Protein in Shrimp: Per 100 g, Ounce and Piece

The protein in shrimp is one of the reasons it's so popular with people trying to eat lean. Cooked shrimp gives you about 24 g of protein per 100 g for roughly 100 calories, which puts it in the same league as chicken breast and white fish. It cooks in three minutes, works from frozen and suits everything from salads to curries. Below you'll find the numbers by weight and by piece, how shrimp compares with other proteins, and some quick ways to build a meal around it.

Shrimp protein by serving

Values are based on USDA FoodData Central entries for cooked and raw shrimp. Brands and species vary a little, and shrimp that's been injected with brine or sodium tripolyphosphate can weigh more for the same protein.

Shrimp loses roughly 15 to 25% of its weight when cooked, mainly as water. The protein stays, so cooked shrimp has more protein per gram. If you weigh food for tracking, be consistent about whether you weigh raw or cooked. The raw to cooked weight calculator helps convert between them.

Protein per shrimp

Shrimp is sold by count per pound, which tells you how many raw, shell-on shrimp make up a pound. Fewer per pound means bigger shrimp.

These are estimates, since shell weight and processing vary. Roughly 12 to 15 large shrimp make a 4 oz cooked portion with about 27 g of protein.

Other nutrients in shrimp

Per 100 g cooked, shrimp has about 0.3 g of saturated fat, almost no carbohydrate, and useful amounts of:

• Selenium, often more than half the daily value.
• Vitamin B12, important for nerve health and red blood cells.
• Iodine, which supports thyroid function.
• Phosphorus and zinc.
• Omega-3 fats, in smaller amounts than oily fish like salmon.

Sodium is the main thing to watch. Plain shrimp has around 100 to 200 mg per 100 g, but frozen shrimp treated with salt or phosphates can contain several times that. Check the ingredients list for "salt" or "sodium tripolyphosphate" if you're limiting sodium.

The cholesterol question

Shrimp has around 190 mg of cholesterol per 100 g cooked, which is high compared with most foods. For years that led to advice to avoid it. Research has since shown that, for most people, dietary cholesterol has a smaller effect on blood cholesterol than saturated fat, and shrimp has very little saturated fat.

The Dietary Guidelines for Americans no longer set a numeric limit on dietary cholesterol, while still advising people to keep intake as low as possible within a healthy eating pattern. The American Heart Association recommends regularly eating fish and seafood as part of a heart-healthy dietary pattern. If your doctor has given you specific advice on cholesterol, follow that.

Shrimp vs other protein foods

Here's how cooked shrimp compares with other popular lean proteins per 100 g. Values are approximate, from USDA data.

Per calorie, shrimp is one of the most protein-dense foods you can eat. That makes it useful if you're in a calorie deficit and want to keep protein high. For more on picking foods this way, see high-protein low-calorie foods and our comparison guides for chicken breast protein and salmon protein. You can test any food with the protein density calculator.

How much shrimp to hit your protein target

Most active adults do well with 20 to 40 g of protein per meal. Here's roughly how much cooked shrimp that takes:

• 20 g protein: 85 g (3 oz), about 10 large shrimp
• 30 g protein: 125 g (4.4 oz), about 15 large shrimp
• 40 g protein: 170 g (6 oz), about 20 large shrimp

Use the protein per meal calculator to find your own number from your body weight.

How to cook shrimp so it stays tender

Shrimp turns rubbery when it's overcooked, and that happens quickly.

1. Thaw properly. Put frozen shrimp in a colander under cold running water for 5 to 10 minutes, or in the fridge overnight.
2. Pat dry. Dry shrimp browns; wet shrimp steams.
3. Use high heat. A hot pan with a little oil cooks large shrimp in 1 to 2 minutes per side.
4. Watch the shape and colour. Shrimp is done when it turns pink and opaque and curls into a loose "C". A tight "O" means it's overdone.
5. Season at the end. Lemon, garlic, chilli and herbs go in during the last minute so they don't burn.

The FDA's seafood safety advice says to cook shrimp until the flesh is pearly and opaque.

High-protein shrimp meal ideas

Each of these gives roughly 30 to 45 g of protein per serving.

• Garlic shrimp and white beans: 150 g shrimp with half a can of cannellini beans, garlic, lemon and spinach. About 45 g protein.
• Shrimp stir-fry: shrimp, frozen stir-fry vegetables and edamame over rice. Edamame adds 9 g of protein per half cup. More in our edamame protein guide.
• Shrimp tacos with Greek yogurt slaw: swap mayo for plain Greek yogurt in the slaw for extra protein. See Greek yogurt recipes.
• Shrimp pasta with chickpea pasta: legume pasta doubles the protein of regular pasta. See high-protein pasta.
• Shrimp salad bowls: cooked shrimp, quinoa, cucumber, tomato and feta. See high-protein salad.
• Shrimp and egg fried rice: two eggs plus 120 g shrimp gives over 40 g of protein.

Shrimp for meal prep and camping

Cooked shrimp keeps 3 to 4 days in the fridge, which makes it handy for meal prep. Reheat gently or eat cold in salads and wraps to avoid overcooking it a second time.

For camping, frozen shrimp is a good first-night meal from the cooler, because it doubles as an ice pack and cooks fast on a camp stove. It isn't practical for backpacking without refrigeration. For shelf-stable seafood protein on the trail, use tuna packets, salmon pouches or canned sardines instead. Our list of camping food ideas has more.

Buying shrimp on a budget

• Frozen shrimp is usually cheaper than "fresh" counter shrimp, which has often been frozen and thawed anyway.
• Shell-on, deveined shrimp is often cheaper per gram of edible protein than peeled shrimp, but takes longer to prep.
• Look at the price per kilogram of protein, not per pack. The protein cost calculator does this for you.
• Choose products with only "shrimp" and maybe "salt" on the label to avoid paying for added water.

Compare shrimp with other options in our list of cheap high-protein foods.

Allergies

Shellfish is one of the most common food allergies in adults and can cause severe reactions. If you or someone you're cooking for has a shellfish allergy, avoid shrimp and check labels on sauces and stocks.

Bottom line

Cooked shrimp has about 24 g of protein per 100 g, 20 g in a 3 oz portion and about 2 g per large shrimp, for very few calories. It's low in fat, rich in selenium and B12, and quick to cook. Cook it briefly over high heat, keep an eye on sodium in treated frozen products, and it's one of the easiest ways to add lean protein to a meal.

Sources: USDA FoodData Central; Dietary Guidelines for Americans; American Heart Association, fish and omega-3 fatty acids; FDA, selecting and serving seafood safely.