Health Question - eating shrimp tails

**Koral** · 10-18-2012, 05:51 PM

Okay. My lovely mersister introduced me to eating shrimp tails. And I LOVE them. So much. I really don't want to stop eating them. I chew them very well before I swallow, because I know that big chunks can't be good (and the crunch is just so tasty). At most maybe I can settle with only eating tempura/fried shrimp tails.

Now, I just did a lot of research about eating shrimp tails (finally - amazing what classroom boredom will do), because I have been really concerned whether or not I should continue (and I really would like to). There are very very mixed reviews online. A lot of people say it's okay and has extra minerals, ETC. A lot of people also say it's bad for your digestive tract, and can shred you to pieces. A ton of people say "so and so eats them, they're this old and still kickin'." I have no definite answer, which is what I am looking for...

What say you? Anyone here know health pretty well to provide a more solid and trustworthy input?

**Winged Mermaid** · 10-18-2012, 07:28 PM

I don't think health is an issue with it, honestly. If it were, there would be some kind of medical study published to let people know about it. Honestly from what I've seen, it depends on how you're raised. I was raised told not to eat the ends. I can imagine worried mothers probably make up tales about it "shredding" your digestive tract. But really, you digestive system can handle more than that. You'll get more holes in your tract from feeding the meat thriving putrefactive bacteria in your intestines (that battles for space with the healthy plant thriving bacteria- fascinating really) than you will from the shell bits. Other people are raised saying that you can eat them unless you don't like them. Often when one meets the other they are confused lol :P But pretty much all the people I've met from or raised by family from fish consuming countries (Japan and the Philippines for example) or big shrimping port towns- they all eat the ends, and have for generations. I've had friends ask me for my ends when we go out sometimes, haha.
So I wouldn't worry about it

**Winged Mermaid** · 10-18-2012, 07:30 PM

Also fun fact, people from the Philippines don't use crab crackers. They do it mermaid style- with their back teeth

Pretty cool to watch!

**ShyMer** · 10-18-2012, 08:22 PM

Wait, you mean the ends of the tails? Like the shell part? I had no idea :O That makes eating shrimp sushi so much less tricky.

**Koral** · 10-18-2012, 08:32 PM

Thanks so much, Winged. I feel a lot better about eating the tails now that I'm hearing some input HERE about it.

Especially knowing "our tracts can handle more than that!"

Yes Shy, the tails, the part that fans out! They're especially good in scampi or tempura form.

My mersister and I were trying to see how the waiter reacted when we had shrimp platters and no tails leftover. No reaction. OH WELL.

**Elle** · 10-18-2012, 09:10 PM

I think as long as you don't have it every day. if your having them fried they aren't healthy anyway. I always like going out for teppanyaki, and they fry of the legs which are yummy, but i definately wouldn't eat them all the time. I personally prefer my prawns raw

**Mermaid Lei Loni** · 10-18-2012, 09:48 PM

Originally Posted by Koral

Thanks so much, Winged. I feel a lot better about eating the tails now that I'm hearing some input HERE about it.

Especially knowing "our tracts can handle more than that!"

Yes Shy, the tails, the part that fans out! They're especially good in scampi or tempura form.

My mersister and I were trying to see how the waiter reacted when we had shrimp platters and no tails leftover. No reaction. OH WELL.

I honestly couldn't believe there was no reaction! :P I almost always get weird looks.

Oh, and you're silly. I've been eating those suckers for years. No problem. But since I'm half-Japanese, I guess it comes natural. You should see my mom and I dig into an entire crab. It's like watching that scene from Splash....lol

**Koral** · 10-18-2012, 10:37 PM

Originally Posted by Mermaid Lei Loni

I honestly couldn't believe there was no reaction! :P I almost always get weird looks.

Oh, and you're silly. I've been eating those suckers for years. No problem. But since I'm half-Japanese, I guess it comes natural. You should see my mom and I dig into an entire crab. It's like watching that scene from Splash....lol

I know, I was hoping for a reaction!

PFT can you blame me for asking, Loni? I just wanted to be sure I wasn't endangering my body.

**Mermaid Lei Loni** · 10-19-2012, 03:41 AM

Nope, no blame here. :P Actually, I'm glad you did the research. Although, I'd probably still eat them even if they were bad. It reminds me of a TLC (I think) show called My Strange Addiction. They would interview people about the weird things people were addicted to (mostly eating). One girl ate pottery and cigarette ash. Another ate Comet. But I digress.

**Elle** · 10-19-2012, 05:53 AM

or that sheila who ate dry wall!

**Mer_Adella** · 10-19-2012, 09:49 AM

Those people probably had Pica (which is where you crave "non-food" items) anyone can have pica (even animals) some people eat metal (coins) others thrive on grass, drywall, comet, dirt, etc

my family is diverse in culture (one gma is german, the other polish, an aunt is spanish, an aunt is french, and a LOT of koren's in my family) i have ate MANY strange things at family functions before. Aside from the stomach ache i would think that eating the shrimp tails is not harmful at all. and Winged is right, our digestive tracts are stronger than most would believe, it just depends on how yours works. A girlfriend I had once couldn't eat corn, popcorn or anything like that because she had small "potholes" (as she called them) in her tract and the corn would get stuck in them and irritate her to the point of diarreha, cramps, bleeding, etc.

It just depends on how strong a tract you have is all.

**Koral** · 10-19-2012, 12:24 PM

Nothing bad happened after I ate the tails, like stomach aches or anything. So I must be fine.

I was also the kid that swallowed their gum all the time when I was a young girl and told it would take 7 years to digest so I'd get fat and bloaty - never happened.

I think I've taken more damage from eating 3 spicy mc chickens last night.

Ouuuhhh my tummy...