The best type of prawn to eat is Aussie Prawns from the Australian Continent. Their high nutritional value, good texture, and delicious taste make them the best prawns.
The list of them are; banana prawns, king prawns, tiger prawns, school prawns, blue endeavor prawns, red spot king prawns, and royal red prawns.
Their unique taste made them highly exceptional and recognized because of their high iodine content, unlike other prawns.
Which prawns are best red or white?
Red prawns are the best species, with their exceptionally delicious taste and flavor. The three types of red prawns are royal red prawns, red king prawns, and red sea prawns.
Their names came from the bright red color they possess and have a blue tint shell. They always come in Jumbo sizes with excessive meaty flesh.
Many also use the head and the tail for soups and garnishing because of their excellent taste. They can be boiled, grilled, and steamed for any sauce. Their texture is more complex and firm.
Red prawns are native to the north of the Mediterranean coasts and the peninsular South Atlantic. Some features of red prawns (carabineros) are the bright red color, the jumbo sizes, and the deep flavor.
The best is the red prawn because they are a special delicacy to enjoy as one of the best seafood to be served on your table. They earned prominence later due to their exceptional flavor and native taste.
While white prawns are among the most common species caught in the wild and are easily accessible in the market, their consumption is high because they have gained popularity globally.
Some characteristics of white prawn are a thin shell, color variations from yellow-white to reddish, a meaty tail, and a crunch texture.
Small prawns that count 55 and above are probably wild, while large ones that count 20 and below are farmed.
Most Freshwater prawns are among the best species for aquaculture because they can grow in fresh and brackish water.
They are highly undiscriminating and can be potentially grown among cultured prawns. Freshwater prawns have potential recognition in aquaculture farming.
Prawns have higher demand in both local and export markets than seawater prawns. This fact made freshwater prawns gain more prominence than seawater prawns.
Are freshwater prawns good for you?
Freshwater prawns are loaded with many minerals and vitamins that our body needs.
They are packed with high proteins, phosphorous, iron, iodine, calcium, selenium, niacin, zinc, and vitamins A, B3, B6, 12, D, and E, among others.
The amount of omega-3 fatty acid in prawns will make your heart live healthy and sound. The iron in freshwater prawns will build red blood to raise your immune system.
Because freshwater prawns are an excellent source of unsaturated fat, they help in general health balance.
Because freshwater prawns are rich in selenium, they are anti-oxidants that aid in the reduction of inflammation.
The nutritional values of prawns weigh more than their size because of their healthy macronutrient profile. They have low calories and some cholesterol.
Even their high protein content also aids in losing some flesh. Freshwater prawns are rich in iodine which will resolve some health issues like goiter and overall body metabolism.
Therefore, freshwater prawns are among the seafood highly recommended by health experts.
However, freshwater prawns are only partially flawless because excess consumption of it may raise cholesterol levels which may cause adverse effects on your health.
How do prawns taste?
Prawns taste differently. They have about 200 species that belong to the Palaemonidae family in the suborder Dendrobranchiata, and their taste differs.
Some freshwater prawns have a mild taste and sweet flavor, like a lobster, while some taste salty.
Most of them have firm and white flesh that makes their texture crunchy. At the same time, few have skinny flesh and are supple in hot water.
Some people argue their delicious taste is better than some shrimp, while others disagree. In seafood categories, prawns are premium and serve as a delicacy.
Let us take the comparison to frozen prawns and wild-caught ocean prawns. Freshwater red prawns caught in the wild have a wild taste, and they are very rich in iodine, but farmed ones are unappetizing.
Can prawns grow in freshwater?
Yes, prawns can grow in freshwater, considering some essential factors that may hinder their growth. Some factors are soil quality, water standards, availability, quality of feed, good diets, and environmental pollution.
If the soil cannot retain water, it affects the prawn’s growth 100% because they prefer more excellent temperature areas.
The water standard must be considered due to pollution, which can cause damage to the juvenile freshwater prawns, among others.
Moreover, hard water will also hinder the growth of freshwater prawns. Water availability is another necessary factor because these crustaceans cannot survive without water.
However, an adequate water supply is needed. Good feeding and diet are serious issues to be considered. It is because young prawns prefer natural creatures until they weigh 5.0g.
Additionally, environmental degradation is also recognized because some chemicals will cause severe damage to freshwater prawns.
Freshwater prawn aquaculture has gained prominence in some regions of the United States but has been introduced worldwide.
