Which shrimp are the healthiest? What kind of shrimp is best to buy? There is one opinion here

Seafood has long been known and dearly loved by many. These decapod crustaceans are not just tasty, they are also very healthy, as they contain a lot of protein, calcium, healthy fat Omega-3 and the highest amount of iodine among seafood (good for our thyroid gland!).

At the same time, shrimp is a low-calorie and dietary product. It is also worth noting that shrimp protein is somewhat more difficult to digest than fish protein, but it quickly brings a feeling of fullness.

There are about 2 thousand species of shrimp, marine and freshwater. But you and I need to know the basics. There are warm-blooded shrimp - from warm seas- and cold-blooded, naturally, from the cold.

Cold-blooded ones come from Denmark, Canada, Lithuania, Norway and Estonia. They are small and cheaper than large ones, but it turns out that they contain more essential nutrients, and therefore are more beneficial for our body. Plus, they just taste better.

Our country buys warm-blooded animals from South Asia, Vietnam, Indonesia, China, and Thailand. These are large shrimp, up to 20 cm - tiger, and even up to 30 - king. In addition, not so long ago Brazil, Nicaragua and Ecuador began to import such shrimp into our country.

You and I, looking through bags of various shrimps in the supermarket, most often do not look at where they come from. But in vain. It is known that in European countries shrimp undergo strict quality control, but this cannot always be expected from Asian producers; there are enough complaints about the quality of their products. So let's be more careful.

Fresh shrimp, like other seafood, are not intended for long-term storage. Therefore, in stores we can, of course, find chilled ones, but most often frozen. Shrimp are either frozen immediately after catching, or boiled and frozen - these are the most popular shrimp in our stores.

In addition, shrimp are offered in shells and peeled - completely or to the tail. Some believe that you should not save money and buy unpeeled shrimp, citing the fact that per kilogram of peeled shrimp there are 2.5-3 kg of unpeeled shrimp, and time is saved on cleaning. Experts say that shrimp cooked in the shell are tastier.

What should you pay attention to when choosing shrimp?

1. Don't be lazy to read the labels on the package. It should indicate the name of the manufacturer with an address and telephone numbers, and not just some Bereg LLC.
2. We carefully look at the numbers next to the weight designation - they indicate the approximate number of shrimp per kilogram of weight, for example, 100/150 (i.e. in a kilogram - 100-150 pieces). This is also called “caliber”, i.e. shrimp size. Sometimes stores indicate the wrong caliber in order to sell it at a higher price. Of course, we cannot count them on the spot, but it’s quite possible to see if they are all the same size. By the way, if the shrimp in the bag are without heads, then their quantity is usually indicated not per kilogram, but per pound (per 450 g).
3. High-quality shrimp have an even, smooth color and a tucked tail.
4. If we see that the shells have dried out, the meat has yellowish color, there are black spots on the shell and legs - these are old shrimp.
5. We look at the tails: experts say that an unbent tail is evidence that the shrimp died before freezing.
6. If there are lumps of snow in a package of shrimp, most likely they were thawed during delivery and frozen again.
7. We discard shrimp with black heads immediately - these are sick individuals. With green heads - don't be scared, they just fed on a special type of plankton and are quite edible and tasty. And we are happy if we got shrimp with brown heads - these are pregnant specimens, the meat of which is very healthy.

The best shrimp are frozen fresh; they retain the most useful and flavorful substances. They have a gray-brown color

How to cook shrimp correctly? If we bought frozen (not boiled) shrimp with shells, then first we need to slowly defrost them. Those. keep on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator, drain the water and then defrost at room temperature. Cook by immersing in boiling salted water for 5 to 10 minutes after boiling again. depends on the size of the shrimp. They are ready when they turn orange and float up. If we overcook, the shrimp will become tough.

Seasonings and spices are often added to the water. After removing the finished shrimp from the heat, leave them in the broth for 10-15 minutes - they will be more juicy. You can steam these shrimps, which makes their meat more tender and retains more nutrients - for example, 4-5 minutes in a double boiler.

Boiled-frozen unpeeled shrimp. After defrosting, it is enough to keep them in boiling water for 1 to 3-5 minutes - here opinions differ, everyone chooses the cooking method themselves experimentally. In fact, the shrimp are already boiled before freezing and are ready. But those bought in bulk, and not in a bag, raise reasonable doubts about their quality, and therefore cooking is more of an attempt to avoid intestinal problems than a necessity.

Some limit themselves to putting the shrimp in a colander and pouring boiling water over them. Another option is to put the shrimp in already well-heated water with spices, bring to a boil and immediately remove from the heat.
And another way is to place it in a container, add a little water and put it in the microwave for literally 30-60 seconds.

