Can I include shrimp in my low fat diet? But I heard that its rich in cholesterol, is it really a healthy food? Are there any healthy shrimp recipe? Whether wild or organically farmed, shrimp is considered to be one of the healthiest foods for its unique nutrient combination of Vitamin D, Vitamin B12 and selenium. Due to this nutrient being deficient in most people’s diet, shrimp can potentially fill in the gaps for all these nutrients at once. It is also great seafood which has very low mercury levels; which is good news for people who enjoys seafood but is afraid for mercury contamination.
In the past, healthy shrimp recipe had been viewed as food luxury only served during special occasions but today, anyone can cook various recipes even during ordinary days. Based on food calculation, a 3 ounce cooked shrimp contains no more than 85 calories, 0% transfat, 1.5 grams fat and loads of protein (18 grams). Shrimp is rich in dietary cholesterol, yes it a fact; but from the past years, scientists claimed that dietary cholesterol won’t shut up blood cholesterol, the main culprit – saturated fat.
There’s nothing wrong with consuming shrimp but the major factor depends on how it’s cooked. Here are some easy to prepare shrimp recipes you can try without the guilt.
Shrimp Spaghetti
This healthy shrimp recipe contains 377 calories, 32 grams protein and 3.2 grams fat
Ingredients:
• 8 oz. linguine
• 2 garlic cloves
• 2 tsp. olive oil
• 1 14 ½ oz canned tomatoes with thick puree
• 8 oz unsalted tomato sauce
• 1 pound cooked shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 2 tbsp chopped basil
• A pinch of pepper flakes
Direction:
1. Cook linguine noodles according to package instructions.
2. In a sauce pan, heat oil and sauté garlic and onion. When it turns golden brown, add tomatoes, sauce and pepper flakes.
3. Cook for 10-15 minutes or until sauce turns thick in texture.
4. Follow the shrimp and heat for another 4-5 minutes.
5. Pour sauce into drained pasta. Sprinkle with chopped basil on top.
Shrimp Salad
This healthy shrimp recipe contains 71 calories, 12.8 grams fat and 1 gram fat.
Ingredients:
• ½ pound cooked shrimp, peeled and deveined
• ¼ cup celery, finely chopped
• ¼ tsp paprika
• 1/3 cup fat-free strained yogurt
• ¼ cup cucumber, chopped into dice
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• Hot sauce
• Pinch of black pepper
Direction:
1. In a bowl, combine all ingredients.
2. Wrap in a lettuce leaves or serve atop.
There are various healthy shrimp recipe all over the Internet for you to try. And because of its low fat content, it becomes a popular meat alternative for beef and pork. Shrimp recipes are usually easy to prepare since you don’t need to boil it for hours to be tender. The average time of cooking preparation usually takes just for 15 minutes. Shrimp recipes can range from appetizer, main course, salad or a complete meal. Try shrimp kebabs, fajita, ceviche, taco, grilled, soup and many more.
