For most people, shrimp is considered a delicacy because of its unique texture and flavor. The pale pink flesh inside the shell has a naturally sweet taste which can be enhanced by different cooking methods.
One downside to eating shrimp though is that they are usually not cleaned beforehand. This means that you need to spend some time removing its vein before you can enjoy it. While some people may see deveining shrimp as an extra step that’s not necessary, there are several good reasons why you should do it. In this article, we will take a look at 15 of them that will tell you why deveining shrimp is important.
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15 Benefits Of Deveining Shrimp For Humans
Shrimp is cooked with the vein still inside. However, it’s important to remember that this vein could contain harmful amounts of cholesterol and other toxins that may be bad for your health. Removing the veins beforehand can reduce these risks significantly.
Following are the benefits of deveining shrimp for humans.
1. Deveining Makes The Shrimp More Pleasant To Eat
The vein in a shrimp is not only unsightly, but it’s also quite tough and chewy. Removing it makes the shrimp much more palatable, especially for those who don’t enjoy chewing through rubbery bits of flesh. You can enjoy the shrimp’s delicate flavor without any distractions.
2. Deveining Shrimp Removes The Risk Of Contamination
The vast majority of shrimp is grown on farms that are close to the sea. This means that it is more likely for shrimp to accumulate toxins from their environment. Some of these toxins include mercury, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and dioxins.
The vein in shrimp can be a breeding ground for harmful bacteria such as E. coli. So, by removing it, you reduce the risk of getting sick from eating shrimp.
3. Deveining Shrimp Helps Prevent Food Poisoning
Shrimp is a type of seafood that commonly causes food poisoning. When you remove its vein before cooking it, you prevent this from occurring because fewer bacteria will be present in the flesh. The vein in shrimp can be a breeding ground for harmful bacteria.
By removing it, you can dramatically reduce the risk of food poisoning.
4. Deveining Shrimp Makes It Easier To Cook Properly
When you are cooking shrimp, the vein can sometimes stick to the flesh. This makes it difficult to cut or chew so you need to spend extra time trying to remove it before you eat. The vein in shrimp can make it difficult to cook evenly.
By removing it, you’ll have a more even cooking process and the shrimp will be less likely to curl up.
Reference Video – How To Peel And Devein Shrimp
5. Deveining Shrimp Makes It Easier To Digest
Since the vein in shrimp is tough and indigestible, it can make it harder for people to digest. If you’re someone who struggles with bowel movements regularly, this may be something that interests you. However, if you’re healthy and aren’t experiencing any problems, then this may not be a big concern for you.
6. Deveining Shrimp Makes It Easier To Eat
Shrimp that has been deveined becomes easier to eat. It will be easier to peel it and you don’t need to worry about biting down on the vein or accidentally swallowing it. The vein in shrimp can be unpleasant to eat. By removing it, you make the shrimp easier to consume.
7. Deveining Shrimp Makes It Easier To Pick Out The Excess Tissue
While you’re removing the vein from the shrimp, you may notice tissue that looks a bit like a spider web on the shrimp. This is excess tissue that can be peeled off and discarded before cooking. Food-wise, shrimp with only the pink part inside the shell is better than one with the excess tissue too.
8. Deveining Shrimp Can Reduce The Risk Of Choking
The vein in shrimp is small and can easily become lodged in your throat. This increases the risk of choking, especially if you are not used to eating shrimp. By removing it, you make it much safer to eat.
9. Deveining Shrimp Prevent The Shell From Breaking Apart When You Cook It
In some cases, the vein in shrimp can lead to the shell breaking apart when you cook it. This is because a shrimp’s vein has a lot of moisture inside and cooking leads to steam building up there. By removing it before cooking, will not happen.
10. Deveining Shrimp Reduces Wastage
The best way to eat shrimp is by removing the shell and eating only the flesh inside. The vein is not considered part of this because it’s mostly just a thin layer of tissue that can be removed before cooking. This reduces wastage.
In many restaurants, shrimp is prepared with the vein still inside. If there are a lot of people who specifically ask for it to be removed though, then they end up throwing out a lot of shrimp that has been paid for but cannot be eaten because the vein was not removed first.
11. Deveining Shrimp Saves Time
Deveining shrimp can save time. This is because since the vein cannot be eaten it doesn’t need to be removed. However, many people do not know how to do this properly, so they end up wasting more time than if they just left it there.
Shrimp that has been deveined can be cooked much more quickly than shrimp that has not. This is because there is one less step that needs to be done before it is ready to eat. Removing the vein from shrimp is not a difficult task, but it can take some time if you’re doing it for the first time.
By doing it ahead of time, you can save yourself some time when you’re cooking the shrimp.
12. Deveining Shrimp Makes A Better Presentation
Shrimp that is cooked with the vein still inside looks a bit odd. By removing it, you make the shrimp look better and more appetizing. In many cases, people who don’t know it’s been deveined will assume it was prepared this way on purpose because it looks nicer.
13. Deveining Shrimp Prevents The Fishy Smell
Some people are sensitive to the smell of shrimp since it can make them feel sick. The vein in shrimp is responsible for the “fishy” smell that often comes with eating shrimp. It can result in preventing the fishy smell from the shrimp.
By removing it, you can reduce this smell and make the shrimp taste better.
14. Deveining Shrimp Makes It Safer To Consume Raw
Raw shrimp that has been deveined is safe to eat. The vein is the only part of a shrimp that is unsafe to eat when it’s raw, so removing it makes it a healthier option. If you are someone who likes to have sushi or a shrimp cocktail, then you will want to devein your shrimp before eating it.
15. Deveining Shrimp Is Important For Nutritional Reasons
The vein in shrimp is not just unpleasant to eat, it’s also not very nutritious. It also contains a lot of waste products. By removing it, you are getting rid of a lot of the cholesterol and fat that is present in shrimp.
Additionally, deveining shrimp can make it easier for your body to absorb the protein and other nutrients that are found in it.
Importance Of Deveining Shrimp – Conclusion
While deveining shrimp may seem like a tedious task, it offers a range of benefits that make it well worth the effort. From reducing the risk of choking to enhancing the flavor, there are plenty of reasons why you should take the time to devein your shrimp before cooking it.
This guide explains why deveining shrimp is important and how you can do it quickly and easily at home.