Cox News Service
ATLANTA -- If you've been avoiding shrimp because you've heard that
these crustaceans are high in cholesterol, you're wrong and right.
Shrimp do contain relatively high levels of dietary cholesterol
- 166 milligrams per 3 ounces of steamed shrimp. But shrimp is very
low in saturated fat, the kind of fat that gets the biggest blame
for raising blood cholesterol levels.
It turns out that the cholesterol in foods we eat has less of an
impact on blood cholesterol than saturated fats. Researchers at
Rockefeller University in New York found that when volunteers ate
shrimp along with foods that were low in saturated fat, their blood
lipid ratios remained balanced. So the net-net, as you cast your
net to find heart-healthy meals, is that shrimp's overall
nutritional profile places it on the list of the dietary good guys.
The same goes for shrimp's crustacean cousins lobster and crab.
Pass the lemons
The healthiest way to cook shrimp is simply steamed and
preferably unpeeled. "The shells actually impart flavor to the
shrimp. It's kind of like cooking chicken on the bone," says
Nathalie Dupree, Southern food expert and author of "Shrimp &
Grits Cookbook" (Gibbs Smith, $21.95).
Add a spritz of fresh lemon or lime juice or a splash of hot
sauce and you'll keep the calories low: 84 calories per 3-ounce
serving (10 large shrimp). Fresh salsas, savory fruit relishes and
vinegar-based marinades add flavors without added fat, too.
Of course, if you drench shrimp in butter or drown them in
cheese or cream sauces, you're changing the nutritional picture by
increasing the calories and the artery-clogging saturated-fat
content of the dish. Fried shrimp will be higher in fat and
calories, too. You can add 100 calories per ounce when you plunge
shrimp into the deep fryer. If the fat in the fryer contains
trans-fats (the Darth Vader of the nutritional world) you're adding
an even higher risk of elevated blood cholesterol levels. Make sure
to seek out restaurants that use trans-fat-free oils.
Fry right
That doesn't mean fried shrimp are totally off limits. They do
it right at Rathbun's restaurant where the Salt and Pepper Georgia
Shrimp are lightly dusted in bread crumbs and flash fried for a few
seconds so they're crispy but not greasy.
Topped with serrano peppers, cilantro, a little sesame oil and
lemon juice, this dish of six succulent shrimp is listed as one of
the small plates on chef-owner (and "Iron Chef"-winning) Kevin
Rathbun's menu.
Vicky Murphy of Inland Seafood says expect to start seeing more
wild Georgia shrimp on Atlanta's restaurant menus. "Spring shrimp
season in the Southeast just started, so there will be plenty of
fresh shrimp available over the coming weeks. We are always pushing
wild domestic shrimp because it is the best tasting and is highly
sustainable," she says.
NUTRITIONAL TALLY
-- Nearly fat free, low in calories
-- High in protein, no carbohydrates
-- Good source of cardio-protective omega-3 fatty acids. Four
ounces of shrimp provide 14.8 percent of your daily need for these
fats.
-- Excellent source of mineral selenium, which is associated
with lowering the risk of cancer.
-- Excellent source of vitamin B-12: a 4-ounce serving of shrimp
delivers 28.2 percent of the daily value for this vitamin. Vitamin
B-12 is one of the nutrients needed to control levels of
homocysteine, a significant risk factor for cardiovascular disease.
-- Mineral-rich, supplying iron, zinc and copper.
Carolyn O'Neil is a registered dietitian and co-author of "The
Dish on Eating Healthy and Being Fabulous!" E-mail: healthyeating
AT ajc.com. This article appeared in The Atlanta
Journal-Constitution.