Shrimp Vs Lobster: What are the Differences?

Do you want to know about the highest nutritious seafood, Shrimp vs. Lobster?

Shrimp and Lobster look somewhat similar, but they have different characteristics. So, when buying these kinds of seafood, it is essential to have a clear concept about them.

Again, to know what type of nutrition they provide, you need to know their nutritive value. 

Furthermore, these types of seafood offer different aromas and unique tastes. It also provides Omega-3, which can boost your health. Moreover, it contains healthy fats and lean protein. Go through the article to clarify all your confusion about the most popular seafood, Shrimp and Lobsters.

Physical Characteristics of Shrimp and Lobster

Shrimp has a semitransparent flattened body having a flexible abdomen that ends in a fanlike tail. They have long and whiplike antennae and use their appendages for swimming. Shrimp are U-Shaped in size and orange, yellow, and brown in color.

On the other hand, a Lobster has a long body with five pairs of legs, two pairs of long antennae, and muscular tails, usually white, brown, and red in color. They use their flipper like muscular tail for swimming. In general, the Lobster is larger than Shrimp and can expand their length up to 20 inches.

Shrimp Vs Lobster at A Glance

Characteristics of comparison	Shrimp	Lobster
Identity	Shrimps are identified as decapod crustaceans.	Lobsters are known as marine crustaceans.
Species	Shrimps are about 125 species.	Lobsters are about 48 species.
Size	Around 10 cm in length.	Around 50 cm in length.
Habitat	Usually, live in fresh, muddy, and salty water.	Usually, live in muddy and salty water.
Eggs	They lay their eggs in the sea.	They don’t leave the eggs in the sea but carry them with themselves.
Locomotion	They swim	They crawl or walk to move.
Pricing	Shrimps are pretty cheap than Lobster.	Lobsters are usually highly pricy.

Eating Habits of Shrimp and Lobster

Shrimps are scavengers. When they swim around their native waterways, they eat whatever they find. Besides this, they also eat floating algae, dead Shrimp, living plants, clams, dead crabs, fish, and snails. Indirectly, Shrimp save the ecosystems of dead decaying organic matter. In some cases, Shrimp are also called cannibals.

Also Read: Are Shrimp Decomposers? [Answered]

Lobsters are primarily considered scavengers, but recently the concept has changed. Lobsters eat fresh food, including crabs, fish, clams, sea urchins, mussels, etc. European lobsters are omnivorous as they eat meat and vegetation both. But, when they feel hungry, they eat what they get in front of them. They use their antennae to find food.

Living Place

Shrimps live in rivers, lakes, and oceans. They are found in the freshwater, muddy or sandy bottoms of the river, and ocean floors. But sometimes, small subspecies are found inside sponges.

Generally, Lobster lives in cold oceans and sea, so they are found in salty water. Sometimes they hide in weeds and rocks.

Nutrition Facts of Shrimp

Shrimp has excellent nutritional value. Seafood lovers especially like to take this dish during summer. Moreover, this seafood is a tasty food with a whole pack of vitamins, protein, and little calories. A medium-sized piece of Shrimp has 84 calories and 18 gm of lean protein. It fulfills 10gm protein of basic human needs.

Furthermore, Shrimp is the source of the mineral selenium, vitamin D,  B3, and B12. This fantastic seafood works like an antioxidant that fights against cancer-causing germs. Again, It also reduces the chances of heart disease and type 2 diabetes. Shrimp is rich in cholesterol, and a two ounces piece of Shrimp contains 400 calories and 25 gm of fats.

Nutrition Facts of Lobster

In 2011, the federal government suggested eating eight ounces of seafood per week. Alike Shrimp, Lobster also contains a vast amount of nutrients. A piece of 3.5 ounces of Lobster has 72 milligrams of cholesterol, while the exact size of the chicken piece includes 85 milligrams of cholesterol. An ounce of cooked lobster meat contains 115 calories, 24 grams of protein, and few fats. Again, its high antioxidant selenium boosts the human immune system.

Lobster would be the best alternative to pork, beef, and chicken. Its omega-3 fatty acid reduces the risk of high blood pressure and heart disease.

How Is the Taste?

Shrimp is a great source of protein and nutrition. In terms of tasting, Shrimp is quite different from other seafood. It has a mild taste that is pretty sweet and a little salty. You will get a fragrant aroma, fishy taste, and chewy texture when you cook it properly. Depending on the shrimp variety, the taste can be bland.

Lobsters taste somewhat like crabs or crustaceans but have a less fishy taste than crabs. It has a rich flavor, and the meat is soft, smooth, and firm. Lobsters can cook by boiling or steaming. You will get a fresh seafood taste if you cook it the right way. The taste and texture depend on how you cook it. Boiled or steamed Lobster is plump and juicy to

taste. Again, baked, fried, or grilled lobsters taste sweet and have a smoky flavor.

FAQ

Which is Healthier, Lobster or Shrimp?

Lobster provides more cholesterol than Shrimp. It contains high protein, omega-3, selenium, and saturated fat but low in calories. Again, Lobster contains Copper and Zinc, While Shrimp Contains high Phosphorus. Lobsters can fulfill your daily needs of copper 108% more than Shrimp. Moreover, Lobster also covers 423mg of sodium, while Shrimp covers 111mg of sodium. Therefore, it is clear that Lobster is healthier than Shrimp.

Which Taste Is Better, Lobster or Shrimp?

Lobster and Shrimp have a similar taste. But when it is a question of comparison, Lobsters taste better than Shrimp and chewy than Shrimp. Lobster has a rich and satisfying flavor and is a perfect food to serve occasionally. However, Shrimp is sweeter and cheaper than Lobster.

Is a Lobster a Crab or a Shrimp?

Lobsters, Crabs, and Shrimp are the same biological relative. But they have physical differences and have a different effect while cooked. On the other hand, Shrimp and Lobster are classified as crustaceans. Both have fused heads and compound eyes.

Is Lobster and Shrimp in The Same Family?

Researchers found the roots of Shrimp and Lobster. Both came from crustacean families. However, due to the 450 million years of evolution, various characteristic and behavioral changes have occurred among them.  

Warp Up

We are at the last part of our detailed guide. Shrimp and Lobster have about the same type of calories, protein, iron, and phosphorous. If you take 4 ounces of such seafood daily, you can fulfill your iron requirement. Try to add them to your weekly menu in the summer.

On the whole, I think you now have detailed guidelines for Shrimp and Lobster.