Is Shrimp Good for Weight Loss? Nutrition and Health Benefits

Shrimp has many health benefits that can progress weight loss.

Low-calorie products, just like shrimp and other seafood, won’t take up much space on your restrictive diet. They’re full of nutrition, leading to better gut health and brain function. Losing weight is great for achieving your goals, but you must also look after your body.

Many people might think – how will shrimp support my fitness journey? Can it really burn body fat? Understanding what foods are best for weight loss may speed up physical results.

In this article, you’ll discover whether shrimp can help you lose weight.

Going on a healthy diet is important for losing stubborn fat and improving your internal system. Shrimp is one of those foods full of essential nutrition. Even though they’re mostly made of water and protein, they still contain potassium, sodium, and calcium.

Your body needs these electrolytes to regulate and control fluids. This includes maintaining blood pressure levels, muscle contraction, and hydration in your organs. A moderate portion of shrimp in your meals should be enough to fuel the body with electrolytes.

Shrimp Nutrition

Shrimp has many nutrients that help support natural functions in your body. Just be aware that this food doesn’t contain fiber or carbohydrates, so try to consume other products with high-fiber content. This could be beans, avocados, berries, pears, apples, and whole grains.

Let’s take a look at the nutritional value of shrimp (100g):

Is Shrimp Good for Weight Loss?

Shrimp is great for your weight loss journey, as it contains a low-calorie content that won’t exceed your daily calorie intake. The high protein content (20.1g) may also fill you up and prevent unhealthy habits like binge eating or snacking throughout the day.

You should consider eating shrimp if you want to follow a healthy diet. Seafood isn’t for everyone, but it comprises important nutrients that aid your fat-burning process. Protein is often the main nutrient in shrimp that may increase the metabolic rate by 20–30%.

A fast metabolism means your body burns through fat quickly. This may increase your weight loss progress over the next few months. You can eat a portion of shrimp with lunch or dinner meals to get your daily intake. Adults need around 0.8g of protein per 1kg of body weight.

Health Benefits of Shrimp

There are many benefits that derive from eating cooked shrimp. Some people eat this seafood to gain plenty of protein in their nutritious diet. Taking care of your body is very important for maintaining your long-term health, especially if you suffer from gut problems.

Below are four great health benefits of shrimp:

#1 Promotes weight loss

Eating shrimp won’t promote substantial weight loss, but combining it with nutritious meals can support your progress. It contains fewer calories that can’t harm your physical results. Shrimp also has minerals like omega-3s, selenium, choline, and vitamin B12 that promote weight loss.

Selenium is one of those minerals that may help you lose weight. Your body needs selenium to make thyroid hormones that balance your metabolism. Consuming 55 mcg on a daily basis ensures that your metabolic rate is steady and burns more calories throughout the day.

#2 Improves brain health

Fresh shrimp has plenty of antioxidants that can protect your brain cells. These antioxidants may reduce oxidative stress, improving cognitive functions and motor skills. You may develop an improved memory that helps you to remember important information.

The primary type of antioxidant in shrimp is astaxanthin – a component of algae that decreases the risk of neuronal damage. It works by enhancing blood flow to your brain and feeding neural cells with oxygen. More oxygen in the brain prevents certain conditions like brain hypoxia.

#3 Strengthens bones

Shrimp is packed with nutrients like calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium that promote strong bone health. You can eat shrimp if you suffer from painful joints, as the nutrients help prevent degeneration. Calcium is the number one mineral for maintaining healthy bones and teeth.

#4 Great source of antioxidants

Antioxidants are super important for protecting your cells and preventing heart disease, cancer, macular degeneration, and other diseases. Shrimp is fueled with antioxidants (including astaxanthin) that stop free radicals from causing internal damage to your body.

How to Choose High-Quality Shrimp

Choosing the right shrimp ensures you’re eating quality food on your weight loss diet. A seafood lover knows that shellfish can go off, so it’s important you notice the signs of bad quality products. This includes what kind of shrimp to get and how you might prepare it.

It’s recommended that you buy individually frozen, head-off, peel-on shrimp. Some “fresh” products could be on display for hours, leaving room for bacteria growth. Therefore, buying frozen shrimp in the grocery store avoids the possibility of shellfish poisoning.

Shrimp can reach its expiry date quickly, and if it does, you’ll notice a foul smell. This is due to the ammonia that infects spoiled seafood. Do not eat shrimp with pungent odors or any type of fresh shellfish that looks slimy, limp, and is falling apart from decay.

You can also look for black spots on the head and body of shrimp. If you see loads of these spots, it means that the shrimp isn’t at peak freshness. Black spots aren’t necessarily bad since they represent the early stages of melanosis – discoloration caused by enzymatic oxidation.

Just remember that frozen shrimp is the better option for your meals. They have a longer expiry date and fewer chances of developing ammonia-like smells.

How to Prepare Shrimp for Weight Loss

You can combine shrimp with many different low-calorie foods. Make sure to fry the shrimp before adding it to nutritious meals, as this can reduce the risk of shellfish poisoning.

It’s important to get your nutrients from other vegetables and high-protein foods. This may be fried rice, broccoli, spinach, salmon, eggs, and chicken. Even a shrimp salad can fuel your body for cardio-based workouts, so include plenty of green leafy vegetables.

Some people might wonder if shrimp-fried rice is good for weight loss. Rice is naturally full of protein and can be paired with tomatoes, carrots, beans, and shrimp. You can calculate the number of calories in this dish to ensure you’re not exceeding your daily intake.

A balanced diet should contain healthy food that adds nutritional value to your meals. Cooked shrimp is one of those products, but you can’t eat this alone. To lose weight, you need to exercise and avoid saturated fat in cured meats, butter, cakes, biscuits, and full-fat dairy.

FAQs

Conclusion

So, is shrimp healthy for weight loss, or should you avoid shrimp completely?

Anyone who loves seafood should add shrimp to their diet. This food is low in calories and won’t harm your physical results. Shrimp contains plenty of vitamins and minerals that balance your cholesterol levels, support proper thyroid function, and improve overall health.

Pick the best quality shrimp for your quick dinners, and you’re ready to eat a balanced diet.