The facts, health benefits and nutrition of lobster.
Lobster has gotten a bad reputation as an unhealthy yet delightful indulgence. The truth is that the way lobster is prepared is what can make it unhealthy. Alone and prepared by boiling, steaming or grilling it, lobster is 
an excellent source of many minerals, vitamins and low-fat protein.
Did you know that in a standard serving size of one lobster (approximately 150 g, 6 ounces or just more than ½ a cup), one consumes only 135 calories, 1 g of fat, and 28 g of protein (not to mention vitamin A, iron, zinc, vitamin B-12 and calcium)?
Lobster is so low in fat let’s compare it to an equal portion of chicken breast to get the idea. What comes to mind when contemplating eating chicken? It is a meat Americans generally consider a healthy, low fat source of protein–but let’s be honest, it is rather unexciting. In one standard serving size of ½ a breast of deboned, skinless chicken (approximately 142 g) there are 156 calories, 1 g of fat, and 32 g of protein (and nearly equal portions of vitamin A, iron and calcium). If one is counting calories there is a healthy and more exciting option–lobster! Also, an equal amount of lobster has half the fat and calories of not only pork, but turkey and salmon. For an astonishing comparison, see our nutritional facts to see what is in a choice top sirloin or New York strip steak. From now on, I’ll order the lobster, please.
The easiest way to enjoy a guilt-free lobster feast is to prepare it in a way that doesn’t add unnecessary fats. In other words, dunking every morsel in melted butter or sauteing it in cream might be delicious but these are also not very health-conscious preparations. Find a recipe that draws out the flavors of lobster with ingredients that can add to the taste without adding cholesterol, such as a Fine Lobster-favorite marinated lobster, avocado and corn salad.
Lobster is an excellent source of high-quality, amino acid-complete protein with about 89% of its calories coming from protein (this is exceptionally good, by the way). It is also considered low on the glycemic scale and therefore doesn’t have an effect on blood-sugar levels (making it a friendly protein for those with diabetes). Further, lobster is full of the ‘good’ kinds of fats (Omega-3 fatty acids) that can reduce cholesterol levels, reduce risk of heart disease and promote brain functions.
We cannot ignore the fact that at one point lobsters got a bad reputation for containing high cholesterol levels, similar to what happened to eggs. The truth be told that when comparing lobster to chicken, it does have a slightly higher amount of cholesterol per serving; however, it is still a significantly healthier option for protein than beef and has less sodium than can of Campbells tomato soup.
Next time you have a flash of guilt as you crave live lobster and go online to order a shipment, remember that fresh lobster is a healthy treat. Place a side of herb or mustard vinaigrette or even just a few wedges of lemon on the plate instead of drawn butter–you’ll be surprised how much you don’t miss it and enjoy lobster more often!
