Help Ward Off Osteoporosis with These Shrimp Skewer
Whether you already have osteoporosis or are being proactive in preventing it, the foods you eat can help. There are several vital nutrients you need to supply your body with for optimal bone health. A few important ones include calcium, a mineral that is an important component of bone tissue, vitamin D, which helps you absorb calcium properly, and protein, to help maintain healthy tissues.
I love these lime shrimp skewers because they’re high in all three of the nutrients I just mentioned. But in total, shrimp contain 20 different vitamins and minerals to build and maintain strong bones, like omega 3’s, zinc, iron, selenium, and more. Plus they’re perfect for summer! The key is to make sure you’re eating the very best type of shrimp and veggies to ensure the maximum health benefits. For the shrimp, look for ones that are certified as sustainable and raised without antibiotics. If you can’t find a certification, choose wild-caught shrimp from North America - they’re more likely to be sustainably caught. For fruits and vegetables, I strongly suggest buying organic as much as possible to avoid toxic pesticides. Tomatoes in particular (which are part of this recipe) are on the 2019 “dirty dozen” list, which flags the most heavily pesticide-ridden foods. So at the very least, reach for an organic package of those, even if your limes and mushrooms are conventional.
Ingredients
18 large shrimp, uncooked and deveined
3 large limes
2 garlic cloves, crushed
¼ teaspoon of black pepper
2 teaspoons of olive oil
2 tablespoons of fresh cilantro, chopped
10 cherry tomatoes, rinsed and dried
10 small white button mushrooms, stems removed
Directions
In a glass measuring cup, squeeze limes, yielding ¼ cup of juice. Add garlic, pepper, olive oil, and cilantro and stir. Place the shrimp in a medium bowl and pour the cilantro lime marinade over the shrimp. Let the shrimp marinate for 10-15 minutes in the refrigerator. (Note: marinating for more than 30 minutes will alter the texture of the shrimp because of the acid from lime juice.) Alternate the cherry tomatoes, mushrooms, and shrimp on skewers. Grill the skewers on medium heat for 3-4 minutes on each side until the shrimp are cooked through.
