The World's Healthiest Foods

More About Shrimp From Our Newsletter

Did you know shrimp are an unusually concentrated source of the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory nutrient called astaxanthin? It's not unusual for a single 4-ounce serving of shrimp to contain 4 milligrams of astaxanthin. Astaxanthin is a carotenoid that is receiving special attention in the latest health research, primarily for its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Release of inflammatory messaging molecules (like tumor necrosis factor alpha and interleukin 1B) is suppressed by astaxanthin, and so is unwanted oxidation of fats in immune cells. In animal studies, risk of colon cancer is lowered by intake of astaxanthin, and immune-related problems of diabetes are also reduced. Since few commonly-consumed fish (with the exception of wild-caught salmon) can provide us such concentrated amounts of astaxanthin, shrimp may be making a unique health contribution in this way. And while shrimp is often included on the "avoid" list for persons wanting to minimize their dietary intake of cholesterol, several recent research studies have noted several desirable aspects of the fat profile in shrimp. One of these desirable aspects is shrimp's omega-3 fat content. . . . For more Shrimp