Shrimp Calorie Calculator

Shrimp is one of the leanest proteins you can eat — until you fry it. A 6 oz serving of boiled shrimp is about 178 calories and 41 grams of protein. The same weight of coconut shrimp clears 500 calories. The cooking method is the whole story.

Raw vs cooked

Raw shrimp runs about 85 kcal/100g. Boiling or steaming adds essentially nothing — water does not add calories. The protein density per gram increases slightly after cooking because moisture evaporates and the flesh tightens, but the total calorie count stays almost the same for a given number of shrimp.

Grilling adds a trace of fat from the grill surface. Figure 104 kcal/100g.

Where calories pile up

Breaded and fried shrimp nearly triples the calorie density. The breading absorbs oil during frying and adds substantial carbohydrate mass. A 6 oz plate of fried shrimp runs around 410 calories.

Scampi (butter and garlic sauce) sits in the middle. The shrimp itself is lean, but restaurant scampi uses 2-4 tablespoons of butter per serving before the shrimp even gets counted. That adds 200-400 calories from fat alone.

Tempura batter is lighter than American-style breading, landing around 230 kcal/100g. Coconut shrimp is the heaviest common preparation: dense coconut flakes absorb oil efficiently.

Protein efficiency

Even fried, shrimp remains a decent protein source. The ratio of protein to calories drops sharply with heavier preparations. Boiled shrimp gives you about 4.6g protein per 20 calories; coconut shrimp gives you about 1.5g per 20 calories.

A 3 oz serving is the standard restaurant appetizer portion. Entree-sized shrimp dishes are typically 6-8 oz.

Shrimp is naturally low in saturated fat and high in selenium and iodine. The cholesterol content is roughly 189 mg per 100g, but dietary cholesterol has a much smaller effect on blood cholesterol than saturated fat does for most people.