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Shellfish and Cholesterol Levels

Have you heard that nutritional bit of advice that says don’t eat shrimp, because it's high in cholesterol. Most fish is, in fact, high in cholesterol.

But wait: aren't doctors also saying that fish is GOOD for your diet?

How can seafood be both bad and good? Well, the truth is that it's ALL good. That whole cholesterol thing is a big misunderstanding.

Dr. William P. Castelli, Director of the Framingham Heart Study states, "Most of the cholesterol in our bodies is manufactured by our bodies. It doesn't come from eating cholesterol, it comes from eating too much saturated fat." Most shellfish is actually extremely low in saturated fat and reasonable in cholesterol. In fact, shrimp boasts virtually no saturated fat!

While shellfish are low in unhealthy saturated fat, they do contain beneficial omega-3 fats in varying amounts. A 3.5 oz. serving of most shellfish contains 200 to 400mg…and those are the good fats—the ones we need to eat more of.

Shellfish, like most other seafood, is a low-calorie protein food. Most shellfish contain a mere 100 calories per 4 oz serving. Compare that to chicken at 160 calories or beef at 330! That makes shellfish a perfect fit on a lower calorie menu!

Published 09/12/08