When buying shrimp, pay attention to how it looks. The features of good shrimp include color, head, abdomen, tail of shrimp, legs, shell and antennae, eyes, the smell, and the meat.When buying shrimp, Look for natural, light colors and avoid shrimps that are dark in color. If the head, abdomen, tail, and skin of the shrimp are black and the meat in the tail is somewhat yellow-green, it means the shrimp is not fresh or it is spoiled.If the head is a little black, but the meat in the tail is still shiny and clear, the shrimp is still fresh. The shells should be bright and firm. Sometimes, shrimps have a change in color called black spot or melanosis. Melanosis is not a disease and doesn’t mean the shrimp are spoiled. It is a reaction of the enzymes that happens because of natural amino acids and sunlight. So, shrimps with black spots are still healthy and fresh.The head, abdomen, and tail of the shrimp should be firm and completely connected, and if they are separated, it is a sign that the shrimp is spoiled. The legs, shell, and antennae of healthy shrimp must be firm, and if the antennae and legs are separated from each other or some of the skin is separated, this is a sign that the shrimp is not fresh and it is spoiled.The eyes of a healthy shrimp should be bright, shiny, and firm.Healthy shrimp should smell like sea or seaweed.Avoid shrimps that smell like ammonia. Healthy Shrimpshould have shiny, firm, white and juicy meat.
Qualities of Good shrimps
Shrimp has only 84 calories in a 3-ounce or 85-gram serving. Shrimp has zero carbohydrates. Shrimp is 90% protein and 10% fat, which makes it high in protein and low in fat. Besides, there are more than 20 different vitamins and minerals in the same serving size. Selenium is a mineral that can lower inflammation and boost heart health and shrimp provides 50% of the body’s daily need for selenium.
Following is a summary of the nutrients in a 3 ounce or 85-gram serving of shrimp:
84 calories
18 grams of protein
48% of the body’s daily need for selenium
21% of the body’s daily need for B12
15% of the body’s daily need for iron
12% of the body’s daily need for Phosphorus
11% of the body’s daily need for Niacin
9% of the body’s daily need for Zinc
7% of the body’s daily need for Magnesium