Eating shrimp is becoming increasingly popular as a healthy dietary choice due to its high nutritional content. Rich in protein, low in fat and calories, shrimp are a great source of minerals including calcium, iron, zinc and selenium.
There’s a substantial dark side, however, to shrimp’s culinary triumph. Environmentalists assert that shrimp farms pollute ecosystems and destroy vital forests. American shrimpers, meanwhile, are being run out of business, as the deluge of farmed imports have cut prices for domestic shrimp by as much as 42 percent. In 2004, the U.S. government imposed tariffs to punish countries such as Thailand, Vietnam, and Ecuador for shrimp-dumping—that is, flooding the market with below-cost product in order to destroy American competitors. But the duties seem to have had little effect; Thailand, for one, claims that its exports to the United States have actually increased since the tariffs were put in place. Advertisement
Catching shrimp the old-fashioned way, meanwhile, was an expensive endeavor; the boats burn through huge amounts of diesel, and many of the most prized species can be caught only during particular seasons. As a result, unless you lived near a shrimping hotbed such as Louisiana’s Gulf Coast, shrimp was a gastronomical luxury—the sort of thing served at places with tuxedoed waiters and valet parking. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement
Before the 1980s, less than 1 percent of the world’s shrimp was farm-raised. Aquaculture experts hadn’t yet figured out how to breed shrimp in captivity; the only reliable way to obtain eggs was to harvest them from shrimp caught in the wild. Shrimp farmers also weren’t sure how best to combat shrimp viruses, or how to adjust water salinity to maximize growth.
As prices continued to slide, shrimp consumption rose, nearly doubling over the last 15 years. Consumption of canned tuna, meanwhile, remained static—despite some annual fluctuations, an American in 2004 ate exactly the same amount of canned tuna (3.3. pounds) as in 1990. This is in part due to tuna’s increasingly dicey reputation for mercury and in part because prices haven’t changed much: Albacore, the most popular component in canned tuna, still must be caught in the wild. Also, though gourmet chefs love experimenting with fresh, sushi-grade tuna, they’ve never really taken a shine to the Starkist version—popcorn tuna, thankfully, has never become a menu staple. Many of those same chefs, however, have no qualms about using frozen, bagged shrimp in their recipes. Advertisement Advertisement
We have a shrimp-farming revolution to thank. Today, around 90 percent of the shrimp consumed in the United States comes from overseas, and the overwhelming majority of those imports are farm-raised. (The leading shrimp-producing nations include China, Thailand, Vietnam, Brazil, and Ecuador.) Soaring production has depressed prices, which have fallen by $3 to $4 per pound over the past few years. That’s terrible news for American shrimpers, who are scrambling to survive. But for those who can’t get enough of Red Lobster’s “Shrimp Lover’s Tuesday” promotion, we are truly living in a golden age.
It’s Versatile: Viewed as an accessible luxury food, shrimp is an excellent meal option for families. Shrimp can be enjoyed as an appetizer, snack, main course, or side dish. Shrimp is a great addition to many popular favorites as it’s easy to toss some shrimp into a creamy pasta, or grill up some prawns to top your preferred cut of steak.
2020 has been full of ups and downs, but the shrimp industry isn’t losing any steam! Shrimp is a staple feature in diets all over the world and more people want to bring this delicious food to their dinner table.
What You Need To Know Before You Eat Another Bite Of Shrimp
FAQ
Why do people like shrimp so much?
Why is shrimp so popular?
Why do Americans love shrimp?
Is it OK to eat shrimp every day?
What are the side effects of eating shrimp?
Shrimp allergy can be identified from signs and symptoms that appear after consuming shrimp or smelling it, such as itching, the appearance of red plaques on the skin, swelling in the face, especially in the eyes and mouth, and in the throat creating the feeling of a lump in the throat.
Is shrimp good for You?
Shrimp also offer you a ton of important vitamins and minerals. In 4 ounces of shrimp, you’ll get 100% of the selenium and 50% of the phosphorus that you need each day. You’ll also get 30% of vitamin B12, choline, copper, and iodine you need daily. Shrimp is a great option to lower unhealthy fats in your diet.
Why are farmed shrimp so popular?
Buyers in the United States liked the farmed shrimp not only because it was cheaper than the wild version, but because it was available year-round. Plus, the shrimp could be grown to consistent sizes, which made for pleasingly uniform dinner-plate presentations.