heard me talk about, is saturated fat
and trans-fats.
Let's compare:
Calories
Cholesterol (milligrams)
Total Fat (grams)
Saturated Fat (grams)
Omega 3 fats (milligrams)
4 ounces shrimp
119
170
2
0.4
200
4 ounces chicken breast
123
65
1.3
0.4
25
4 ounces lean ground beef
197
73
11.2
4.5
104
Notice that the shrimp and chicken breast have about the same number of calories and fat but the shrimp has far more Omega 3 fats. This is a trade off that's more than worth it for only an extra 105 mg of cholesterol. The shrimp is far better than the ground beef, which has almost 5 grams of saturated fat (and again the shrimp has only about 100 mg more cholesterol).
The take-home message here is that eating healthy is about balance and the table above supports the research showing that eating lean red meat is OK about once a week. Eating foods that are lower in calories and saturated fat are equally important, and how much cholesterol you eat is less important. The bonus with the shrimp is the extra Omega 3 fats.
One key is how you cook your shrimp. Deep fried foods really aren't all that healthy, and cooking the shrimp swimming in butter just adds saturated fat. The best way to eat shrimp and enjoy it is the good old fashioned Shrimp Cocktail. Try Barbecue Shrimp with Romano Grits (now that's eating). Or even better, Linguine with Shrimp in Tomato Cream Vodka Sauce. I love this week's recipe though -- Whole Wheat Linguine with Shrimp and Leeks.
http://www.drgourmet.com/column/dr/102306.shtml
In just a four-ounce serving of shrimp, you'll receive 28.2% of the daily value for vitamin B12. Vitamin B12 is one of the nutrients needed to keep levels of homocysteine, a molecule that can directly damage blood vessel walls and is considered a significant risk factor for cardiovascular disease, low. In addition, shrimp are also a good source of cardio-protective omega-3 fatty acids, noted for their anti-inflammatory effects and ability to prevent the formation of blood clots. Four ounces of shrimp provide 14.8% of your daily need for these protective fats.
More info here....
https://mail.google.com/mail/?shva=1#drafts/13025b02f73c77f2
more about how prawns help in protecting from some diseases
http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=107
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