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r Shellfish
(Abalone, clams, conch, crabs, crayfish, lobster,
mussels, oysters, prawns, scallops, shrimp, snails)Nutritional Profile
Energy value (calories per serving): Moderate
Protein: High
Fat: Low
Saturated fat: Low
Cholesterol: Moderate to high
Carbohydrates: Trace
Fiber: None
Sodium: Moderate to high
Major vitamin contribution: B vitamins
Major mineral contribution: Iron (clams), iodine, copper, zinc (oysters), arsenicAbout the Nutrients in This Food
Like meat, fish, poultry, and eggs, shellfish are an excellent source of high-
quality proteins with sufficient amounts of all the essential amino acids
required by human beings.
Mollusks (abalone, clams, oysters, scallops, snails) are comparable in
total fat content to meat and poultry. Crustaceans (crabs, lobster, shrimp)
are lower in total fat content. Both types of shellfish have less saturated fat
than meat does. They do have comparable amounts of cholesterol, but this
is offset by the fact that like other seafood, shellfish provide omega-3 fatty
acids, the class of heart-protective fats that includes linolenic acid, eicosa-
pentaenoic acid (EPA), and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA).
Like other foods from animals, all shellfish are good sources of B vita-
mins, heme iron (the organic form of iron most easily absorbed by the body),
and zinc. As an added bonus, they—like other fish—are rich in iodine, the
mineral that protects against goiter (swelling of the thyroid gland).
All shellfish provide B vitamins. The crustaceans—crabs, lobsters,
shrimp—also have vitamin A produced by their diet of carotenoid-rich
green vegetation. A four-ounce serving of cooked Dungeness crab has 350
IU vitamin A (9 percent of the RDA for a healthy woman, 7 percent of the
RDA for a healthy man).* Values are for raw or steamed shellfish.