Peeled shrimp, also called cocktail shrimp. These shrimp are ready to eat. Therefore, experts say that boiling them is the same as boiling crab sticks. You just need to defrost them using the method described above and rinse them with boiled water. This will preserve the flavor of the shrimp. If we don’t have much time, we can immediately rinse the frozen shrimp with boiling water or simply put them in boiling water for a few seconds - but do not cook them.

Peeled shrimp can be cooked deliciously by frying them in vegetable or melted butter with garlic - only 3-4 minutes. They can also be baked and grilled.

• If we cook shrimp for a salad, then we should immediately lower them from the pan for a short time into cold water- it will be easier to clean. For large shrimp, do not forget to remove the dark intestinal vein so as not to spoil the taste.
• Need to peel shrimp before cooking? This is best done while they are not completely defrosted. As we do with liver or meat, which need to be cut into even slices.
• Don't throw away the shrimp shells - they can be used to make a good broth for shrimp soup or sauce.

Oleg, it’s easy to get lost in all the diversity of the shrimp world. How many types of shrimp are there and how do they differ?
There are about 2000 species in nature shrimp. They can all be divided into two groups - cold-water and warm-water. Externally, they differ in size - cold-water ones are much smaller.

Are cold-water shrimp our usual shrimp?
You can say that. The most commonly found shrimp are northern red shrimp, with northern chilim and red comb shrimp also common. By the way, they are red even when raw. These shrimps are boiled alive in sea ​​water and after cooking they are immediately frozen. You can distinguish a boiled shrimp from a raw one by its tail: a boiled one has a curl, while a raw one has a straight tail. But here it is important to know that northern shrimp are supplied to Russia only boiled frozen, and such shrimp have a straight tail - a sign that the shrimp was boiled already dead.

Interesting point - Russian fishermen shrimp caught, but delivered to the USA, South Korea and Japan, and we buy shrimp caught by the Danes and Canadians, they say it is profitable from an economic point of view.

Another nuance concerns the size or “ caliber» shrimp. On the packaging you can find the following numbers - 50/70 ( pieces per kilogram - approx. ed.), 70/90 and 90/120 The higher the number, the smaller the shrimp. So, cold-water shrimp are small, and size 70/90 is already rare for them. Therefore, I advise you to buy shrimp of 90/120 caliber, for all others more ice than meat.

So we have to be content with the smallest shrimp?
Small doesn't mean bad. On the contrary, the smaller the shrimp, the juicier their meat and the brighter their taste. For this reason, I like northern shrimp much more than tropical ones. Moreover, cold-water shrimp are caught in their natural habitat, while warm-water shrimp are grown on an industrial scale on farms.

Are you saying that warm water shrimp are inferior?
I would say that they are not for everyone, and besides, it is really easy to get confused when choosing them. For example, " royal» Shrimp do not exist in nature. All large warm water bodies are united under this name. shrimps, with the exception of tiger ones, so named because of the specific color of the shell.

IN different countries their own king prawns - there are white Pacific, Indian, Chinese, Japanese sweet shrimp, Atlantic red and even giant freshwater shrimp that live in southeast Asia. But only 20% of the total king prawns are caught in their natural habitat. The remaining 80% comes from farms where shrimp are bred in special ponds.

Where do king prawns come from in Russia?
We mainly source shrimp grown in China, India and Bangladesh. Farmed shrimp are always larger than wild shrimp, and the manufacturer’s packaging should indicate that this is a product of aquaculture. Boiled frozen king prawns are sold in three types - uncut, with the shell without a head, or completely peeled. By the way, despite its impressive size - 25-30 cm in length, the meat in a king prawn is only 30% of the total weight, the rest is the head.

Are tiger shrimp farmed too?
To a lesser extent than king shrimp, but farmed tiger shrimp are supplied to Russia. Blacks are brought from India and China tiger shrimp, and from Indonesia and Thailand - ordinary. They differ in color - ordinary ones have dark stripes on a light carapace, while black ones have the opposite.
The size of tiger prawns is even larger than that of king prawns - 30-35 cm, and meat is 50% of the total weight. These shrimp are sold raw, with or without heads. They look very impressive with the head on, and are often used to decorate dishes.

What's so scary about farmed shrimp?
Some people don't like the taste it gets. shrimp, grown on artificial feed. Some are afraid that they are being bred using stimulants, dyes and antibiotics. I just like northern shrimp better - they are tastier and have much more nutrients. But all this is true only if the shrimp is fresh.

