Salmon vs shrimp: omega-3 on one side, cholesterol myths on the other

In a randomized crossover trial, 11 oz (300 g) of shrimp a day, a very large amount supplying 590 mg of cholesterol, raised LDL cholesterol by 7.1 percent and HDL cholesterol by 12.1 percent against a diet with 107 mg. The abstract does not say how many people took part. Against two eggs a day carrying the same cholesterol, the shrimp diet gave lower LDL-to-HDL and total-to-HDL ratios and lower triacylglycerol. So in that trial, the same amount of cholesterol from shrimp and from eggs did not move blood fats the same way. Salmon is the measured omega-3 source here. Farmed Atlantic salmon held 0.585 g DHA and 0.318 g EPA per 3.5 oz (100 g) in 8 USDA samples, and USDA reported no EPA or DHA row for shrimp at all. In 32 healthy adults, 600 mg of DHA a day from cooked salmon raised plasma DHA by about 80 percent in 2 weeks, the same rise as algal-oil capsules. In 38 young women with a BMI of 25 or more, 7.1 oz (200 g) of smoked salmon a week for 8 weeks lowered LDL by 8.2 mg/dL while it rose 9.5 mg/dL in controls, and the final levels of the two groups did not differ.

How much is actually in it

• In USDA Foundation Foods sampling, farmed Atlantic salmon held 0.318 g EPA and 0.585 g DHA per 3.5 oz (100 g) and wild sockeye 0.211 g and 0.326 g, while no EPA or DHA row was reported for farm-raised shrimp. — retail samples analyzed for USDA Foundation Foods, release 2026-04-30 (n = 8 samples per salmon type) Evidence E source
  Farmed Atlantic EPA 0.228-0.43 g, DHA 0.488-0.739 g; wild sockeye EPA 0.081-0.286 g, DHA 0.214-0.48 g; shrimp not reported
• Farm-raised shrimp carried 136.0 mg cholesterol per 3.5 oz (100 g) in USDA sampling, about twice farmed salmon at 62.1 mg, and CoFID 2021 gives a similar split of 130.0 mg for boiled shrimps and 67.2 mg for baked farmed salmon. — USDA Foundation Foods retail samples (release 2026-04-30) and CoFID 2021 (Public Health England) (n = 8 samples per food in Foundation Foods) Evidence E source
  Shrimp 136.0 mg (106.0-159.3); farmed Atlantic salmon 62.11 mg (50.9-71.9); sockeye 59.3 mg; CoFID shrimps boiled 130.0 mg, salmon farmed baked 67.2 mg
• Per 100 g in USDA sampling, farmed salmon held 5.7 micrograms vitamin B12 against 1.0 in shrimp, and shrimp carried 474.9 mg sodium against 49.5 mg in salmon, with shrimp ranging from 113 to 783 mg. — retail samples analyzed for USDA Foundation Foods, release 2026-04-30 (n = 8 samples per food) Evidence E source
  B12 salmon 5.696 ug (3.81-7.24) vs shrimp 0.9963 ug (0.5-1.67); sodium shrimp 474.9 mg (113.0-783.0) vs salmon 49.49 mg (25.1-61.1)
• Raw farmed salmon held 20.3 g protein and 22.8 micrograms selenium per 3.5 oz (100 g) in USDA sampling against 15.6 g and 19.5 micrograms in raw farm-raised shrimp. — retail samples analyzed for USDA Foundation Foods, release 2026-04-30 (n = 8 samples per food) Evidence E source
  Protein salmon 20.32 g (19.6-21.9) vs shrimp 15.57 g (12.1-21.3); selenium salmon 22.8 ug (20.0-30.8) vs shrimp 19.48 ug (11.9-24.6)

What a real portion looks like

• In the USDA survey food table a regular grilled salmon fillet weighs 4.9 oz (140 g), while one large or jumbo grilled shrimp weighs 15 g and an unspecified shrimp serving is counted as 85 g. — USDA FNDDS survey foods Fish, salmon, grilled (food code 26137123) and Shrimp, grilled (food code 26319123) Evidence E source
  Salmon: small/regular fillet 140 g, large fillet 210 g, 1 cup 135 g; shrimp: tiny 5 g, small/medium 10 g, large/jumbo 15 g, prawn 20 g, 1 cup 135 g, quantity not specified 85 g

