Do you guys think that if I eat about 3.5 oz of shrimp 2 or 3 times a week it will be too much cholesterol? I heard also that you can get a shellfish allergy from eating it too much also? I love steamed shrimp and vegetables with rice for lunch, but dont want to clog the ole arteries and such.
Wow ,
I just saw how much cholesterol shrimp has!!! I didn't know it has that much. I am looking forward to seeing people's answers too.
I am one of those people who eats hard boiled eggs, once or twice a week, don't really care about the cholesterol, because the protein really helps me( I don't reat red meat or poultry). But I didn't realize shrimp had so much cholesterol wow !!
cheryl
Well, shrimp lovers take heart. A study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition says despite all that cholesterol shrimp is perfectly good for you.
For more than two months, researchers at Rockefeller University in New York and Harvard tested several different types of low fat diets on 18 people with normal cholesterol levels, including a diet containing more than half a pound of steamed shrimp a day.
The scientists found the shrimp diet did not raise participants' overall cholesterol levels. They're not sure why, however, the scientists say perhaps it's because shrimp is low in fat and contains fish oils that are good for your heart.
"In fact, consuming shrimp instead of other high fat foods will have beneficial effects," said Elizabeth De Oliveira of Rockefeller University.
While the shrimp diet did increase people's so-called bad cholesterol or LDL slightly, it also boosted their so-called good cholesterol or HDL enough to offset the increase in bad cholesterol.
"If you love shrimp, and you follow a heart healthy diet, enjoy your shrimp with no guilt," De Oliveira said.
Eating saturated fats is worse for your cholesterol than eating cholesterol containing foods such as shrimp and eggs.
The cholesterol isn't a problem, but there is another factor you need to pay attention to when purchasing shrimp.
A lot of the shrimp sold in supermarkets is from China. You know those frozen bags of shrimp and the shrimp rings you can buy? From China. A lot of the "fresh" shrimp is also from China. The Chinese shrimp have been found to have outrageously high levels of chemicals, antibiotics ...and filth. Other fishes to worry about are catfish and tilapia (there are more but I can't remember the rest). The fish is not safe for consumption. There is not enough manpower at the docks to inspect the vast majority of the shipments, so they slip through.
Don't assume that if you live in an area that has a lot of the type of fish you want that you are getting local fish. For example, a lot of the catfish sold in the South is from China.
I noticed that the supermarkets around here are starting to note the country of origin of the fish. Maybe yours does now, too.
Best choices are pink shrimp wild caught from oregon and spot prawn wild caught from british columbia. You should avoid imported black tiger shrimp, tiger shrimp and white shrimp, either farmed or wild caught.
This may sound stupid but how do you find out where the shrimp you bought is from.
I thought that too! Especially since I get mine at a chineese restaurant. I guess I will just assume it is from CHina. It is soooooooooo good when I get it steamed.
Usually on the packaging it will say where it is purchased from, if you get it from a restaurant, that is a different story.
Royalsfan, some farmed fish is ok but you have to check. That site I posted (seafood watch), lists various reasons for choosing a certain type of fish or not choosing a certain type of fish, one of their big concerns is environment reasons as well as health reasons.
Nelie - of course you're correct. I was just speaking from the standpoint that many people don't take the time that you or I might take to investigate, fully, where their food is coming from. That's why I tend to make blanket statements, sometimes. Because if you don't have the time, desire, or resource to investigate then it's best to just steer clear. I'm excited to check out your website link. I have a little card that I carry in my purse which lists seafoods which are on a "green", "yellow" or "red" list based on whether or not they should be eaten. Green is good, yellow in moderation, and red are no eats. The lists are based upon methods of catch, raising, environmental impact, AND potential contamination of the fish by contaminants such as heavy metals. It's SOOO great to have handy...but I do worry about it becoming outdated. That's where your website might fill in some gaps!
Shrimp twice a week too much cholesterol?
