Is Vegan Shrimp Really Healthy?

Whenever someone hears about a vegan substitute for any animal product, one of the first questions is usually “is it healthy?” While the answer will depend on the specific products, there are definitely many healthy vegan shrimp substitutes.

If you’re worried about replacing your shrimp craving with a potentially overly processed food product, then just keep reading! 

We’re going to give you the full rundown on vegan shrimp, and we’ll show you the healthiest options out there.

We love vegan seafood

When people think of vegan food, a lot of them just think of salad. 

Even people more familiar with vegan cuisine probably imagine fake meat and veggie burgers long before they think of vegan shrimp and other vegan seafood products. But one look at our vegan seafood section will make it clear that you don’t need to give up your favorite seafood tastes when you commit to a vegan lifestyle.

The world is changing, and it’s becoming a much more vegan-friendly place. 

These days, you really have to try to find an animal product that doesn’t have a viable vegan substitute and seafood is no exception!

How can I improve my diet with vegan shrimp?

Adding vegan shrimp into your diet is a great opportunity to get some of the nutrients most omnivores and pescatarians get from fish and seafood (more on that later.)

On top of that, the flexibility of soy-based vegan cooking means that you can add almost whatever you want and make your vegan shrimp suit your specific diet.

You can coat your tofu shrimp in olive oil if you need those health benefits and some extra calories (the vegan bulk struggle is real), and it’s guaranteed to taste delicious. 

Or you can experiment and use different oil bases or maybe even cut out the oil entirely if you’re not a fan of oil in your diet.

Of course, it’s also recommended that you season your vegan shrimp in kelp and other produce, and the extra kelp in your diet will help fight against disease.

What are the health benefits?

As annoying as it may be when your carnivore brother-in-law asks you for the tenth time where you get your protein, there are some health benefits to seafood that aren’t always easy to replace. 

Of course, tofu and other soy products are a great way to get the protein that you need along with vital omega-3.

If you don’t take any vitamin supplements – we highly recommend you take B12 supplements while on a vegan diet – tofu acts as a great substitute for the omegas most people get from fish and seafood. Your body literally won’t know what it’s missing.

Are there environmental benefits as well?

Absolutely.

While environmentally-concerned vegans mostly tend to focus on the dangers of the factory farm industry, a quick Google search will return article after article, showing that eating fish is also bad for the planet. Without boring you with too many details, the seafood industry uses a lot of fuel to get the boats out into the middle of the water, and they leave behind materials like nets and traps. On top of that, fishing boats will occasionally catch unintended marine creatures like dolphins and turtles.

The bottom line is that going vegan is one of the best things an individual can do to lower their carbon footprint.

How does it taste?

Delicious!

A simple seasoning of paprika and onion, kelp, and garlic powders will guarantee that your tofu-based shrimp has an amazing and realistic taste that will have seafood brands panicking. But don’t take our word for it, check out these customer reviews. With glowing feedback like “Instant chef alert: Had some Breaded Shrimp on top of delicious tortillas and immediately had myself a gourmet taco dinner in front of me. Just delicious!” and “Taste of the sea without the sea! Really tasty vegan shrimp that we add to our salads for lunch”

Where can I find tasty vegan shrimp?

Right here on our website! The NoPigNeva store offers amazing vegan substitutes for just about anything you can think of, and we have all the vegan shrimp options and seafood alternatives you can possibly imagine.

With everything from coconut shrimp to breaded shrimp to jumbo shrimp, we have exactly what you’re looking for and you’ll be able to make all of your favorite plant-based seafood dishes, or just have some simple finger food for your dinner party or movie night.

What are the best vegan shrimp brands?

1. All Vegetarian Inc. Vegan Shrimp

As the most-reviewed vegan shrimp product on our website, this vegan seafood dish is sure to impress even the carnivores in your family.

With a short ingredient list of water, modified starch, sunflower oil, glucomannan, pea extract, sea salt, seaweed extract, and brown sugar, you don’t need to worry that you’re putting too many gross chemicals into your body.

Finally, with just 51 calories compared to 0.5 grams of protein per serving, that’s a great ratio for anyone trying to lose some weight while still staying cut and muscular.

The reviews pretty much speak for themselves, and the All Vegetarian Inc. Vegan Shrimp is sure to make all of your plant-based shrimp dishes a huge hit with the whole neighborhood.

2. Vegan Shrimp by Be Leaf

Be Leaf boasts that their vegan shrimp has the exact same texture as real-live shrimp. If you need the perfect crunchy way to stay away from animal products, this is the plant-based seafood replacement for you.

The ingredients include konjac powder, vegetable gum, vegetable root starch, paprika, brown sugar, sea salt, and plant-based vegan seasoning. As Be Leaf suggests, “Dip in cocktail sauce or add to dumplings for a vegan-friendly feast.” If you add this plant-based dish to your pantry, both your meals and snack time will get a great kick of flavor.

3. Plant-Based Seafood Co. Breaded Shrimp

There’s nothing like the extra crunch and taste of breaded shrimp. The folks at Plant-Based Seafood Company have made their target audience very clear: former seafood lovers who’ve gone vegan.

The ingredients for vegan shrimp itself include Konjac Powder, vegetable gum, vegetable root starch, paprika, brown sugar, sea salt, and vegan seasoning. Next, the breading is made from brown rice, whole algae protein, pea protein, and gluten-free flour blend.

Depending on how you feel about long ingredient lists, the Plant-Based Seafood Company Breaded Shrimp definitely might be more of a tasty treat than a staple in your diet. But the customers love it, and it’s guaranteed to be a delicious addition to your food cart. That breaded texture is just to die for.

What are the best healthy shrimp recipes?

If you’re good in the kitchen, you might be able to look at the ingredients that are commonly found in plant-based shrimp and just easily get the flavor and texture you’re looking for. If you’re not one of those people, an actual detailed recipe might help a bit.

#1. If you’re looking for an amazing sriracha taste that you just can’t find in the grocery stores, this recipe is just what you’re looking for. Our favorite thing about this recipe is that the ingredient list is pretty short, and it mostly uses foods you’ll already have around your house.

Just grab some king oyster mushroom stalks, almond milk, and bread crumbs, and you’re pretty much halfway there!

#2. Next, we have this simple recipe that even complete beginners can manage with. The shrimp itself is literally just oyster king mushrooms, and the rest of the recipe is just making the sauce and breading.

Some quick whisking and mixing followed by frying, and you’ll have delicious plant-based shrimp before you know it! The sauce itself is as easy as can be. You’re literally just mixing pre-bought sauces such as vegan mayo, sweet chili sauce, sriracha, and lime juice.

The breading will require a little more shopping, but, with the exception of the optional vegan egg, it’s possible that you already have most of what you need in your cabinet.

#3. Our last recipe uses every cook’s favorite phrase: one-pot! With a healthy ingredient list full of plant-based foods, this is the best entry-level dish for any early-stage vegan or plain-old bad cook (guilty as charged.)

Just throw everything into your favorite pot, start cooking and impress your friends! Don’t worry, we won’t tell them how easy this plant-based dish actually is.

Let’s get cooking!

Being vegan, when you are new to cooking can be a little daunting. We hope we’ve shown that it’s really not that hard. Our amazing seafood section offers everything from vegan shrimp to crabless cakes to fishless sticks. This definitely makes everything a lot easier. We’re striving for a world where being vegan isn’t even a challenge at all!