What should fresh shrimp taste like?
Fresh shrimp must be properly frozen. The coloring should be even, the ice glaze should be thin, and the tail should be pressed against the belly. White spots on the shell or snow flakes in the packaging mean that shrimps defrosted several times. Pay attention to the shrimp's head, if there is one. Pregnant shrimp have a brown head; their meat is the most delicious and healthy. A green head indicates that the shrimp fed on algae and a special type of plankton. But a black head indicates a serious illness; eating such a shrimp is dangerous to health. Black spots on the shell are also unacceptable.

Uralweb naturalists have always been interested: how many shrimp are there actually in a kilogram bag of frozen shrimp? And we’ve always wondered what the numbers on a pack of shrimp mean? And also - how to properly cook shrimp - boil it or just warm it in boiling water?

In general, as you understand, we had a lot of questions about shrimp, and we couldn’t tolerate it any longer. So we went to the nearest store to meet them face to face.

First, let's figure out how to choose the right shrimp. So, the numbers on the pack just indicate the number of shellfish in one kilogram: the higher the number, the smaller the shrimp. For some reason, small ones are considered the most delicious, but this is not for everyone, to be honest.

Frozen shrimp are sold with an ice glaze, and it is generally accepted that this ice constitutes a significant part of the final mass of the product. When you buy your shrimp, make sure the glaze is thin—this is easy to do through the clear packaging. White spots on the shell indicate that the shrimp have been frozen.

The shrimp's tail should be bent like a hook. If the tail is straight, then the shrimp were frozen and stale. The black head of a shrimp also indicates that it is not fresh: the meat will be flabby and tasteless. But green color It shouldn't scare your head. He's just talking about the specific nutrition of the shrimp. The most delicious shrimp- pregnant women. They have a red-brown head and some eggs under their belly.

Before freezing, all shrimp were pre-boiled, so they are prepared in the same way as sausages - simply thrown into boiling water for 1-2 minutes. In fact, you don’t need to cook them, but simply heat them up (pour boiling water over them). If you cook them longer, they will turn out too tough.

1. Shrimp AGAMA (L)

Manufacturer: Agama Royal Greenland LLC, Russia, Moscow region. Cost 321 rubles per package weighing 850 g (37.76 rubles/100 g)

The package indicated the weight of shrimp with glaze (850 g) and weight without glaze (794 g). That is, during the defrosting process, the shrimp should have lost 7% of their weight. After we thawed a sample weighing 200 g and re-weighed it, we got 144 g, a loss of 28%.

After cleaning the shrimp, the scale showed a figure of 50 g. That is, in the process of defrosting and cleaning, we received exactly 25% of the pure product, the cost of which is 151 rubles/100 g!

The shrimp were tasty and received a fairly high score of 4.0.

2. Bay of Plenty Shrimp (70/90)

The manufacturer is the same - Agama Royal Greenland LLC, Russia, Moscow region. Cost 155.60 rubles per package weighing 425 g (36.6 rubles/100 g)

The package indicated the weight of shrimp with glaze (425 g) and weight without glaze (397 g). During the defrosting process, the shrimp should have lost 7% of their weight. After we thawed a sample weighing 200 g and re-weighed it, we received 139 g, a loss of 30.5%.

After cleaning the shrimp, the scale showed a figure of 44 g. That is, in the process of defrosting and cleaning, we received 22% of the pure product, the cost of which is 166 rubles / 100 g!

Shrimp received a lower score of 3.6.

3. MARISOL shrimp

Manufacturer - Sirena, Denmark. Cost 182.7 rubles per package weighing 500 g (36.5 rubles/100 g)

The package did not indicate the weight of shrimp with and without glaze. During the defrosting process, the shrimp lost 29% of their weight.

After cleaning the shrimp, the scale showed a figure of 46 g. That is, during the process of defrosting and cleaning, we received 23% of the pure product, the cost of which was 158.7 rubles/100 g.

These Danish shrimp were the most delicious, earning 4.1 points and taking 1st place.

4. Shrimp Kaluri Subland

Manufacturer: Promore LLC. The cost is 334.40 rubles per package weighing 1 kg. (RUB 33.44/100 g)

The package indicated the weight of shrimp with glaze (1000 g) and without glaze (930 g). During the defrosting process, the shrimp lost 33% of their weight.

After cleaning the shrimp, the scale showed a figure of 50 g. That is, in the process of defrosting and cleaning, we received 25% of the pure product, the cost of which was 133.76 rubles/100 g.

These shrimp were the most tasteless of the unpeeled ones - 2.3 points.