What your body absorbs

• Over 2 weeks, 600 mg DHA a day from cooked salmon raised plasma phospholipid DHA by about 80 percent and red cell DHA by about 25 percent, the same as algal-oil capsules. — 32 healthy men and women aged 20-65, 600 mg DHA/day from assayed cooked salmon or algal-oil capsules, 2 weeks (n = 32) Evidence B source
  DHA about +80% in plasma phospholipids and about +25% in erythrocytes in both groups
• Adding sous vide cooked salmon to a high-phytate bean meal significantly increased non-heme iron absorption in 21 young women with low iron stores. — 21 young women with ferritin below 30 microg/L, stable-isotope labeled bean meal with and without salmon, crossover (n = 21) Evidence B source
  Iron absorption significantly higher with fish (p < 0.001); size not given in the abstract
• In 120 young women over an autumn 8 weeks, 100 g a day of salmon sausage supplying about 5 micrograms vitamin D limited the fall in blood 25(OH)D to 4.3 nmol/L against 15.0 in controls. — 120 non-obese women aged 20-25 in Poland, smoked salmon 25 g/day, salmon sausage 100 g/day or control, 8 weeks in autumn (n = 120) Evidence B source
  25(OH)D change -4.3 vs -15.0 nmol/L (p < 0.05) for salmon sausage; smoked salmon not different from control

What cooking and storage change

• In 13 healthy women, plasma EPA and DHA rose more after a meal of intact salmon than after minced salmon or defatted salmon with the oil added back. — healthy females, postprandial crossover of three meals with identical macronutrients, blood over 6 h (n = 13) Evidence B source
  Plasma EPA and DHA significantly higher after intact salmon (covariate analysis p < 0.001)
• The USDA retention table keeps 75 percent of vitamin B12 when fatty finfish is broiled without drippings and 95 percent when shelled shellfish is broiled. — USDA Table of Nutrient Retention Factors Release 6, group Finfish and Shellfish Products (code 15), methods 2455 and 2753, dated Sep-75 Evidence E source
  Vitamin B12 75% (fatty finfish broiled) vs 95% (shellfish broiled); riboflavin 100% vs 80%

What it does to your health

• In a randomized crossover trial, 11 oz (300 g) of shrimp a day supplying 590 mg cholesterol raised LDL cholesterol by 7.1 percent and HDL cholesterol by 12.1 percent against a low-cholesterol baseline diet. — normolipidemic adults, crossover of a shrimp diet, a two-egg diet and a fat-matched baseline diet with 107 mg cholesterol/d Evidence B source
  LDL-C +7.1% (P = 0.014), HDL-C +12.1% (P = 0.0001), triacylglycerol -13% (P = 0.004)
• In a 1990 feeding study of 18 men, shrimp and squid diets, higher in cholesterol and lower in omega-3 fats, did not change blood lipids, while oyster, clam, crab and mussel diets lowered VLDL. — 18 normolipidemic men fed six shellfish species with protein matched to their usual animal foods (n = 18) Evidence C source
  No change in blood lipids on shrimp and squid diets
• In young women with excess weight, 7.1 oz (200 g) of smoked farmed salmon a week for 8 weeks lowered LDL cholesterol by 8.2 mg/dL while it rose 9.5 mg/dL in controls. — 38 pair-matched women aged 18-30 with BMI 25 or more, 200 g smoked farmed Atlantic salmon weekly versus usual diet, 8 weeks (n = 38) Evidence B source
  LDL change -8.2 +/- 20.7 vs +9.5 +/- 20.0 mg/dL (p = 0.011); end-of-study TC, HDL, LDL and TAG not different

Safety, limits and interactions

• FDA and EPA list both salmon and shrimp among the Best Choices lowest in mercury and advise people who are pregnant or breastfeeding to eat 8 to 12 ounces of such seafood a week. — US consumers, with specific advice for people who are pregnant or breastfeeding and children aged 1-11 Evidence E source
  Salmon and shrimp both in the Best Choices category; 8-12 oz per week in pregnancy and breastfeeding

What people believe that the data does not support

• In the same trial, the shrimp diet gave lower total-to-HDL and LDL-to-HDL cholesterol ratios and lower triacylglycerol than two eggs a day with the same 580 to 590 mg of cholesterol. — normolipidemic adults, shrimp diet (590 mg cholesterol/d) versus two large eggs a day (581 mg/d), crossover Evidence B source
  Shrimp diet: significantly lower TC/HDL and LDL/HDL ratios and lower triacylglycerol than the egg diet
• The EU register records a claim that a salmon oil capsule supports normal blood cholesterol as non-authorized, and it holds no claim under the name shrimp. — EU Register on nutrition and health claims, snapshot 2026-09-21 Evidence E source
  Status Non-authorized

