May 10 was National Shrimp Day. Would it surprise you to learn shrimp is the U.S.’s favorite seafood? Twenty-five percent of all seafood eaten in the U.S. is shrimp.
Food History
Humans, especially those who lived near the sea, started eating shrimp thousands of years ago. The ancient Greeks and Romans, both enjoyed it, as did the North American indigenous peoples.
Unfortunately, early European settlers often starved from a lack of protein because they didn’t know about shrimp. It wasn’t until the early 1700s, French explorers were introduced to shrimping in the Louisiana marshes. By the mid-1700s, Mobile, AL, became known for seafood, including shrimp. Mississippi and California both got into the act in the late 1800s. Finally, shrimp became popular all over the country in the 1900s, as better methods for catching and shipping it were developed.
Did You Know…
- Shrimp have been eaten by man since 600 A.D.
- Some 1.4 billion pounds of shrimp are eaten each year in the U.S. That’s, on average, more than four pounds of shrimp per person.
- The world eats at least 9 billion pounds of shrimp each year.
- Marco Polo wrote about shrimp when exploring the Far East in 1280.
- In 1740, Genoa, Italy, was the birthplace of Shrimp Scampi. (“Scampi” is shrimp broiled or sautéed in butter and garlic.)
- The commercial shrimp industry is worth $50 billion per year.
- Shrimp farming is a booming business. More than 20,000 pounds of shrimp per year can be produced by a single farm.
The Crustacean
There are more than 2,000 different shrimp species around the world. Most live in the seas, but one fourth of them are found in freshwater. The average shrimp’s lifespan varies widely, depending on the species. Some live only a year or two. Others can live for more than a decade.
Shrimp come in all different sizes and colors and are both predators and prey. Some species migrate great distances from where they’re hatched to where they’ll live as adults. Depending on their stage in life, they eat both plant and animal matter.
Even without fins, shrimp are great swimmers. They flex their tail and belly muscles for propulsion. This pushes them backward because of their body structure. They can swim forward, but they’re not as fast. They also have one of the most complex visual systems in the animal kingdom. Their compound eyes give them a full 360-degree field of vision and allow them to see ultraviolet light.
They avoid predators with several defense strategies, including camouflage, swimming quickly away, and, if caught, the ability to lose and later regrow their limbs.
Did You Know…
- All shrimp are born male. Some shrimp transition into females on maturity.
- Shrimplets are baby shrimp.
- Adult shrimp molt every three to four weeks.
- Some female shrimp store multiple males’ sperm. Then later, use them to fertilize their eggs.
- In a single reproductive cycle, female shrimp can lay up to one million eggs.
- Shrimp eggs hatch in two weeks.
- Some shrimp can survive in the ocean up to 16,000 feet deep (three miles), where light is limited and pressure is high.
- Unlike other shrimp species, the Harlequin Shrimp feeds only on starfish.
- The Tiger Shrimp is one of the largest shrimp in the world. It can grow up to thirteen inches long.
Healthy For You
Shrimp is a healthy food. A lean protein, it contains vitamins and minerals (including B12, selenium, and astaxanthin), high levels of omega-3 fats, and only slightly more than half a day’s recommended cholesterol. Eating shrimp can also help fight cancer and promote heart and brain health.
Did You Know…
- Selenium—an antioxidant mineral—stimulates enzymes that fight the growth of cancer-causing free radicals, thus helping lower the risk of cancer.
- The antioxidant Astaxanthin helps strengthen arteries, reducing the risk of heart attacks. Its anti-inflammatory properties also help reduce brain cell damage which can lead to memory loss and diseases like Alzheimer’s.
- Eating shrimp may also increase “good” cholesterol, improving heart health.
Unique Characteristics
Shrimp species differ by more than just size and color. They have different characteristics and “jobs.” Some help coral reefs stay healthy. Their burrowing activities aid the reef’s structural integrity, while the shrimp themselves are a food source for other reef animals.
Cleaner shrimp species are the oceans’ best clean-up crews. They help other marine creatures stay healthy, by picking off dead skin and parasites.
Did You Know…
- Atlantic White Shrimp are excellent jumpers. They use their tails to propel themselves out of the water for long distances.
- Some shrimp species snap their claws together to communicate or to stun or kill prey. The sound also interferes with sonar, so navy submarines sometime disguise their location by hiding in beds of these snapping shrimp.
- The sound of the Pistol Shrimp’s oversized claw snapping shut can reach 218 decibels. That’s loud enough to rupture a human eardrum. To put it into perspective, an air raid siren is 135 decibels, a .357 magnum revolver is 165, a rocket launch is 180, and sound waves become shock waves at 194 decibels.
Final Thoughts
If you haven’t eaten shrimp, make plans to do so as soon as possible. There’s nothing better, regardless of how it’s cooked.
If you’re allergic to shrimp . . . well, you have my sympathy.