5. Kaluri Gold Shrimp

Manufacturer: Promore LLC. Cost 168 rubles per package weighing 500 g (33.6 rubles/100 g)

The package did not indicate the weight of shrimp with and without glaze. During the defrosting process, the shrimp lost 58.5% of their weight.

After cleaning the shrimp, the scale showed a figure of 34 g. That is, in the process of defrosting and cleaning, we received 17% of the pure product, the cost of which was 197.65 rubles/100 g.

The final score for these shrimp is 3.0.

6. Shrimp Seafood (shrimp with beer)

Manufacturer - Agama Royal Greenland LLC, Russia, Moscow region. Cost 226 rubles per package weighing 685 g (32.99 rubles/100 g)

The package indicated the weight of shrimp with glaze (685 g) and without glaze (640 g). During the defrosting process, the shrimp lost 28.5% of their weight (instead of the stated 7%)

After cleaning the shrimp, the scale showed a figure of 52 g. That is, during the process of defrosting and cleaning, we received 26% of the pure product, the cost of which was 126.88 rubles/100 g.

These shrimp were in the top three and received a score of 3.75.

In order to estimate the cost of unpeeled and peeled shrimp, we bought peeled shrimp

Bay of Plenty

Out of 200 g after defrosting, we got 118. The cost of these shrimp was 1.6 times higher. But most importantly, these were the most tasteless shrimp! 1.25 points. As observational reconnaissance reported, some participants simply spat these shrimps into the trash (they got completely greedy!)

	Name	Cost per 100 g	Cost per 100 g peeled	% glaze	% final product	Point, place
1.	AGAMA (L)	RUB 37.76	151 RUR	28%	25%	4.0/2 place
2.	Bay of Plenty (70/90)	RUB 36.6	166 RUR	30,5%	22%	3,6
3.	MARISOL	RUB 36.5	158.7 RUR	29%	23%	4.1/1 place
4.	Kaluri Subland	RUB 33.44	RUB 133.76	33%	25%	2,3
5.	Kaluri Gold	RUB 33.6	RUR 197.65	58,5%	17%	3
6.	Seafood	RUB 32.99	RUB 126.88	28,5%	26%	3.75/ 3rd place
7.	Bay of Plenty (purified)	55 rub.				1,25

Conclusions:

1. The most delicious shrimp - MARISOL.

2. Most water in Kaluri Gold.

3. The most expensive shrimp - AGAMA.

4. The highest percentage of product content after defrosting and cleaning - Sea food.

5. Unpeeled shrimp are much tastier than peeled shrimp.

Shrimp is a product that has long been known in our diet and in our area. They have a huge supply of calcium, phosphorus, sodium, Omega-3. But probably the most important thing in their composition is the highest iodine content among all seafood, which contributes to the functioning of our thyroid gland. At the same time, they are a dietary, low-calorie product.

More than 1,500 species swim in the seas and oceans, but it is important for us to know that there are cold-blooded species that live in cold seas and warm-blooded species whose habitat is in warm waters.

Where do they get them from? How do they get into our stores?

Sadly, most of the goods that we see on our shelves are imported from abroad. So, for example, warm-blooded shrimp come to us from Cambodia, China, Gabon and Algeria. They mainly supply king and tiger prawns.

As for cold-blooded animals, as you might guess, they are brought to our country from Denmark, Canada, Norway, Sweden and Finland. For the most part, these are small crustaceans, whose price is an order of magnitude lower than that of warm-blooded ones. But this does not mean that they are of low quality or less tasty. On the contrary, quality control in Europe is much higher than in other countries, which is why they are considered the best; There are enough cases when whole batches of Asian products were sent to the manufacturer due to non-compliance with standards. So be careful.

How to choose the right shrimp and not sacrifice your health?

A variety of types, beautiful packaging, loud slogans captivate the average buyer. Often, forgetting about how to choose the right seafood, a person can put his health and the health of loved ones at serious risk.

But if you adhere to certain recommendations for selection, you will never take risks.

• If there are pieces of ice in a bag of shrimp, the crustaceans were poorly frozen or transportation rules were violated.
• Pay attention to what is written on the packaging. It should be tightly sealed, without scratches or other defects, and without difficulty in reading the manufacturer's information.
• The color of fresh shrimp is grayish-green.
• Tails. You need to pay special attention to them, because if the tails are straight and bristling, this is a sign that the shrimp died before freezing.
• Sometimes there are confusions with our heads too. Black heads on shrimp are a sign of disease. Under no circumstances should you take them. You can usually smell a bad odor from them.
• The brown color tells us that the shrimp is pregnant. And this is very useful. Such individuals have much more protein than others. It is also worth mentioning that if the shrimp look greenish, you should not be afraid of them - this is just an indicator that the shrimp fed on a special type of plankton and algae was present in its diet. This will not harm your health in any way.
• You should be able to separate them easily inside the bag, once frozen normally they should move freely.

