Is Shrimp Good for Diabetes? (Expert Answer)

Short Answer: Shrimp is good for diabetes. Because it has protein, omega-3 fatty acids, and astaxanthin, and they can help regulate your blood sugar levels, lower your inflammation and cholesterol, and protect your cells from oxidative stress.

Diabetes is a condition that affects your blood sugar levels and how your body uses insulin.

Insulin is a hormone that helps your cells take in glucose from the blood and use it for energy.

In diabetes, your body either doesn’t make enough insulin or can’t use it properly.

This can lead to various health problems, such as heart disease, kidney disease, nerve damage, and eye problems.

One of the key factors in managing diabetes is diet.

What you consume can affect your blood sugar levels, which can impact your diabetes symptoms and overall health.

To effectively manage diabetes, you should consume foods rich in fiber, protein, and healthy fats, like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans, nuts, seeds, fish, and lean meats.

And avoid foods high in refined carbohydrates, added sugars, and saturated fats, like white bread, rice, pasta, pastries, candies, sodas, fried foods, and fatty meats.

Now, shrimp is a type of seafood that belongs to the crustaceans group of shellfish.

People usually eat shrimp boiled, grilled, baked, or fried, often with sauces or seasonings.

Shrimp is good for diabetes because it contains protein, omega-3 fatty acids, and astaxanthin.

Protein helps you feel full and maintain muscle mass.

Omega-3 fatty acids help lower inflammation and improve blood lipid levels.

Astaxanthin is an antioxidant that protects your cells from oxidative stress and may improve insulin sensitivity.

100 grams of shrimp can give you 20 grams of protein (40% of your daily needs), 540 mg of omega-3 fatty acids (more than 100% of your daily needs), and 1.2 mg of astaxanthin (no established daily needs).

Protein can help stabilize your blood sugar levels and prevent spikes and crashes.

Omega-3 fatty acids can help lower your triglycerides and increase your HDL (good) cholesterol, which can reduce your risk of heart disease.

Astaxanthin can help prevent or reduce the damage caused by high blood sugar levels to your nerves, kidneys, and eyes.

Furthermore, shrimp is a low-carbohydrate food and carbohydrates have the most impact on your blood sugar levels.

Shrimp has only 0.9 grams of carbohydrates per 100 grams, which is negligible compared to other foods.

You can eat up to 200 grams of shrimp per day safely, as long as you don’t have any allergies or sensitivities to shellfish.

More than that can cause excess sodium intake, which can raise your blood pressure and worsen your kidney function.

Also, you shouldn’t eat shrimp if you have gout or high uric acid levels to prevent gout attacks.

Because shrimp is high in purines, which can increase your uric acid levels and trigger inflammation and pain in your joints.

You can buy fresh shrimp in your local market or can order it from online.

Always choose shrimp that are firm, translucent, and smell fresh.

Because spoiled shrimp can cause food poisoning and infections.

You can store them in the refrigerator for up to two days or in the freezer for up to three months.

Finally, remember, maintaining a healthy lifestyle, including a balanced diet, regular exercise, stress management and essential medical care is key to managing diabetes effectively.

I always recommend my diabetes patients to follow a diabetes-friendly diet to improve their overall well-being, and enjoy a longer and healthier life.