We’ve talked before in other blog posts about the health benefits of shrimp and shrimp consumption being the reason why flamingos are pink: seemingly two completely different topics (save for their focus on shrimp) that, today, we want to combine into one.

Why are shrimp pink and what does that have to do with your health?

First things first, the reason shrimp are pink. Shrimp are universally known for their lovely pink color, but if you’ve ever wondered why that is, we’ve got the answer: astaxanthin!

The word itself can be quite a mouthful, but it’s rather simple: astaxanthin can be found in microalgae and in the undersea life that eats said algae, A.K.A., shrimp! Since an average shrimp’s diet consists predominantly of microscopic foods like microalgae, constant consumption of it results in the translucent skin of shrimp becoming pinker.

Now, what does it have to do with your health?

Astaxanthin is a nutrient and carotenoid that functions as an antioxidant. This means that it is thought to have immune-boosting and anti-inflammatory health benefits, protecting cells from damage and lowering the risk for certain types of cancers! Astaxanthin is believed to be helpful for Alzheimer’s disease, heart health, athletic performance, soothing muscle soreness and joint pain from exercising, male fertility, healing aged skin and a variety of other benefits. The human body can’t produce astaxanthin by itself, so it’s important to get in a regular intake of it, and there’s no tastier source than wild-caught American shrimp!

A new year means more people going on healthier diets, and we wholeheartedly recommend wild-caught American shrimp as the source of protein-packed goodness with health benefits galore!

For more information on all the healthy qualities of shrimp, visit our Nutrition Facts page!

For a variety of healthy recipes featuring Wild American Shrimp, visit our Recipes page!

To buy wild-caught American shrimp from our member-processors shipped anywhere in the country, visit our Buy Our Shrimp page!