Shrimp Cholesterol And Nutrition

Shrimp, also known as prawns, are a shellfish often eaten either boiled or fried. Because shrimp are both low in fat and high in cholesterol, you may have heard conflicting information about their nutritional value. Information on the cholesterol content in shrimp may help make this matter clearer. The Dietary Reference Intake, or DRI, percentages listed below are based on recommended daily intake numbers for adults under age 50.

Calories and Protein

One 3 oz. serving of shrimp, cooked by moist heat, contains 101 calories. The majority of these calories come from the 19.36g of protein per serving, which is 42 percent of the protein DRI for women and 35 percent for men. Shrimp is a complete protein, as it contains all 9 essential amino acids. Shrimp also contains 10 non-essential amino acids, including arginine, which is important for immune system health.

Carbohydrates and Fat

Very few of the calories in shrimp come from either carbohydrates or fat. One serving, when cooked by moist heat, contains only 1.29g of carbohydrates and 1.45g of fat. One serving contains less than 0.5g of saturated fat. Frying the shrimp instead of cooking with moist heat increases the total fat content to 10.44g and the saturated fat content to 1.8g.

Cholesterol

One 3 oz. serving of shrimp, cooked by moist heat, contains 179mg of cholesterol. This is 60 percent of the maximum recommended amount of cholesterol per day. While shrimp is very high in cholesterol, a study by "The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition" found that shrimp did not have a negative affect on the total cholesterol levels in subjects consuming large amounts. This study found that although cholesterol levels did increase in the subjects, the majority of these increases were for HDL, or "good," cholesterol.

Vitamins

While shrimp provides less than 10 percent of the DRI for vitamin C and most B vitamins, it does contain larger amounts of niacin and vitamin B12. One serving provides more than 16 percent of the DRI for niacin and 66 percent of the DRI for vitamin B12. One serving also supplies less than 10 percent of the fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K.

Minerals

While low in most vitamins, shrimp contains significant amounts of many minerals. One serving contains 35.4mcg of selenium, which is 64 percent of the DRI. One serving also supplies 26 percent of the DRI for copper, 26 percent for phosphorus and more than 10 percent for zinc. Shrimp cooked by moist heat also contain a moderate amount of sodium. One serving contains 292mg, which is 12 percent of the maximum recommended amount per day.