How we can easily enjoy them…
Especially loved and welcomed, especially in the summer months, in various snacks, shrimps have health risks along with their benefits. But let’s look at them in detail…
Shrimp is a good source of protein, as is rib-eye steak. They are rich in calcium and vitamin B12. They are low in saturated fat, which makes them heart-healthy. Although they contain high cholesterol, experts are no longer concerned about the health effects of dietary cholesterol.
But if you’re looking for other nutritional benefits associated with seafood, you’ll probably be disappointed.
Their tails are not particularly rich Omega-3 fatty acids iron or iodine.
“Nutritionally, it’s kind of the white meat of the sea,” says Zach Kohn, a nutrition researcher at Stanford University’s Center for Ocean Solutions.
Most seafood is more nutritious than meat, but this is not the case for all shrimp species. Chicken has more protein and seafood like sardines, salmon and oysters are more nutritious.
However, shrimp generally do not tend to accumulate environmental toxins such as mercury or dioxin, which are found in large predatory fish such as tuna or swordfish. That alone puts them on the US Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) list of “best choices” for pregnant women and children, meaning they’re considered safe to consume two or three times a week.
Shrimp heads and shells are especially nutritious.
Risks
Also, frozen shrimp may contain preservatives such as sodium tripolyphosphate and sodium bisulfite, which those with a sensitivity to sulfites or phosphates may want to avoid. Farmed shrimp present their own set of challenges depending on the country of origin and the conditions under which they are grown.
According to José Antonio Rodríguez Martí, a biologist studying the issue for the National Institute of Agriculture and Food Research and Technology in Spain, mercury and arsenic can accumulate in the mud at the bottom of shrimp ponds. However, even the highest levels of heavy metals he found in farmed Ecuadorian shrimp were half of those observed in less contaminated tuna. This means they do not pose an “excessive risk” to most people.
In many countries, large amounts of antibiotics are also used in shrimp farms to keep them healthy. But some drugs, such as nitrofurans, can cause liver damage and have been linked to cancer, and almost all of them are banned in the United States. However, despite the bans, there are parties that manage and pass control.
What to pay attention to when buying
First, you need to know where the shrimp you’re thinking of buying comes from and how it’s produced, says Corbett Nash, spokesman for Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch, an online resource that helps consumers make informed seafood choices.
Wild (non-farmed) shrimp are more expensive, but also tastier and less likely to be contaminated with environmental toxins.
You should know that there are no large shrimps in the Greek seas. Greek shrimps are, at best, no more than 15 cm.
We also pay attention to seasonality and build a relationship of trust with our fishmonger: we ask questions, we want to know the origin, the method of catch and the date.
If it’s packaged shrimp, the package can be helpful, even if it doesn’t have all the information we need.
According to Kathimerini’s report, it is good to know that there are four types of shrimp in Greek seas:
- Red, reaching 7-8 million, is caught all over Greece (mostly in the northern Aegean), from the beginning of October to the end of May.
- Ash-grey shrimp (also called gambari), reaching 15 million, are caught all year round, especially in spring and summer, in Amvrakikos, Platamonas and elsewhere.
- Simian shrimp, which reach about 3-4 cm and are caught all year round, except from May to July.
- The bright red shrimp, which reach 13 centimeters and come from the Argolida Valley, Kalamata, Pylos and the Ionian Sea, are caught from the beginning of October to the end of May.