Fish, shellfish and other seafood products contain varying amounts of cholesterol. While your body needs a certain amount of cholesterol to build healthy cells, create vitamin D, manufacture hormones and produce digestive enzymes, too much cholesterol increases your risk of developing atherosclerosis, or narrowing of the arteries. When you look up the cholesterol content of seafood, remember to also consider the amount of saturated fats and omega-3 fatty acids in the food.
Cholesterol
Shrimp and crawfish, or crayfish, contain more cholesterol than other forms of seafood. A 3-oz. serving of farmed crawfish cooked with moist heat contains 116 mg of cholesterol. A 3-oz. portion of shrimp cooked with moist heat has 179 mg of cholesterol, putting you very close to the recommended daily limit of 200 mg. A 3-oz. portion of Northern lobster cooked with moist heat packs 124 mg of cholesterol, Dungeness crab meat has 65 mg and raw Pacific oysters contain 42 mg. Cold water fish contain significant amounts of cholesterol. Eating three ounces of Pacific herring cooked with dry heat adds 84 mg to your daily intake, and the same portion of Coho salmon cooked with moist heat delivers 48 mg.
Saturated Fat
Saturated fats from seafood and other animal products raise the level of LDL, or bad cholesterol, in your blood. Just 3 oz. of shrimp or farmed crawfish cooked with moist heat contains 0.2 g of saturated fat, raw or cooked Northern lobster has a little less than 0.2 g and raw Pacific oysters deliver 0.4 g. Fatty cold-water fish are high in saturated fat. A 3-oz. portion of Pacific herring cooked by dry heat has 3.5 g of saturated fat and the same portion of Coho salmon cooked with moist heat has 1.4 g.
Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Tuna, herring, sardines, mackerel, halibut and other fatty cold-water fish contain heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids that help reduce your blood cholesterol, negating the effect of their cholesterol and saturated fat contributions. The American Heart Association recommends eating a serving of these fish twice a week to improve your cholesterol.
Tips
You can lower the amount of cholesterol and saturated fats in seafood by eating it raw when appropriate. Choose heart-healthy cooking methods, including grilling, boiling, baking, broiling and steaming instead of breading and frying your seafood. A 3-oz. portion of raw shrimp has 0.1 g of saturated fat and 107 mg of cholesterol, but the same size serving of breaded and fried shrimp delivers 1.8 g of saturated fat and 117 mg of cholesterol. Use lemon juices, herbs and spices to flavor your seafood instead of butter or fatty sauces.
