Whether it's soft-shelled, in the form of crab cakes, or served fresh from the shell, crab is a delicacy. It should be enjoyed in moderation because it's high in cholesterol and sodium, but it's also an excellent way to obtain protein, essential minerals and many vitamins.
Definition
Crabs are crustaceans that must occasionally shed their shells in order to grow. After they shed and before their shell hardens again, they are in a temporary soft-shell state. During that time, the crabs can be harvested and sold as soft-shelled crabs. Of the many types of crabs, the three most commonly preferred are Dungeness, blue and Alaskan king. Nutritional values are for a 3-oz. serving.
Basic Nutrition
Crabs have 71 to 85 calories and no dietary fiber or carbohydrates. They provide 15g of high-quality protein, which represents 30 percent of the recommended daily value (DV) based on a 2,000-calorie-a-day diet.
Fats
Crabs are quite low in fat, having just 0.5g to 0.9g per serving. They provide heart-healthy essential fatty acids, supplying 0.24g of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and 0.1g of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). However, they're high in cholesterol. Alaskan king has 35.7mg, Dungeness has 50.1mg and blue has 66.3mg.
Vitamins
Vitamin B12 reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease by lowering levels of homocysteine, helps make red blood cells, and is needed for the production of cells and the metabolism of amino acids. All three types of crab are exceptional sources of vitamin B12. They provide 7.6g, or a 127 percent of the recommended daily value. Crab meat is also a good source of folate, with 37.4mcg, and vitamin B6, 0.1 mg, which work together with B12 to reduce homocysteine. Crab provides between 2 percent and 5 percent of the remaining B vitamins.
Minerals
Crab meat is high in the trace minerals zinc (3mg to 5.1mg) and copper (0.6mg to 0.8mg). Zinc and copper are both needed for chemical reactions in the body, but copper is also necessary for many other functions, including energy production, the formation of connective tissue and the synthesis of proteins and neurotransmitters. Crab is an excellent source of selenium, with 30.9mcg to 31.8mcg. You'll receive 3 percent to 8 percent of the recommended daily value of iron and potassium. Dungeness and blue crab contain 250mg of sodium , or 10 percent DV. Alaskan king crab is significantly higher, containing 711mg of sodium, or 30 percent DV.
Comparison
All three types provide vitamin C and calcium, but there are significant differences in the amount. Alaskan king crab has twice the vitamin C, providing 10 percent DV compared to 4 percent to 5 percent from blue and Dungeness. Blue crab supplies 8 percent DV of calcium, compared to 4 percent from Alaskan king and Dungeness.
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