Who this works differently for

• In 205 children aged 4 to 6, farmed salmon meals three times a week for 16 weeks raised blood EPA and DHA against meat meals but improved only two of eight cognitive raw scores and not IQ scale scores. — 205 preschool children aged 4-6 in Norway, meals with farmed Atlantic salmon or meat three times weekly, 16 weeks (n = 205) Evidence B source
  EPA and DHA biomarkers up (p < 0.001); better improvement in 2 of 8 raw scores (symbol search p = 0.038, picture concepts p = 0.047); no difference in scale scores

The bottom line

Per 100 g raw, farmed shrimp carried 136 mg cholesterol, about twice farmed salmon at 62.1 mg, and the UK CoFID table gives a similar split for cooked versions. Salmon held 5.7 micrograms vitamin B12 against 1.0 in shrimp, 20.3 g protein against 15.6 g, and slightly more selenium. Shrimp carried 474.9 mg sodium per 3.5 oz (100 g), and the 8 samples ranged from 113 to 783 mg, so the packet matters. A grilled salmon fillet in the USDA survey table weighs 4.9 oz (140 g), and an unspecified shrimp serving 3 oz (85 g), with one large shrimp at 15 g. In 13 healthy women, plasma EPA and DHA rose more after intact salmon than after minced salmon or defatted salmon with its oil added back. Adding salmon to a high-phytate bean meal raised iron absorption from the beans in 21 young women with low iron stores, and the abstract gives no size for the gain. In 120 Polish women aged 20 to 25, 100 g a day of salmon sausage over an autumn limited the fall in blood vitamin D to 4.3 nmol/L against 15.0 in controls. Smoked salmon at 25 g a day made no significant difference. In 205 Norwegian children aged 4 to 6, salmon meals three times a week for 16 weeks improved two of eight raw test scores against meat meals and no IQ scale score. FDA and EPA list both salmon and shrimp among the Best Choices lowest in mercury, and advise 8 to 12 ounces of such seafood a week in pregnancy and breastfeeding. We have no card on shellfish allergy, so this page tells you nothing about it. The EU register lists a claim that a salmon oil capsule supports normal cholesterol as non-authorized.

