Introduction
Crab sticks, also known as seafood sticks, imitation crab meat, surimi, or kanikama, are a popular food product designed to mimic the flavor and texture of real crab meat. Despite the name, crab sticks don't contain real crab meat. Sometimes, it is spelled as "krab stick" to highlight its lack of real crab. This article provides a comprehensive overview of crab sticks, including their ingredients, nutritional value, health impacts, and suitability for a ketogenic diet.
Table of Contents
- Ingredients
- Varieties
- How It’s Made
- Cooking and Use
- Nutrition
- Macronutrients and Calories
- Carbohydrates
- Protein
- Fats
- Vitamins
- Minerals
- Glycemic Index
- Acidity
- Health Impact
- Health Benefits
- Diabetes
- Cancer
- Cardiovascular Health
- Downsides and Risks
- Allergy
- Diabetes
- Pregnancy
- Crab Stick in Diets
- Food additives
- Comparison to Crab Meat
- Environmental Impact
- Storing, Keeping & Conservation
- Consumption & Production
- References
Ingredients
The primary ingredient in crab sticks is surimi, a fish paste made from whitefish. In addition to fish, imitation crab contains water, egg whites, wheat starch, and sometimes soy protein, sugars (such as sorbitol and sucrose), various vegetable oils, salt, and natural dyes. Imitation crab usually contains only a tiny amount of real crab extract to give it its distinct flavor.
Typically, imitation crab consists of:
- 55% surimi
- 25% water
- 8% egg white
- 5% starch
- 2.5% crab essence
- 2.3% seasoning
- 1.5% salt
Varieties
Imitation crab is available in different forms based on shape and texture:
- Flaked imitation crab: Fake crab meat highly compressed into chunky pieces. This type is dense and slightly tough, often used in seafood salads and imitation crab cakes.
- Crab sticks: The most popular form, easily pulled apart into shredded imitation crab. Commonly used as snacks or in California rolls.
How It’s Made
Crab sticks are a highly processed food made from whitefish meat (surimi) to imitate the texture, shape, and flavor of crab leg meat. This food originated in Japan in 1974 and later gained popularity in Western countries, especially in the United States.
Read also: Easy Keto Appetizer
Surimi, meaning "groundfish" in Japanese, is a paste made from fish meat. Whitefish includes several fish species, such as Atlantic cod and pollock. The most common fish used in surimi is the Alaska pollock or walleye pollock.
The manufacturing process involves:
- Extracting myofibrillar proteins from the fish to form a gel.
- Adding sugars like sucrose and sorbitol as cryoprotectants to prevent degradation at low temperatures.
- Including wheat starch and egg whites to improve texture and stabilize the gel.
- Using vegetable oil to enhance texture and appearance.
- Adding natural and artificial flavorings to mimic the taste of crab meat, often from aqueous extraction of edible crab.
- Incorporating seasonings like monosodium glutamate, vegetable protein, and mirin.
- Using natural dyes, such as carmine, paprika, and annatto extract, for the red coloring.
Cooking and Use
Imitation crab meat is pre-cooked during production, making it safe to eat without further cooking. It's often used cold in salads and sushi. If steaming crab sticks, limit the time to less than 10 minutes to prevent disintegration. Microwaving is not recommended due to potential textural changes.
Crab sticks are commonly used in seafood salads and various types of sushi, including California rolls, Kani maki sushi rolls, Kimbap Korean sushi, and Kanikama sushi or Nigiri. They can also be sauteed, deep-fried, or baked.
Nutrition
The nutritional profile of crab sticks depends on the main ingredient (fish) and added components like sugars, starch, egg whites, vegetable oil, flavorings, and seasonings. Nutritional values can vary by brand and production method.
Read also: The Diet of the Coconut Crab
The following nutritional values are based on imitation crab made from surimi using Alaska kingfish.
Macronutrients and Calories
Crab sticks are a low-calorie food, containing approximately 95 calories per 100g serving. An average serving size (3oz or 85g) provides about 81 calories. They consist of 75% water and 25% nutrients, including carbohydrates, protein, fats, vitamins, and minerals.
In comparison, canned real blue crab contains 83 calories per 100g serving.
Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates are the predominant macronutrient in crab sticks, mainly from sugars like sucrose, glucose, and fructose. The remaining carbohydrates come from starch and some dietary fiber. A 100g serving contains 15g of carbohydrates.
Protein
The fish meat in crab sticks contributes to the protein content, with about 8g per 100g serving. An average serving size contains 6.4g of protein. The protein is of high quality, including essential amino acids like lysine, threonine, and tryptophan, but relatively low in valine, isoleucine, and phenylalanine. Crab sticks are also high in aspartic and glutamic acids.
Read also: Nutritional Benefits of Crab Legs (Keto)
Real canned crab contains more than twice the protein, providing 18g per 100g serving.
Fats
Imitation crab contains minimal amounts of fats but includes some cholesterol and trans fats. The fat composition is primarily monounsaturated fatty acids, followed by saturated fatty acids, with polyunsaturated fatty acids in the smallest proportion. A 100g serving contains less than a gram of fat and 20mg of cholesterol.
Real canned crab meat provides almost double the fat content but 97mg of cholesterol per 100g serving.
Vitamins
Crab sticks are rich in vitamins B12 and B6.
