Is it good to eat prawns?

Eating prawns has always been reserved for the lucky few, but now it is more common to see them on the tables, since many large supermarkets have democratized (a bit) access to this type of seafood by lowering the price.

Even so, you do not eat as much as more than one would like, but that may be saving us from certain diseases such as uric acid. Eating prawns is good , we are not going to deny it, but we must be clear about certain things, since, like everything in life, quantities and frequency are key.

For example, if we have a very healthy diet, and one day we crave a toast with Nutella, absolutely nothing happens. The downside is eating Nutella every day or more than 2 times a week.

Be careful with the quantities

Experts recommend eating seafood 3 times a week, as long as we are very healthy, since as the title predicts, eating prawns is healthy, but you have to be careful with the quantities.

There are important occasions when we binge, and it is not good to binge, much less queer. An excessive consumption of shellfish leads to serious health problems, among which are poisoning if it is poorly cooked, allergies, reactions and the rise of uric acid in the blood.

There is no exact maximum amount that each person can eat, since common sense is used in this type of food and, as we say, celebrating a day is very important for psychological health, but excesses are not good.

Experts say that about 6 or 7 pieces of prawns is more than enough for a healthy adult. If we have health problems, it would be necessary to reduce the quantity or directly not eat prawns. You always have to follow the recommendations of our doctor.

Nutritional value of prawns

This type of shellfish has very interesting nutritional values and that is why it is included in the food pyramid. 100 grams of prawns provide our body with a multitude of vitamins and minerals that are very important for proper functioning. It is not mandatory to eat them, so better not to obsess, since these vitamins and minerals are found in other foods.

Eating prawns provides us with vitamin B1, B2, B3, B6, B9, B12 and vitamin E. Also, the minerals that we get from this food are magnesium, selenium, sodium, calcium, iodine, zinc, iron and phosphorus . Continuing with the nutritional values of this shellfish, it should be said that 100 grams is about 110 kilocalories, about 24 grams of protein, 1.5 grams of carbohydrates, omega 3 fatty acids and less than 1 gram of fat.

Its nutritional table is very good, but for this reason we should not venture to eat a lot of prawns. Let’s remember that it is not the only thing we are going to eat for that dinner or lunch. There will be meat, fish, more types of seafood, surely some alcohol, a sugary dessert, etc. We must be careful with the consumption of calories if we have a sedentary life.

Types of prawns and how to choose the freshest

Few know it, but there are different types of prawns and today we are going to know them all. In addition, we will also learn to choose the freshest from the fishmonger or from the frozen section.

• Giant tiger: they are from Asia mainly, but they are also found in the southern part of Africa. They are recognized because they have bands on the sides, hence their name.
• Brown tiger: they usually come from the Indian Ocean, they also have bands on the sides, but in this case they are brown.
• Green tiger: these prawns have a brindle body too, but greenish in color, and are of Australian, Japanese and Indian origin.
• Equatorial: as the name suggests, they are from the Pacific and have a more uniform tone without much band.
• Ivory: with an ivory tone throughout their body, these prawns are from the west of the African continent.
• Trasmallo: they are the most common in Spain and are located on the Andalusian coast, especially in the bay of Cádiz and in Huelva.

To choose the freshest ones, you should always go to establishments that are highly trusted and have a good reputation. Buy only those that are alive or well frozen, and discard the remains that are in the fishmongers in the late afternoon.

Seafood must smell of the sea, if it smells strong or unpleasant, do not buy it under any circumstances, since we could end up intoxicated by macroorganisms.

Main benefits

It has become clear that prawns are healthy, but that we have to take care of the quantities and frequency of consumption. With this clear, we are going to see what benefits we can eat this type of seafood throughout the week or the month.

Good for the bones

Thanks to the contribution of phosphorus, it contributes to the formation and development of bones and teeth, it also favors the secretion of breast milk, the formation of muscle tissues, favors intellectual performance and memory.

Calcium is another mineral that is obtained when consuming prawns and thanks to this we can maintain important functions such as the growth and maintenance of our entire body . It also helps blood clotting, muscle relaxation and contraction, and strengthening bones and teeth.

Helps in the synthesis of genetic material

Prawns provide us with vitamin B12 and it is one of the most important vitamins for the body. This vitamin is relatively scarce in vegetarian diets and its presence is null in vegan diets, hence supplementation is recommended.

This vitamin, together with vitamin E, is involved in the synthesis process of the genetic material of the entire organism. From the smallest cell to neurons . Besides, they are also responsible for producing sex hormones and red blood cells.

Prevent anemia

Thanks to the iron content, we can prevent, which is not the same as cure, iron deficiency anemia . It is one of the most common anemias and is detected by feeling fatigue, dizziness, pale skin, headaches, cold hands and feet, nails that break easily, weakness, etc.

Prawns help to complete our diet, which must be very varied and rich in vegetables, legumes, nuts, seeds, fruits and ultimately in meat products, and least of all red meat, since its relationship with the appearance of cancer.

They are rich in protein

As we have seen in the nutritional values, prawns have an average of about 24 grams of protein , and that makes them one of the foods with the highest protein content. The problem is that they are a shellfish that cannot be abused, and by that we mean that we cannot eat them daily as we can eat dairy, chicken, nuts or fruits daily.

Risks of eating prawns

Among the most “dangerous” shellfish are prawns, as well as prawns. This danger is related to the metals that are inside the shrimp.

Surely we have ever heard that “do not suck the head of prawns.” This is because this shellfish, like prawns, has its digestive system in its head and cadmium accumulates there.

This same metal is present in other crustacean shellfish, but when it comes to prawns, we should only suck and ingest the edible parts of the prawn and abandon the mania of eating their heads as well.

Cadmium is not eliminated, but accumulates in our body, specifically it is concentrated in the liver and kidneys, having serious consequences.

Other dangers of eating prawns is uric acid that can cause gout, there are also dangers with cholesterol and hypertension. Apart from the fact that eating raw seafood is full of risks for contracting diseases, that is why you must always cook them or keep them frozen and not break the cold chain.

Who should not eat them?

Prawns are good, it has already been more than clear, but they are not good for everyone, since those people who have high cholesterol, gout, hypertension, allergies, stomach problems etc. They should not eat this seafood under any circumstances.

If we have high cholesterol, gout and hypertension , we should not eat prawns, even if they give us a box every day. Our health and our lives are at stake.

Those with shellfish allergies shouldn’t either, even if it’s just hives, it can get complicated and end up with an allergic reaction that prevents us from breathing. If you have any doubts about having consumed shellfish, you have to go quickly to the emergency room.

If our life is not very active and our diet is not healthy on a daily basis, it is best not to eat too many prawns, also, if we are not aware of our internal health (tension, cholesterol, stomach problems, etc.) it is best not to eat them.