Sea-food is the staple diet for many across the globe. People living near the sea-coasts or water bodies tend to eat fishes, prawns, and shrimps daily. So do people living away from the coastlines.
Fish, shrimp, prawns, squids have become popular food items and delicacies. In some places, they have overtaken chicken and red meat as well.
In this article, we shall discuss whether diabetics can eat shrimp, the benefits of shrimp, and discuss a few FAQs asked regarding whether people with diabetes can eat shrimp.
Can Diabetics Eat Shrimp?
Yes, a person with diabetes can include shrimps because shrimps are high in proteins and low in carbohydrates and sugar.
For diabetics, it is essential to include protein-rich foods in their diet, as protein-rich foods play a crucial role in stabilizing blood sugar levels. Also, having protein-rich meals gives a person stable energy and also keeps them from getting frequently hungry.
Apart from this, shrimps contain loads of Omega-3 fatty acids. These acids are necessary for maintaining the overall health of someone with diabetes.
Having said that, like with every other food item, people with diabetes have to ‘portion-control’ eating shrimps as well. Shrimps can increase the cholesterol level in the body.
It is advisable for someone with diabetes to eat around 3-4 ounces of shrimp per week or fortnightly.
4 Benefits Of Shrimp
Knowing that diabetics can eat shrimps and sea-food, you may want to know what benefits eating a shrimp have for diabetics.
1. Incredible Taste- Along with being one of the ideal foods for diabetics, shrimp is equally incredible to taste, making it a rare combination of food items that are delicious and healthy at the same time.
2. Nutritional Value- Shrimps are high on nutrition. As we have mentioned earlier, shrimps are high in protein and low in carbs and sugar.
Proteins help keep the blood sugar levels stable and assist in increasing the body’s metabolism.
Shrimp also contains less sugar and carbohydrates.
3.Low Cholesterol- Shrimps contain low levels of cholesterol, which is present in the form of saturated fats. When cholesterol in the form of saturated fats enters the body, it turns into good cholesterol and not bad cholesterol.
Having almost no cholesterol makes shrimp a low glycemic index food, which is ideal for diabetics.
4.Omega-3 Fats- Shrimps are a super-rich source of Omega-3 fats.
Omega-3 fats help in repairing the damaged, insulin-resistant cell membranes among diabetics. Glucose must reach the cell membranes for the body to function normally, and the blood sugar to not alleviate enormously.
Shrimps having many Omega-3 fats can help replace the transfat and the glucose to reach the damaged cell membranes.
Some FAQs About Shrimps For Diabetics
Listed below are a few FAQs about shrimp for diabetics.
Can Type-1 diabetics eat shrimp?
Yes. Shrimps are rich in proteins and low on sugar and carbs, making them ideal for people with diabetes.
Apart from that, shrimps have low cholesterol, beneficial in increasing good cholesterol in the human body.
Can a diabetic eat grilled shrimp?
Deep-frying a shrimp adds more fat content to the shrimp. Because of this additional fat content in the shrimp, the chances of an increase in cholesterol are more.
Therefore, it is more advisable for diabetics to either grill, steam, bake, or broil shrimps to maintain their nutritional value. Grilled shrimp for diabetics can be the best one for them as it contains no to little additional fats.
Recipes where shrimps are grilled, steamed, baked, or broiled, are ideal shrimp recipes for diabetics.
Can diabetics eat coconut shrimp?
For the uninitiated, Coconut shrimp is a sweet, deep-fried delicacy made from coconut and shrimps. A single coconut shrimp can contain around 126 calories and 7 grams of fat.
For people with diabetes, such high levels of sugary foods are not advisable. So, it is not suitable for a diabetic to eat coconut shrimp with high sugar and fat levels.
Can diabetics eat shrimp cocktail?
Shrimp cocktail is a sea-food dish consisting of shrimps cooked in cocktail sauce. The cocktail sauce usually contains a fair amount of sugar that is no suited for individuals with diabetes.
For diabetics to enjoy a shrimp cocktail, they can try replacing the regular cocktail sauce with sugar-free cocktail sauce. The sugar-free cocktail sauce does not contain any additional sweeteners.
Can I eat shrimp with gestational diabetes?
Yes. Shrimp being a diabetes-pro food, is safe to eat, even if you have gestational diabetes.
However, it is advisable to eat shrimps in moderation if you are diagnosed with gestational diabetes. Ideally, 2-3 servings of shrimps in a week or two weeks should be suitable.
It should also be made sure that the shrimp is not raw.
What is the glycemic index of shrimp?
The glycemic index of shrimp is 50, making it a food item with a low glycemic index.
Summary
We can rightfully say that shrimps are among the best foods for diabetics, although people with diabetes should eat them in moderation.
Shrimps contain high proteins, low sugar, carbohydrates, and cholesterol, making it a favorite food item for diabetics and people who want to control their weight and are on a diet.
The glycemic index for shrimp is also low, i.e., 50.
For diabetics, deep-frying shrimp is an absolute no-no. Rather cooking methods like grilling, baking, steaming, or broiling a shrimp, must be employed.
Shrimp is one of the best food for people with Type-1, Type-2, and gestational diabetes. Anyone can have shrimps included in their diet, although in moderation, without worrying about an increase in blood sugar, cholesterol, or carbs and calories.
Lastly, an important thing to be kept in mind while purchasing shrimps is to know about the origin of the shrimps. One should go for shrimps that have been caught in the wild than the farm-raised ones.
The shrimps raised on farms have more toxins compared to the ones that are caught in the wild.