Cholesterol in Shrimps are Good for You

Mar 3
09:02

2009

Henry Fong

Henry Fong

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People are concerned about the cholesterol levels of foods like meat, eggs, and dairy products. In the case of shrimp, however, the cholesterol anecdote is special. Studies show the high percentage of good fats in shrimp lowers the part that cholesterol plays in the body. Most people can eat shrimp as part of a balanced diet. Good Cholesterol, Bad Cholesterol travels in the blood stream inside lipoproteins, which have been referred to as plump little fat protein packages.

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So is shrimp good for you or bad for you? Shrimp is low in fat,Cholesterol in Shrimps are Good for You Articles but high in cholesterol. There is much confusion about the fat and cholesterol amounts in shrimp. Shrimp is very low in total fat, tough it is quite high in cholesterol content. There are many people who will not eat shrimp because of its high cholesterol content. Yet, based on studies about shrimp and cholesterol levels, not eating shrimp because of this is not necessary.

A four-ounce serving of shrimp, will give you 28.2% of the daily allowance of vitamin B12. Vitamin B12 is one of the nutrients that keep levels of homocysteine low, and this is good because homocystine is a molecule that can cause damage to blood vessel walls, and it is also deemed a significant factor in heart disease. Shrimp are also an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids, which are known for their anti-inflammatory properties and their ability to stop blood clots from forming. Four ounces of shrimp have 14.8% of your daily need of Omega 3.

Studies have shown that the high percentage of good fats in shrimp reduces the impact of cholesterol. Most people can eat shrimp as part of their balanced diet. Cholesterol from food only has a negative impact if it is absorbed, and saturated fat seems to aid in this absorption. If you are eating foods high in saturated fat, this will increase LDL cholesterol. Most high-cholesterol foods (such as meat, eggs, and dairy products) are also high in saturated fat, and increase LDL. This is not true for shrimp, there is no saturated fat.

One serving of a dozen large shrimp has 130 mg of cholesterol. There is really no problem with this, because shrimp is low fat and is a good source of highly unsaturated fatty acids, which produce high density lipids, known as good cholesterol. Eating shrimp might in fact lower blood cholesterol levels, and higher good cholesterol levels.

It has been thought all of this time that shrimp was a bad food for those with high cholesterol when actually the opposite is true. Like eggs you should limit your intake to a few times a week, but unlike eggs the cholesterol is offset by the other nutrients of the shrimp, though there are new studies that are changing minds about eggs as well.

Shrimp was thought of as a bad food for those with high cholesterol, when in actuality the opposite is likely true. Just like with eggs you should limit your intake of shrimp to a few times a week, but unlike eggs the cholesterol is offset by the other nutrients of the shrimp, though there are new studies that are changing minds about eggs as well.