Named for the town of Dungeness, Washington near where the crabs thrive, the Dungeness crab is an expensive delicacy. Prices for the crab are determined each year just before the harvest begins in November or December. The peak season for this sweet-tasting and nutritious crustacean is December to April.
Dungeness crabs come from the Northern Pacific Ocean, from Alaska down to Central California. Sustainability is ensured by requirements that only mature male crabs are caught and sold. Small males, female and young crabs are returned to the ocean. The Environmental Defense Fund rates Dungeness crabs as eco-best fish, meaning that they have low levels of contamination and adults and children can safely eat them more than four times a month.
Basic Nutrition
A 3-oz. serving of Dungeness crab has 94 calories and 0.8 g of total carbohydrates. Crab meat provides 19 g of protein, which is 34 to 41 percent of the daily intake based on the Institute of Medicine recommendation of 46 g per day for women and 56 g per day for men. With only 1 g of fat, the total fat content is low, including 65 mg of cholesterol, but also providing 346 mg of heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids.
Vitamins
Dungeness crab is a great source of vitamin B-12, with a 3-oz serving providing 8.8 micrograms, or 366 percent of the recommended intake. Vitamin B-12 is essential for healthy nerve cells and aids in the production of red blood cells. Dungeness crab is also a good source of riboflavin and niacin, providing 0.17 mg of riboflavin and 3 mg of niacin. Both of these B vitamins are needed to convert food into energy. One serving of this crab provides 9 percent of the recommended daily intake of folate and 11 percent of B-6. Finally, a serving of Dungeness crab also delivers 3.1 mg of vitamin C, an antioxidant.
Minerals
You'll gain all of the essential dietary minerals, including calcium, iron and potassium, from a serving of Dungeness crab, but it is n especially good source of phosphorus, zinc, copper and selenium. It provides 149 mg of bone-building phosphorus. It has 40 micrograms of the antioxidant trace mineral selenium and 0.6 mg of copper, which is also an antioxidant and needed for iron metabolism. A serving of Dungeness crab also delivers 4.6 mg of zinc, another trace mineral that is essential for growth and a healthy immune system.
Member Comments