Should you eat shrimp heads and shells?

Shrimp is a nutritious food. Shrimp contains more than 9 different vitamins and minerals.

According to health website Healthline (USA), 85 g of shrimp contains 20.4 g of protein, 0.433 mg of iron, 201 mg of phosphorus, 220 mg of potassium, 1.39 mg of zinc, 33.2 mg of magnesium, 94,4 mg sodium. Shrimp is also one of the food sources of iodine - an essential mineral for thyroid function and brain health.

When preparing shrimp, many people choose to remove the shell and head to make the dish look more beautiful and easier to eat. However, according to the news site Tasting Table, cooks should consider keeping the shrimp shells and heads when cooking.

Accordingly, shrimp shells contain a number of ribonucleotide molecules. Cooking shrimp with their shells on will help this substance penetrate the meat, helping to increase the delicious flavor of the dish. Furthermore, when using high-temperature cooking methods to process shrimp, leaving the shell intact will create a protective barrier for the intact shrimp meat.

In addition, shrimp shells and heads also contain chitin, which can stimulate healthy growth of intestinal bacteria. When this bacterial system is healthy, it can support digestion and enhance the function of the body's immune system.

A scientific study also shows that the heads of some shrimp species contain lipids, which can reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases. In addition, according to the US National Institutes of Health, shrimp heads are rich in protein, omega-3 fatty acids and antioxidants such as astaxanthin and selenium, which help protect body cells.

Even though it is nutritious, experts recommend that people with seafood allergies, people with high cholesterol, coughs, asthma, and people with gastrointestinal problems should limit eating shrimp.

The flexible texture of shrimp shells is mainly due to the moisture contained in this part. Therefore, to make shrimp shells crispier and easier to eat, processors should use high heat to remove moisture from the shrimp shells. One of these methods is frying. In addition, to easily eat the shrimp shells, users should choose shrimp of moderate size, according to americastestkitchen.

Cre: THANH NIÊN

• Shrimp Industry: Rising costs and falling prices erode competitiveness

• China leads the global lobster market, Vietnam emerges as a key supplier

• FAO: Fraud may account for up to 20% of global seafood trade

• Feed prices rise, raw shrimp prices fall – pressure builds across the entire value chain

• Vietnam International Fisheries Science and Technology Exhibition – VinaFIS Expo 2026 | Vietnam’s Fisheries Reaching the World

• Argentina expands squid fishing grounds, output increases

• The sturgeon farm owner broke down in tears as 30 tons of fish suffocated and died, causing losses worth billions of VND

• Aqua Mina officially participates in VinaFIS Expo 2026.

• Aqua Mina HDPE Circular Floats – The Optimal Solution for Shrimp Pond Paddle Wheel Aerators

• Aqua Mina HDPE Blue Circular Floats: A One-Time Investment for a 20-Year Vision

• Proactively Combating Heat, Nghe An Farmers Move Shrimp into Enclosed Net-House Systems

• AQUA MINA HDPE BLUE ROUND FLOAT: NO PRICE INCREASE – STANDING WITH FARMERS THROUGH CHALLENGES