Prawns..!!

Eating healthy with conscience is important but vague knowledge is something  which we have to pay a lot , this suites well in the case of prawns as  some people avoid  them in daily diet. 
     Including prawns  would help to balance the nutritional deficiencies in body, but there is a misconception which states consuming prawns may increase the bad cholesterol levels. As very well known that anything consumed more than required quantities  will really harm body irrespective of its healthy benefits , but there is a  certain quantity which our body needs for energy and healthy building .

                                                                                 

Prawn nutritional facts:

• Calories: Prawns are relatively low in calories.1 gram shrimp=1 calorie (1 ounce of shrimp, or 28 grams, therefore contains only 28 calories).  
• Macro-nutrients: Prawn are made almost entirely of protein and water, but they do contain some fat and cholesterol  too.
• Vitamins & Minerals: Prawn are supercharged with vitamin B12 and selenium. In addition, they provide a fair amount of vitamin A, vitamin E, vitamin B6, iron,magnesium, sodium (salt), zinc and copper. Surprisingly, they also contain some vitamin C. 
• Glycemic Index (GI) Rating / Glycemic Load: It contains no carbohydrates, their Glycemic Index rating is 0.

Health benefits:

• Prawns are  very rich in protein. Serving of prawns supplies you with 20.3 g of protein.
• Prawns are high in cholesterol but  less when compared to egg.They are fortunately low in calories and saturated fats and high in fish oils. This asset allows them to promote good cholesterol formation that could lower your overall levels of bad cholesterol. 
• Consuming more than 2,300 mg of sodium per day is not good.one serving of prawns contains 148 mg will give sodium which is sufficient for your body. 
• The iodine in shrimp is good for the proper functioning of the thyroid gland which controls the basal metabolic rate, or the rate at which the body consumes energy at rest. Iodine deficiency can result in sluggish thyroid activity which in turn can lead to weight gain or hinder weight loss.  
• Prawn contain astaxanthin, a carotenoid that gives them their pink color and that can act as a potent antioxidant and protect the skin from premature aging. 
• The zinc in prawn  plays an important role in the production of new cells (including hair cells and skin cells). 
• It also helps maintain the oil-secreting glands on the scalp that keep hair shiny.It is even good source of copper which can help prevent hair loss, contribute to hair thickness, and intensify hair color.
• Since prawns are full of selenium, cancer cell formation gets inhibited while cell repair gets encouraged whenever they are consumed.Hence fights against cancer,  Alzheimer's disease and  promotes good cardiovascular health  

How to select:

• Opt to purchase a  fresh supply. 
• Frozen prawn offer the longest shelf life, as they are able to be kept for several weeks, whereas fresh shrimp will only keep for a day or two.So fresh prawn should be on the same day as they are purchased. 
• Fresh prawn should have firm bodies that are still attached to their shells. They should be free of black spots on their shell since this indicates that the flesh has begun to break down. 
• The shells should not appear yellow  as this may be indicative that sodium bi sulfate or another chemical has been used to bleach the shells. 
• Smell is a good indicator of freshness, good quality shrimp have a slightly saltwater smell.So before getting from the store check the smell. 
• When storing any type of seafood, including shrimp, it is important to keep it cold since seafood is very sensitive to temperature. 
• Do not thaw the prawn at room temperature or in a microwave  this can lead to a loss of moisture and nutrients, and can increase risk of contamination.  
• The dark "vein" that runs lengthwise down the back of the shrimp is not actually a vein at all, but the shrimp's digestive tract. Their is no harm in eating the digestive system.If you feel allergic,can remove it from the prawn.

         The overall nutrient richness of prawn gives it the ability to help balance out our nutrient intake .