Know2eat

Shrimp

Penaeus spp.

Also known as Prawns, Gambas, Crevettes

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Decapod crustaceans, the most traded seafood in the world by value and now largely farmed. Their shells contain astaxanthin bound to protein, which is why they turn pink only when heat releases it.

Heart HealthMuscle & Physical PerformanceAntioxidant & Oxidative Stress

Potential health benefits

Best supported: Limited

Ordered by how well the human research supports them — strongest first. A rating describes the state of the evidence, not how impressive the food is. How we rate evidence.

Blood lipid profile

Heart Health
Limited evidence

Some trials report that shrimp raises LDL cholesterol less than its cholesterol content would suggest, alongside a rise in HDL. The trials are small and old, and results differ between individuals.

Limited evidence. Early human work, or mostly lab and animal research.

4 sources

Deep research mode adds each paper’s own conclusion and stated limitations.

Muscle protein synthesis

Muscle & Physical Performance
Limited evidence

May support muscle protein synthesis as a very lean complete protein. Seafood protein is high quality, but shrimp has barely been tested against other protein sources in trials.

Limited evidence. Early human work, or mostly lab and animal research.

1 source

Deep research mode adds each paper’s own conclusion and stated limitations.

Oxidative stress markers

Antioxidant & Oxidative Stress
Insufficient evidence

Evidence is limited for shrimp affecting oxidative stress markers. Astaxanthin supplement trials exist, but they use doses far above what a portion of shrimp supplies and no trial has tested the food itself for this outcome.

Insufficient evidence. Not enough human research to say anything useful yet.

4 sources

Deep research mode adds each paper’s own conclusion and stated limitations.

Ask about Shrimp

Ask about Shrimp

Answers are written only from the entries on this page — the same nutrients, compounds, claims and citations you can read above. Nothing is added from outside the database, and every answer lists what it was built from.

AI explanations are not switched on for this site, so there is nothing to ask here. Everything above is read straight from the database and does not need them.

Key nutrients

Nutrient content per 100 grams
NutrientAmount% DV
Macronutrients
Calories71 kcal4%
Protein13.6 g27%
Total fat1.01 g1%
Carbohydrate0.91 g0%
Fibre0 g0%
Total sugars0 g—
Water83 g—
Fats
Saturated fat0.261 g1%
Monounsaturated fat0.181 g—
Polyunsaturated fat0.295 g—
Cholesterol126 mg42%
ALA (omega-3)0.0060 g—
EPA (omega-3)0.068 g—
DHA (omega-3)0.07 g—
DPA (omega-3)0.0060 g—
Linoleic acid (omega-6)0.095 g—
Vitamins
Vitamin A54 µg6%
Vitamin C0 mg0%
Vitamin D0.1 µg1%
Vitamin E1.32 mg9%
Vitamin K0.3 µg0%
Thiamin (B1)0.02 mg2%
Riboflavin (B2)0.015 mg1%
Niacin (B3)1.78 mg11%
Pantothenic acid (B5)0.31 mg6%
Vitamin B60.161 mg9%
Folate19 µg5%
Vitamin B121.11 µg46%
Choline80.9 mg15%
Minerals
Calcium54 mg4%
Iron0.21 mg1%
Magnesium22 mg5%
Phosphorus244 mg20%
Potassium113 mg2%
Sodium566 mg25%
Zinc0.97 mg9%
Copper0.182 mg20%
Manganese0.029 mg1%
Selenium29.6 µg54%
Other measured compounds
Beta-carotene0 µg—
Alpha-carotene0 µg—
Lycopene0 µg—
Lutein + zeaxanthin0 µg—
Caffeine0 mg—
Ash1.86 g—

Nutrient values are per 100 g of the USDA reference entry named on this page and vary with variety, growing conditions, storage and preparation.

Source record: Crustaceans, shrimp, mixed species, raw (may contain additives to retain moisture) (USDA FoodData Central, FDC ID 174210).

% DV uses the FDA Daily Values for adults and children aged 4 and over. A dash means no Daily Value has been established for that nutrient.

Bioactive compounds

Compounds present in meaningful amounts. Presence is banded rather than quantified, because whole-food levels vary enormously with variety, growing conditions, storage and preparation.

How preparation changes things

Only effects with real support are listed. If a preparation method is missing, it is because nothing dependable is documented — not because it makes no difference.

Nothing dependable is recorded about how preparation changes this food’s nutritional properties. Rather than guess, this section stays empty.

Things to know

Allergies, interactions and intake concerns. Every food gets this section — a reference where everything is uniformly good is not a reference.

  • Allergy

    Shellfish allergy

    Crustacean allergy is one of the most common adult-onset food allergies and one of the most likely to cause anaphylaxis. It is usually driven by tropomyosin, is typically lifelong, and often extends across crab, lobster and other crustaceans.

  • Worth knowing

    Raw and undercooked shellfish

    Raw or lightly cooked shrimp can carry Vibrio species and norovirus. Risk is materially higher for people with liver disease, iron overload or compromised immunity.

  • Too much

    Sodium and additives in processed shrimp

    Much frozen shrimp is treated with sodium tripolyphosphate or salt solutions to retain water, which raises sodium well above the plain USDA figure. Sulphites are sometimes used to prevent black spot and are a separate sensitivity issue.

  • Too much

    Dietary cholesterol

    Shrimp is high in cholesterol but low in saturated fat. Dietary cholesterol has a smaller and more variable effect on blood cholesterol than once assumed, though a minority of people respond more strongly.