The Results Are in - Shrimp Can Be Part of a Low-Fat Diet

The national love affair with shrimp has long historical roots, and shrimp are definitely one of the favorite seafood items in the American diet.  In fact, shrimp consumption ranks second only to the consumption of tuna, which is obviously more widely available and also slightly cheaper.  Though shrimp is incredibly popular, there has been a long standing preconception that shrimp are simply not an ingredient suitable to include in a heart-healthy diet.  Ascribed to the relatively high cholesterol content of shrimp, people had written off the shrimp diet as simply not a good idea.

Notwithstanding the long time affinity people have with shrimp, a meticulous study of the cholesterol properties of shrimp and its incorporation into a low-fat diet had never been conducted until relatively recently.  The results of the studies into the matter have yielded interesting and promising conclusions that are sure to have shrimp lovers elated.  Simply put, the shrimp diet is a good idea for any person without preexisting lipid problems.  What has been shown is that shrimp have relatively low levels of the low density cholesterol that is problematic for heart health, and somewhat higher levels of the better version of cholesterol, the high density type.  In fact, the consumption of shrimp was shown to result in lower triglyceride and higher HDL cholesterol content, both of which are quite probably beneficial for our hearts.

Of course, knowing how to prepare the shrimp is a crucial aspect of a successful shrimp diet, and so is acquiring the shrimp from a source that is relatively guaranteed to be free from contaminants, such as is the case with the Alaskan fisheries.  Steaming the shrimp or boiling them has proven to be the most healthy way to cook shrimp, as the largest amounts of fat are released from the flesh in this manner.  If you are going to try cooking the shrimp in other ways, try to always keep the fat contents as low as possible to keep the diet effective: when frying use olive oil, and furthermore grilling can be an effective method to keep the fat levels low-as well as being one of the tastier preparation methods.

Great tasting alaskaseafood.org Alaska seafood is a healthy way to feed the whole family. You'll find a ton of alaskaseafood.org/health great nutrition information at the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute's website.