Eat More Shrimp!

Science Daily:

Shrimp-lovers take note – research has shown that a chemical called chitosan, derived from shrimp shells, might be useful in the fight against obesity and high cholesterol.

This study is published by Wiley-Blackwell in the journal, Clinical and Experimental Pharmacology and Physiology. Lead author Dr. Shahdat Hossain from the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at the Jahangirnagar University tested the effect of chitosan – derived from the exoskeleton of shrimp – on the body weight, plasma lipid profile, and fatty acid composition of rats.

The results from the study conducted by Dr. Hossain and his colleagues have shown that chitosan reduced weight gain and blood cholesterol levels in the rats. More significantly, the researchers found that when taken as a dietary supplement, the chemical chitosan increased the ratio of ‘good’ versus ‘bad’ cholesterol levels.

But only eat the right kinds of shrimp!