Is Shrimp Keto-friendly and Actually Good for You?

An unfortunate reality is that seafood, and especially shellfish, can sometimes be overlooked by people who are brand new to the keto diet. They’re usually so focused on finding fat heavy foods that they end up overlooking shellfish options like shrimp.

But is shrimp keto? Let’s take an in-depth look in order to find out.

What Makes Shrimp a Popular Choice for Low Carb Diets?

In spite of the fact that shrimp offers less than 1 gram of fat per 100 gram serving size, it still remains a viable option for low carb diets like keto for the following reasons:

• Shrimp is a low calorie seafood option that’s surprisingly satiating.
• This is thanks to the fact that shrimp is packed full of protein, which leaves you feeling full for longer.
• Shrimp is rich in several essential vitamins and minerals.
• Shrimp is an excellent source of disease fighting antioxidants.
• While shrimp contains a minimal amount of dietary fat, what it does offer in the way of fat are heart healthy omega-3 fatty acids.

Is Shrimp Keto?

Shrimp is absolutely one of the most keto-friendly types of shellfish that you’ll find. And the good news is that fact applies to all types of shrimp.

Shrimp has 0 grams of net carbs, but it’s absolutely packed full of protein, with 100 grams of raw shrimp offering 20 grams of protein per serving. It’s also a decent source of omega-3 fatty acids as well.

With that in mind, we definitely recommend including shrimp (along with plenty of other tasty seafood options, of course) as part of your keto diet. You won’t regret it; there are tons of fantastic keto shrimp recipes out there for you to fall in love with.

Shrimp Nutrition Facts

Here is the approximate nutritional breakdown for a 100 gram serving size of raw shrimp:

• 85 calories
• 0.5 grams fat
• 20 grams protein
• 0 grams carbs
• 0 grams dietary fiber
• 0 grams sugar
• 161 mg cholesterol
• 119 mg sodium
• 264 mg potassium

Keto Shrimp Recipes

Cilantro Lime Grilled Shrimp Skewers

VIEW RECIPE Net Carbs: 1.3g

Cheese Shell Keto Shrimp Tacos

VIEW RECIPE Net Carbs: 4.2g

Sheet Pan Keto Shrimp Scampi

VIEW RECIPE Net Carbs: 1.3g

Keto Fried Shrimp

VIEW RECIPE Net Carbs: .4g

Shrimp Alfredo

VIEW RECIPE Net Carbs: 5.1g

Keto Coconut Shrimp

VIEW RECIPE Net Carbs: 5.4g

Keto Shrimp and Grits

VIEW RECIPE Net Carbs: 5.2g

Shrimp Health Benefits

Like all shellfish, shrimp is quite nutrient-dense, which results in it providing you with quite a few great health benefits. Here are some of the best ones that can be gained by adding shrimp to your diet:

• Promotes heart health. We mentioned that at first glance, shrimp does indeed appear to be a rather low fat food option. However, it’s still a decent source of omega-3 fatty acids, and to a lesser extent, omega-6 fatty acids as well. (1)
• May promote brain health. Shrimp is also one of the best dietary sources of iodine, which is an essential mineral that a great many people are actually deficient in. Studies have shown that iodine provides numerous benefits, including promoting thyroid health and boosting cognitive function. (2)
• May help to reduce your risk of developing disease. Shrimp is rich in antioxidants, which have been found to help prevent the cellular damage caused by harmful free radicals. The main antioxidant in shrimp, astaxanthin, has been found to help with relieving chronic inflammation in the body, which may help to prevent the development of various types of chronic inflammatory disease, like cancer or Alzheimer’s. (3)

Keto Shrimp Alternatives

Looking for a non-shellfish alternative to shrimp that will still work on the keto diet? Try any of these keto-friendly alternatives:

• King oyster mushrooms
• Shiitake mushrooms
• Surimi
• Bite-sized chicken breast pieces
• Andouille sausage