Can You Eat Shrimp Shells? (Is It Safe? Explained!)

Nowadays, many people are eating a lot of weird things and say it is healthy and makes them feel good. One of those things is shrimp shells. But what are their actual health benefits? And even regardless of all of that, is it necessary to take the shells out of your shrimps, or are they edible?

So can you eat shrimp shells? Yes, you can eat shrimp bells, but it is common to take them off out of your shrimps before eating them. Nevertheless, they are harmless, and some people even say they may help you fight against things such as obesity and high cholesterol.

But this is hardly everything there’s to be said about this weird topic, so what are we waiting for? Let’s not waste any more time and just jump right into it!

Can You Eat Shrimp ShellsPin

Are shrimp shells digestible?

No, shrimp shells are not digestible, but that doesn’t make them uneatable. You obviously should avoid eating them if you have digestive problems, but otherwise, you don’t need to worry.

They are entirely safe to eat, and on top of that, there most likely even are tons of health benefits connected to eating them, but we’ll get into that later.

What happens if you eat shrimp shells?

When you eat shrimps, nothing serious happens because they are harmless. They are not digestible, though. Hence, you may theoretically experience some troubles on the toilet afterwards, but in most cases, this shouldn’t happen.

How do you make shrimp shells edible?

Shrimp shells are edible by themselves, but you should always clean your shrimps (and therefore shrimp shells too). Because you’re probably going to eat the shrimps, it is also important to cook them, because otherwise, you may get sick.

What are the health benefits of shrimp shells?

It may be surprising, but there are quite a few benefits to eating shrimp shells. That’s because they contain an exciting chemical called chitosan. 

And this chemical, scientists say, may be pretty helpful in the fight against many diseases of affluence such as obesity and high cholesterol. It also seems that shrimp shells are helpful for the health of your joints.

What are shrimp shells made of?

There are three main things shrimp shells consist of: chitin, minerals, and protein. Because of that, they are edible and quite healthful as well. That’s primarily thanks to chitin because this chemical helps, for instance, fight against obesity.

Summary

Even though it is very common to take shells of shrimps before eating them, it is plausible to eat the shrimp shells. And believe it or not, there are health benefits connected to eating them; research suggests they might be good against obesity and high cholesterol.

However, shrimp shells are not digestible, and you, therefore, shouldn’t be eating them if you’re having digestive problems. Older people and kids should probably avoid them as well.

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Image credits – Canva

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