Although Shrimp are America’s Favorite Seafood, there is so much we don’t know about these coastal crustaceans. Here are seven shrimp facts you probably didn’t know!

Shrimp are nutritious!

One large (21/25 ct.) shrimp has only seven calories. They are an excellent source of lean protein. Shrimp are one of a only a few animal proteins that contain selenium and astaxanthin, which are beneficial antioxidants. In addition, they provide Vitamin B12 and are low in carbohydrates and fat.

The Gulf of Mexico produces a lot of shrimp!

The Gulf states (Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and West Florida) produce 244 million pounds of shrimp per year. Shrimp production is extremely important to local economies in the Gulf South region – providing thousands of jobs and it is a large source of revenue.

A shrimp’s heart is located in its head!

If you’re looking at a shrimp with its head on, the heart is located on the thorax right passed its head. However, a shrimp is covered by a single exoskeleton, so therefore, some mistake the thorax for a part of its head.

Shrimp is by far America’s favorite seafood!

The average American consumes 4.0 lbs. of shrimp annually. Comparatively, this is out of 15.5 pounds of seafood people in the United States eat each year. Shrimp consumption is followed by salmon (2.3 pounds) and canned tuna (2.3 pounds).

Shrimp can be noisy!

Several  species of shrimp can make a snapping sound that is louder than any other marine noise by hitting their large and small pincers together. The noise is loud enough to stun or even kill some small fish!

There are more than 2000 shrimp species!

There are thousands of varied species of shrimp worldwide. The many species live in a wide range of habitats – from rivers and lakes to the seafloor of big oceans. In the most basic sense, they are swimming crustaceans with narrow abdomens and long antennae.

Many shrimp live for 1-2 years!

The average lifespan of a shrimp is 9 to 18 months, although some species, such as the North Atlantic shrimp, are known to live up to 8 years. A shrimp’s lifespan depends greatly on its habitat, commercial fishing and being a food source for larger sea life.

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