Preparation. The whole process from start to finish.

Now we finally get to cooking. Preparing them is much easier than choosing them. So, let's begin.

• First they need to be defrosted. This can be done by placing them in the refrigerator on the lower shelves. Then remove and defrost at room temperature.
• When cooking shrimp, you should put them in boiling water for literally 2-5 minutes (depending on the size) and quickly remove them. If you overcook them, they will become tough. We recommend adding Provençal herbs and a little rosemary to the water in which you will boil them. This will give the shrimp more depth of flavor and make them juicy.
• After you've finished cooking, leave them in the broth for literally 15-20 minutes.

You can also steam the shrimp. This will even make them healthier, retaining most of the nutrients.

What are cocktail shrimp? Cooking methods.

When you go to the store, you may see so-called cocktail shrimp on the shelves. This is a completely ready-to-use product. There is no need to boil them; pouring boiling water over them or rinsing them with boiled water is enough.

But if you still want to cook them, you can fry them on olive oil with garlic. It will only take 3-4 minutes.

Is it worth buying boiled-frozen unpeeled shrimp?

Yes, indeed, this question may arise in everyone who encounters this semi-finished product in a store. Let's figure out what it is. These are already cooked, that is, ready-made shrimp. After defrosting, it is enough to keep them in hot water 1-2 minutes. By and large, this is not a way to prepare them, but a way to protect yourself. After all, you must agree that such shrimp, bought by weight, do not inspire much confidence.

If you want to completely protect yourself, then pour water into a small container, put shrimp in it and put it all in the microwave for a minute; such manipulation will in any case destroy all harmful microorganisms, but at the same time retain all the beneficial substances found in shrimp.

Their value in healthy eating or why they are so popular among athletes

As we already said, shrimp - dietary product, filled useful substances. They are especially useful for people working out in the gym due to the large amount of protein and protein, which promotes active growth muscle mass and supports men's health. In addition, this delicacy promotes weight loss, normalizes metabolism and speeds it up. Nutritionists often add them to the diets of their patients, since shrimp contain folic acid, and that, in turn, increases the production of serotonin - the hormone of happiness, thanks to which the diet is easier to tolerate and the nervous system is normalized.

The biggest advantage of shrimp is the complete normalization of the entire endocrine system. The high iodine content improves the functioning of the thyroid gland, which leads to such an impressive result. Recently, scientists around the world have proven that shrimp prevent aging. human body. This conclusion is based on a number of facts, namely that in shrimp great content astaxanthin, which is a natural carotenoid.

It is thanks to this chemical Cells in our body move faster from one stage of division to another, which ensures faster creation of new cells.

Is it possible to give shrimp to children?

Pediatricians answer “yes” to this question and here’s why. Protein content promotes development muscle tissue, compaction of bones and teeth, which reduces the risk of caries. And the minerals contained in shrimp have a positive effect on the heart muscle and circulatory system, preventing blockage of blood vessels and the formation of cholesterol.

But be careful, as your child may develop allergies. You should not give him too much of this seafood, 40-50 g is enough. By the way, a child’s diet can be diversified with shrimp from the age of 3.

Harm to health that this seafood can cause

Having talked about the advantages of this product, one cannot help but remember the disadvantages of its use. Like any other seafood, shrimp can cause poor health due to allergies or personal intolerances. If you have a sensitive stomach, then you should not overuse spices. This can lead to heartburn or gastritis. A large number of protein is both a significant plus and a rather serious minus, since the load on the liver and kidneys increases, and work may deteriorate internal organs. The location of the shrimp plays a big role. It is very sensitive to changes in the environment and the slightest changes in it immediately affect the health of these crustaceans. We can only hope that on our plates there is a healthy creature that grew up in environmentally favorable conditions.

A separate disadvantage is that shrimp spoil quickly and cannot be stored for a long time, and literally within hours they already lose all their beneficial features and its energy value. For this reason, it is dangerous to buy this product on the streets and in eateries. We really hope that this article helped you understand how to choose the right shrimp. Experiment with your diet, because the more often you change it, the healthier you will become! Do not overuse the products, because even the most harmless apple can harm your body.

To learn how to choose the right shrimp, watch the following video.