Sources

1. slsh-r4-10 · reference dataset
   Fish, salmon, Atlantic, farm raised, raw | PUFA 20:5 n-3 (EPA) | 0.318 G | range 0.228-0.43, 8 samples || Fish, salmon, Atlantic, farm raised, raw | PUFA 22:6 n-3 (DHA) | 0.585 G | range 0.488-0.739, 8 samples || Fish, salmon, sockeye, wild caught, raw | PUFA 20:5 n-3 (EPA) | 0.211 G | range 0.081-0.286, 8 samples || Fish, salmon, sockeye, wild caught, raw | PUFA 22:6 n-3 (DHA) | 0.326 G | range 0.214-0.48, 8 samples
   USDA FoodData Central, Foundation Foods, release 2026-04-30 · checked 2026-09-28
2. slsh-r4-11 · reference dataset
   Crustaceans, shrimp, farm raised, raw | Cholesterol | 136.0 MG | range 106.0-159.3, 8 samples || Fish, salmon, Atlantic, farm raised, raw | Cholesterol | 62.11 MG | range 50.9-71.9, 8 samples || CoFID 2021 16-245 Shrimps, boiled | Cholesterol (mg) | 130.0 || CoFID 2021 16-359 Salmon, farmed, flesh only, baked | Cholesterol (mg) | 67.2
   USDA FoodData Central, Foundation Foods, release 2026-04-30; CoFID 2021, Public Health England, OGL v3.0 · checked 2026-09-28
3. slsh-r4-12 · reference dataset
   Fish, salmon, Atlantic, farm raised, raw | Vitamin B-12 | 5.696 UG | range 3.81-7.24, 8 samples || Crustaceans, shrimp, farm raised, raw | Vitamin B-12 | 0.9963 UG | range 0.5-1.67, 8 samples || Crustaceans, shrimp, farm raised, raw | Sodium, Na | 474.9 MG | range 113.0-783.0, median 532.0, 8 samples || Fish, salmon, Atlantic, farm raised, raw | Sodium, Na | 49.49 MG | range 25.1-61.1, 8 samples
   USDA FoodData Central, Foundation Foods, release 2026-04-30 · checked 2026-09-28
4. slsh-r4-13 · reference dataset
   Fish, salmon, Atlantic, farm raised, raw | Protein | 20.31875 G | range 19.625-21.875 || Crustaceans, shrimp, farm raised, raw | Protein | 15.56875 G | range 12.0625-21.25 || Fish, salmon, Atlantic, farm raised, raw | Selenium, Se | 22.8 UG | range 20.0-30.8, 8 samples || Crustaceans, shrimp, farm raised, raw | Selenium, Se | 19.48 UG | range 11.9-24.6, 8 samples
   USDA FoodData Central, Foundation Foods, release 2026-04-30 · checked 2026-09-28
5. slsh-r4-15 · reference dataset
   Fish, salmon, grilled | FNDDS 26137123 | 1 small/regular fillet 64761 = 140 g | Quantity not specified 90000 = 140 g || Shrimp, grilled | FNDDS 26319123 | 1 large/jumbo shrimp 64763 = 15 g | Quantity not specified 90000 = 85 g
   USDA FNDDS, Fish salmon grilled 26137123 (fdc_id 2706287) and Shrimp grilled 26319123 (fdc_id 2706362) · checked 2026-09-28
6. slsh-r4-06 · randomized controlled trial
   DHA levels increased by approximately 80% in plasma phospholipids and by approximately 25% in erythrocytes in both groups.
   J Am Diet Assoc, 2008 · checked 2026-09-28
7. slsh-r4-07 · randomized crossover trial
   The addition of fish to the bean meal significantly increased (p < 0.001) iron absorption.
   J Am Coll Nutr, 2008 · checked 2026-09-28
8. slsh-r4-08 · randomized controlled trial
   While all groups experienced a decrease in 25(OH)D serum concentrations, the decrease was significantly smaller in the salmon sausage group compared to the control group (-4.3 vs. -15.0 nmol/L, p < 0.05), and no significant difference was observed between the smoked salmon and control group after 8 weeks (p > 0.05).
   Nutrients, 2024 · checked 2026-09-28
9. slsh-r4-05 · randomized crossover trial
   Results: showed that plasma concentration of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) were significantly higher after participants consumed intact salmon compared to the other meals (covariate analysis p < 0.001).
   Food Funct, 2021 · checked 2026-09-28
10. slsh-r4-14 · reference dataset
    FINFISH,>5%FAT,BROILED,WO/DRIPPNG | Retn_Code 2455 | vitamin_b12_ug 75% | riboflavin_mg 100% || SHELLFISH,WO/SHELL,BROILED | Retn_Code 2753 | vitamin_b12_ug 95% | riboflavin_mg 80%
    USDA Table of Nutrient Retention Factors, Release 6, 2007, codes USDA-RETN-R6:2455 and 2753 · checked 2026-09-28
11. slsh-r4-01 · randomized crossover trial
    In a randomized crossover trial, a diet containing 300 g shrimp/d, which supplied 590 mg dietary cholesterol/d, significantly increased low-density-lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol by 7.1% (P = 0.014) and high-density-lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol by 12.1% (P = 0.0001) when compared with a baseline diet matched for fat content but containing only 107 mg cholesterol/d.
    Am J Clin Nutr, 1996 · checked 2026-09-28
12. slsh-r4-03 · controlled clinical trial
    Squid and shrimp diets, higher in cholesterol and lower in n-3 fatty acids, did not change the blood lipids.
    Am J Clin Nutr, 1990 · checked 2026-09-28
13. slsh-r4-04 · randomized controlled trial
    However, differences in the change of the LDL concentration were noted, with a decrease of 8.2 ± 20.7 mg/dL in the intervention group compared to an increase of 9.5 ± 20.0 mg/dL in the control group (p = 0.011), as well as in the change of the Cholindex for which a median decrease of 4.4 mg/dL was noted in the intervention group, while a median increase of 0.8 mg/dL in the control group was observed (p = 0.040).
    Nutrients, 2024 · checked 2026-09-28
14. slsh-r4-17 · agency guidance
    Those who are pregnant or breastfeeding consume between 8 and 12 ounces per week of a variety of seafood from choices that are lower in mercury.
    FDA, Advice about Eating Fish · checked 2026-09-28
15. slsh-r4-02 · randomized crossover trial
    In a comparison of the two high-cholesterol diets, the shrimp diet produced significantly lower ratios of total to HDL cholesterol and lower ratios of LDL to HDL cholesterol than the egg diet as well as lower triacylglycerol concentrations.
    Am J Clin Nutr, 1996 · checked 2026-09-28
16. slsh-r4-16 · regulatory register entry
    POL-HC-7853 Pure salmon oil 500 mg. D alpha tocopherol10 mg.-cps Supports the normal level of blood cholesterol. Non-authorised
    EU Register on nutrition and health claims, claim POL-HC-7853, snapshot 2026-09-21 · checked 2026-09-28
17. slsh-r4-09 · randomized controlled trial
    In analyses of the raw scores, the salmon group showed significantly better improvement in two of the eight raw scores compared to the meat group (symbol search p = 0.038, picture concepts p = 0.047).
    Clin Nutr, 2019 · checked 2026-09-28