How healthy imitation crab is compared to other seafood, and what surimi sticks are actually made of (2024)

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How healthy imitation crab is compared to other seafood, and what surimi sticks are actually made of? ›

Real crab is also packed with important vitamins and minerals, including vitamin C, folate, magnesium, vitamin B12, zinc, and selenium. Imitation crab contains some of these nutrients, like vitamin B12, magnesium, and selenium — but in far lower amounts.

Overall, imitation crab contains few calories and a decent amount of protein. But when stacked against real crab, it is inferior. Real crab is leaner, higher in protein, and contains more valuable nutrients.

What Is Imitation Crab? The key to that flavor is surimi, a seafood paste made from white fish, artificial and natural flavors, starch, sugar, and sodium. And the preferred white fish in this amalgam is Alaskan Pollock—the same variety most commonly utilized in frozen fish sticks and fast-food seafood sandwiches.

Crab sticks are often made of imitation crab, and sushi is almost exclusively imitation-styled. The fish you most commonly find, buried away in imitation crab, is Pollock, Mackerel, cod, and other common fish species. The only ingredient you won't find in imitation crab meat? Crab!

Surimi is higher in sodium and lower in potassium than real crabmeat: Surimi contains 841 milligrams of sodium and 90 milligrams of potassium, versus crab meat's 378 milligrams of sodium and 408 milligrams of potassium. Surimi is not “loaded” with preservatives, and the flavoring is usually from natural substances.

Imitation crab has low calorie, fat, and cholesterol content. This makes it a good choice for those who are trying to lose or maintain weight and are looking for low-cholesterol foods. If you're worried about the additives in such crab substitutes, there are also healthier, additive-free versions.

Surimi generally contains low levels of mercury, and imitation crab for pregnancy is likely safe in moderation. However, due to the high amount of additives found in imitation crab, it's best to minimize your intake and check with your doctor before consuming if you're pregnant.

Surimi is a white fish paste that is typically made from demersal fish (fish that live near the seafloor) like wild Alaska pollock, Atlantic cod, haddock, hake, and others. The fish is first deboned and washed, then minced into a paste.

They have a firm and flaky texture that holds up in different cooking methods, eat as they come, sautee, grill or fry to add to your favourite pasta or dipping sauce. The crab sticks also pass a nutritional punch as a source of protein and omega-3; they contribute to a healthy diet and lifestyle.

On restaurant menus, imitation crab may be spelled “krab” to indicate that it's fake. Imitation crab is made from surimi, which is minced fish flesh — often pollock — that has been deboned and washed, then combined with other ingredients, heated, and formed into crab-like cuts.

Are surimi sticks real crab? ›

Imitation crab is made with surimi, a paste made out of finely shredded or pulverized fish. After the fish is minced, it is heated and pressed into shapes that resemble meat from a crab leg. The resulting imitation crab looks similar to the original crab in its coloring and texture.

Crab is packed with protein, which is important for building and maintaining muscle. Crab also contains high levels of omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin B12, and selenium. These nutrients play vital roles in improving general health while helping prevent a variety of chronic conditions.

The main ingredient of crab sticks is surimi – finely pulverised white fish – most commonly Alaska pollock. They also include fillers such as wheat and potato starch, and egg white, along with crab flavouring and food dyes to give them their crab-like red and white colour.

Imitation crab is highly processed and contains food additives like MSG, which can trigger adverse side effects in some people. Compared to regular crab, the imitation crab meat nutrition profile also lacks many of the vitamins and minerals found in fresh crab.

Often referred to as “imitation” seafood, surimi is actually made with real seafood – usually delicious wild Alaska pollock. It enjoys both a long history and global favor. Surimi is a great source of protein, low-calorie, and versatile that can be easily added to all your favorite recipes.

Surimi products are naturally low in calories, fat, and cholesterol and provide complete protein. For added convenience, they are fully cooked and ready to eat directly from the package or can be added to any recipe without additional preparation.

The commonly known advantages of surimi meat are the product of the surimi meal is highly rich in protein content. The surimi food contains a low value of fat and calorie. The products of surimi are inexpensive to uptake protein. Some disadvantages of surimi are the surimi-based products are processed food.

Many times surimi is processed right away into the formed and cured product. The edible portion of lean fish is deboned mechanically and subjected to size reduction to obtain fish mince. The sample undergoes repeated washing and straining to remove the water-soluble components and stroma present in the muscle.

While imitation crab typically has added carbs from starch, which real crab does not have, it does tend to have less sodium than real crab (depending on the brand). Although both versions have similar calorie values, 85% of real crab's calories come from protein while 61% of imitation crab's calories come from carbs.

Can you eat imitation crab raw? Yes. It is pre-cooked, so you are able to eat it straight from the package. Many people use it as part of a larger recipe though, adding it to cream of crab soup, crab Rangoon or crab salad.