We’ve spoken many times about how wild-caught American shrimp are more than being tasty, they are also packed with a variety of health benefits!  Thanks to the wide variety of nutrients they contain, they assist with everything from supporting hair growth to helping prevent cancer.

Today, we want to discuss one of shrimp’s most essential nutrients for the human body: calcium!

In another blog post, we talk about how the levels of Vitamin D in shrimp help the body absorb calcium, but did you know that shrimp themselves also contain a healthy dose of the nutrient? It’s true!

As detailed by the Mayo Clinic, the human body needs calcium in order to build and maintain strong bones, not to mention the heart, muscles and nerves need it as well in order to function properly. Children who don’t absorb enough calcium can experience stunted growth, and adults who don’t may experience low bone mass, a risk factor for osteoporosis. If you were ever encouraged to drink more milk as a child, it was because it’s a great source of calcium!

Thankfully, so are wild-caught American shrimp!

An average serving of wild-caught U.S. shrimp — about 3.5 ounces or 100 grams worth of shrimp — contains 70 milligrams of calcium. The Mayo Clinic recommends a daily intake of at least 1000 milligrams of calcium per day for most individuals, and a healthy serving of shrimp alongside other nutritious foods can go a long way to meeting that goal! Many Americans of all ages don’t incorporate enough calcium into their diets, so it’s important to make it more of a staple of the daily diet. It’s a good thing that calcium-rich, wild-caught American shrimp are so tasty!

A little bit of shrimp every week can go a long way towards stronger bone health!

For a wide variety of recipes to make with wild-caught American shrimp, visit our Recipes page! To order wild-caught shrimp from the Gulf and South Atlantic shipped anywhere in the country for yourself or wholesale, click HERE!