Calories in Shrimp: Per Shrimp, 3 oz and 100 g

Shrimp cook in minutes and fit almost anything: salads, tacos, pasta, stir-fries or a simple shrimp cocktail. They’re also known as a lean protein. But how many calories does shrimp have – and how much does the cooking method change that?

The short answer: 3 oz (85 g) of cooked shrimp has about 84 calories and 20 g of protein. A large shrimp has only 5–6 calories. Shrimp has almost no fat or carbs – it’s one of the leanest proteins you can eat. The calories come from butter, breading, frying and sauces.

Calories in shrimp by portion

Values are for cooked shrimp, from the US Department of Agriculture (USDA FoodData Central):

Portion	Weight	Calories	Protein
1 medium shrimp	4 g	4 kcal	1 g
1 large shrimp	6 g	6 kcal	1.4 g
1 jumbo shrimp	12 g	12 kcal	2.9 g
10 large shrimp	60 g	59 kcal	14 g
3 oz	85 g	84 kcal	20 g
100 g	100 g	99 kcal	24 g
1 large breaded fried shrimp	7.5 g	18 kcal	1.6 g

Tip: shrimp sizes are counted per pound on the package (for example “26/30” = 26 to 30 shrimp per pound). The smaller the number, the bigger the shrimp.

Shrimp nutrition facts

Nutrient	Per 100 g, cooked	Per 3 oz (85 g)
Calories	99 kcal	84 kcal
Protein	24.0 g	20.4 g
Fat	0.3 g	0.2 g
Carbohydrates	0.2 g	0.2 g
Cholesterol	189 mg	161 mg
Sodium	111 mg	94 mg
Potassium	259 mg	220 mg

Almost all of shrimp’s calories come from protein. It also gives you selenium, iodine and vitamin B12. Shrimp is high in cholesterol, but very low in saturated fat – and for most people, saturated fat raises blood cholesterol more than cholesterol in food does.

Calories in shrimp dishes

Dish	Portion	Calories
Shrimp cocktail (6 large shrimp + 2 tbsp sauce)	1 serving	about 80⁠–⁠100 kcal
Grilled shrimp skewers	3 oz	about 100⁠–⁠120 kcal
Garlic butter shrimp	3 oz + 1 tbsp butter	about 185 kcal
Shrimp stir-fry with vegetables	1 plate	about 300⁠–⁠400 kcal
Shrimp tacos	2 tacos	about 400⁠–⁠500 kcal
Coconut shrimp	6 pieces	about 350⁠–⁠450 kcal
Shrimp scampi with pasta	1 plate	about 600⁠–⁠800 kcal
Fried shrimp basket with fries	1 basket	about 700⁠–⁠900 kcal

Shrimp itself is light – the dish around it decides the calories. Butter, cream, breading and deep-frying can multiply them several times. Grilled or boiled shrimp with vegetables is one of the lightest high-protein meals you can make.

What to check on frozen shrimp

Some frozen shrimp are soaked in sodium tripolyphosphate, a phosphate that makes them hold more water. You pay for the water, the shrimp shrinks when cooked, and you get extra sodium. Look at the ingredient list: the best packs say only “shrimp” (sometimes with salt). Breaded or seasoned shrimp often add more additives and sugar.

Is shrimp good for weight loss?

Yes. Shrimp is one of the best foods for weight loss: lots of protein, very few calories and almost no fat. Protein keeps you full and helps you keep muscle while you lose fat.

How to keep it light:

• Boil, grill, bake or sauté with a little oil instead of deep-frying.
• Season with garlic, lemon, chili and herbs instead of butter and cream sauces.
• Pair it with vegetables or a salad, and measure pasta or rice.
• Watch the dips: cocktail sauce is light, but creamy dips and tartar sauce are not.

Remember that you lose weight only when you eat fewer calories than you burn. Read more about the calorie deficit and find your number with our calorie calculator. For more ideas, see our high protein foods.

Count the calories in your shrimp dinner without guesswork. With NutriSmart, you snap a photo of what you eat, and the app counts your calories, protein, carbs and fat and shows how much you have left for the day. For a bag of frozen shrimp, scan the barcode to see the additives and a health score out of 100.Get the app free

You can also read how many calories are in salmon and in chicken breast.

The bottom line

3 oz of cooked shrimp has about 84 calories and 20 g of protein, and a large shrimp only 5–6 calories. Shrimp is almost pure protein with very little fat, which makes it great for weight loss. Keep it light by grilling or boiling it, go easy on butter, breading and creamy sauces, and choose frozen shrimp without added phosphates.