The potential features of freshwater prawns identified by farmers are the high demand for local food and the diversity of farms.
Secondly, the growing season for these species is short (1st June – 15th September), needs more supplies of giant prawns, and growth in production rate.
What is more, is the growth in production rates and the discovery of markets for live and fresh prawns in non-coastal areas.
They are recognized economically in local and international markets because of the increased income. They can multiply and adapt to cooler temperatures because they are undemanding.
The growth rate for both male and female freshwater prawns differs.
What do prawns eat?
Prawns eat these natural creatures to balance their diets, such as Zooplankton, oligochaete worms, insect larvae, and earthworms.
Even the young freshwater prawns that measure 2g and above can also eat these worms for survival.
Both plants and animal feeds are among the dietary of freshwater prawns. Adult freshwater prawns eat other crustaceans, algae, and mollusks.
Artificial feeds are also used in feeding freshwater prawns such as cereal grains, crustaceans’ meals, meat, fish, and bone meal.
Where do Prawns come from?
Prawns (Macrobrachium rosenbergii) are from tropical and rainforest areas of the Indo-Pacific region, southern Asia, Northern Australia, and India.
The giant freshwater prawns are also called Malaysian prawns. They were initiated in the 1960s in Malaysia while discovering that larvae can survive with blackish strategies.
From 1972- 78, Hawaii, China, and Thailand delivered the first post-larvae farm and increased the culture of these freshwater prawns.
This aquaculture has spread to other regions of the world, including Africa and the Southern United States, since the 1970s.
South Carolina, Japan, New Zealand, Kentucky, Mississippi, and the Carribeans joined the suit in the 1980-90s. They are also called Scambi in India and cherubim in Australia.
What are Prawns called?
Prawns are species living in freshwater known as the genus Macrobrachium.
Another species of freshwater prawn is Macrobrachium carcinus, known as or called the American giant freshwater prawn.
While a different species, Macrobrachium rosenbergii, known as the giant river prawn or giant freshwater prawn, or cherabin, has economic relevance globally as cultured freshwater prawn.
They are also called the Malaysian prawn in Malaysia, freshwater scampi in India, or cherubim (Australia).
Bangladesh and India regionally call freshwater prawns “Golda chingri, While they are called Udang galah in Indonesia and Malaysia.
They are locally known as Uwáng in the Philippines and Koong mae nam in Thailand.
Are frozen prawns healthy?
Frozen prawns are not unhealthy or of lower quality. They are handled carefully and hygienically to prevent cross-contamination and keep all nutrients, freshness, and texture.
So they stay fresh even after a thaw. Minerals and vitamins are abundant in prawns. They are a great source of selenium and zinc, vital for immune system function and healthy cells.
They are also rich in B vitamins, which help strengthen the nervous system and increase energy levels.
Thawed frozen prawns can be cooked in the same ways as fresh prawns, such as by boiling, stir-frying, baking, or grilling. They also taste just as excellent.
It makes it simpler for you to cook with prawns since it prevents them from sticking together when you thaw them.
Are prawns better than fish?
Because of the differences in their nutritional contents, prawns are not better than fish. When comparing their nutritional values, some fish and some prawns are superior to each other.
Consequently, include shellfish like prawns in a balanced diet. Fish are more abundant in nutrition and lipids than prawns, which are less nutritious and fat-rich. Fish flesh is consumed as food.
Compared to white fish like cod, prawns also have a higher sodium content, so if you follow a low-salt diet, you might want to reduce your intake. A surprising amount of calcium is provided by prawns.
Since prawns are low in saturated fat and already have cholesterol, eating them would not increase your LDL or “bad” cholesterol.
The British Heart Foundation says that prawns and other seafood should be part of a healthy diet.
Compared to white fish like cod, prawns also have a higher sodium content, so if you follow a low-salt diet, you might want to reduce your intake.
Final thought
Seafood from the Decapoda order, or crustaceans with ten feet in the suborder Dendrobranchiata, includes prawns. Their exoskeleton is one of their distinguishing features.
The colloquial name for a small aquatic crustacean, commonly called a “shrimp,” is “prawn.” Their bodies are separated into the head, thorax, and belly segments.
They have a thin exoskeleton that is often removed before eating. In addition to being farmed, prawns are found in cold and warm waters. Varieties from cold water are typically smaller.
Although there are countless species of prawns, you are most likely to find tiger, king, or North Atlantic prawns in the UK.