Shrimp – Nutritious Food With Many Health Benefits

Although some parts of shrimp should be avoided, shrimp meat is still a valuable source of nutrients, providing many health benefits:
✔ Rich in protein to help regenerate cells, support muscles.
✔ Contains omega-3 to help protect the heart, reduce inflammation, prevent atherosclerosis.
✔ Provides iodine and selenium to support thyroid function.
✔ Supplements zinc and vitamin E, helps strengthen immunity, support skin and anti-aging.
Nutritional facts for 10 cooked shrimp (medium size):
Calories: 45.5 kcal
Fat: 0.65g
Carbohydrates: 0.58g
Protein: 8.7g
Selenium: 18.9mcg (34% daily requirement)
Vitamin B12: 0.43mcg (18% daily requirement)
Zinc: 0.62mg (5.6% daily requirement)
Vitamin E: 0.84mg (5.6% daily requirement)

👉 Tips: When eating shrimp, focus on the meat, prepare it properly and avoid potentially harmful parts to maximize the health benefits! 💪🦐

1. Shrimp shells – Not as calcium-rich as you think

Many people believe that shrimp shells contain a lot of calcium, so they try to eat the shell to strengthen their bones. However, the truth is that calcium is mainly found in the shrimp meat, while the shrimp shell contains very little or almost none.
The main component of shrimp shells is chitin, a polymer that helps form the hard shell of crustaceans.
Chitin is not easy to digest, eating too much can cause indigestion and bloating, especially for young children or people with poor digestive systems.

👉 Advice: You should eat the shrimp meat instead of the shell to absorb calcium and nutrients more effectively.

2. Shrimp Head – Accumulation of Heavy Metals

The head of the shrimp is where the digestive organs are located and accumulates many heavy metals such as arsenic and cadmium, which can be harmful to health if eaten regularly.
Arsenic is highly toxic, especially dangerous for pregnant women, and can increase the risk of birth defects or miscarriage.
Cadmium in the shrimp head can affect the liver and kidneys if consumed in excess.
When buying shrimp, if the shrimp head is black or has an unusual color change, the shrimp may be contaminated with toxins, bacteria or parasites.

👉 Advice: When processing shrimp, remove the head to ensure food safety.

3. Black line on the back of the shrimp - Shrimp digestive system

The black line on the back of the shrimp is actually the intestine, which contains undigested food and may contain bacteria, sand, and mud.
If not cleaned before processing, eating this line can cause stomachache, diarrhea, and even food poisoning in some cases.
Especially for children or people with weak digestive systems, bacteria in the shrimp's intestines can cause digestive disorders.

👉 Advice: Remove the black line before processing to ensure food hygiene and safety.