Minerals
Crab sticks contain all essential minerals, particularly selenium, phosphorus, and magnesium.
Glycemic Index
Due to the added carbohydrates, such as sugar and starch, the glycemic index (GI) of crab sticks is likely in the moderate range. Real crab meat contains no carbohydrates and has a GI of 0.
Acidity
Surimi, the main ingredient in imitation crab, has an average pH of 7, making it neutral in acidity. The Potential Renal Acid Load (PRAL) of imitation crab meat is 11, indicating it is an acid-forming food due to its protein and micronutrient composition.
Health Impact
Health Benefits
- Cancer: Some studies suggest that fish consumption may reduce the risk of liver, breast, and colon cancers. This is mainly attributed to the omega-3 fatty acid content. Fortifying surimi meat with omega-3 fatty acids could enhance its anticarcinogenic abilities.
- Cardiovascular Health: Fortifying surimi-based seafood products with omega-3 fatty acids can protect against arrhythmias, reduce blood pressure, and generally benefit cardiovascular and diabetic conditions.
Downsides and Risks
- Allergy: Fish allergies are common among adults. Surimi can retain allergens found in the fish, posing a risk to those allergic to certain types of fish, particularly pollock. Symptoms of a crab stick allergy include oral allergy syndrome, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and, in rare cases, anaphylactic shock. Some crab sticks may contain proteins from crab extract, so those allergic to shellfish should check labels carefully. Egg whites and wheat starch are sometimes added, making it unsuitable for those allergic to eggs or gluten intolerant, unless gluten-free options are available.
- Diabetes: Imitation crab contains added carbohydrates, making real crab meat a better choice for people with diabetes. Some dietary proteins in imitation crab might react with pancreatic islet cells, potentially causing an immune response and leading to latent autoimmune diabetes in adults predisposed to it.
- Pregnancy: Imitation crab meat is cooked during production, making it generally safe for pregnant women. However, it’s essential to ensure that other ingredients in dishes containing crab sticks are also safe and to avoid potential Listeria monocytogenes contamination, although thermal treatment during production reduces this risk.
Crab Stick in Diets
- Keto: Imitation crab stick is not ideal for a ketogenic diet due to its carbohydrate content. One serving contains 15g of carbohydrates, while keto diets typically allow 20-30g per day. Real crab meat is a better choice as it contains no carbs.
- DASH: Both imitation crab and real crab are high in salt, making them less suitable for individuals with high blood pressure.
- Atkins: Imitation crab meat is not recommended during the Induction phase due to its carbohydrate content. It can be added from the third Fine-tuning phase and used throughout the Maintenance phase.
- Mediterranean: While seafood is a staple of the Mediterranean diet, real crab meat is preferable to imitation crab due to the latter's processed nature and added sugars.
- Paleo: Imitation crab meat, being a highly processed food with additives, does not fit this diet.
- Vegan/Vegetarian/Pescetarian: Imitation crab is made of fish, so it does not fit a vegan or vegetarian diet. It often contains eggs and carmine, a dye made from insects. It suits a pescetarian diet, though some imitation crab may be made from chicken, pork, or beef.
- Gluten-free: Wheat starch is often used in imitation crab, which may not be safe for those with gluten intolerance, although gluten-free options are available.
- Dukan: Imitation crab is not suitable for the Attack and Cruise phases due to its sugar content but can be consumed in moderation from the Consolidation phase onwards.
- Intermittent Fasting: Imitation crab can be eaten during eating periods but should be avoided during fasting.
- Low Fat & Low Calorie: Crab sticks fit a low-fat and low-calorie diet, containing only 95 calories and less than a gram of fats per serving.
- Low Carb: Crab sticks are not ideal for a low-carb diet due to their 15g of carbohydrates per serving. Real crab meat is a better alternative.
- Anti-Inflammatory: Real crab meat may have anti-inflammatory qualities due to its omega-3 fatty acid content.
Food additives
Imitation crab sticks aren’t keto-friendly because they have starch, vegetable oils, added sugars and preservatives that interfere with ketosis.
Comparison to Crab Meat
Real crab meat is a better nutritional choice than imitation crab due to its higher protein content, lower carbohydrate content, and lack of added sugars and starches. Real crab meat also provides more beneficial nutrients and fewer additives.
Environmental Impact
Around 50 percent of the world’s fish supply is farm raised. Things have gotten so bad that farmed fish are starting to develop deformities. Farmers will store up to two million fish in a space several meters wide.
Storing, Keeping & Conservation
Follow package instructions for storing and keeping crab sticks. Generally, they should be refrigerated and consumed before the expiration date to maintain quality and safety.
Consumption & Production
Crab sticks are widely consumed globally, particularly in sushi and seafood salads. Production methods and ingredient sourcing can vary, impacting the final product's nutritional profile and environmental footprint.
Conclusion
Crab sticks can be a convenient and affordable alternative to real crab meat, offering a low-calorie option for various dishes. However, it is essential to be aware of their nutritional limitations, particularly the high carbohydrate content and the presence of additives. For those following specific diets like keto or low-carb, real crab meat is a superior choice. Individuals with allergies to fish, shellfish, eggs, or gluten should exercise caution and carefully read product labels. Overall, while crab sticks can be part of a balanced diet, moderation and informed choices are key.