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If
you are looking for healthy foods to add to your diet, you may want to
consider crab. Crab is nutrient-dense, it is versatile, and you can use
it in salads, appetizers or as a main course. Thoroughly cook your crab
or any seafood before you eat it, and avoid crab meat if you suspect
that you may be allergic.
Low-Calorie
Each
serving of crab meat contains only 71 calories, so it can be part of a
calorie-controlled diet to lose weight or prevent weight gain. Each
serving of crab meat provides 15 g protein, which is a filling nutrient
that may help you lose weight. Protein slows down the emptying of food
from your stomach and makes you feel full for longer after a meal. To
limit your intake of calories from eating crab meat, avoid high-calorie
dishes such as crab dip made with full-fat cream cheese.
High Cholesterol Foods Avoid These High Cholesterol Foods At All Costs. See The List Now. HeartHappy.com
Source of Omega-Three Fats
A
3-oz. serving of cooked crab meat has 86 mg eicosapentaenoic acid, or
EPA, and 57 mg docosahexaenoic acid, or DHA. EPA and DHA are long-chain
omega-three fatty acids which may lower your risk for heart disease when
you get at least 250 mg per day, according to the 2010 Dietary
Guidelines from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. In
addition to crab meat, dietary sources of EPA and DHA include other
shellfish, such as oysters, shrimp and mussels, and fatty fish, such as
salmon, tuna, herring and sardines.
Rich in Essential Nutrients
Selenium
is a heart-healthy mineral which promotes the antioxidant activity of
vitamins C and E, and each 3-oz. serving of crab meat contains 37 mg
selenium, or percent of the daily value. This same amount of crab meat
provides 3.2 mg zinc, or 21 percent of the daily value for this mineral
for a strong immune system. Some of the vitamins in crab meat include
Vitamin B-12, vitamin E, folate and niacin, or vitamin B-3.
Other Advantages
Crab
meat provides less than 1 g total fat, and it is nearly free from
saturated fat, which raises levels of cholesterol in your blood. Eat it
only in moderation if you are watching your cholesterol intake, since a
3-oz. serving provides 82 mg, or 27 percent of the daily value. Some
seafood, such as tilefish, mackerel, swordfish and shark, are likely to
be high in mercury, which is an environmental contaminant. Pregnant
women should avoid those sources of omega-3 fats, and crab meat is a
safer choice for pregnant women because of its lower mercury content.
Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/509863-the-advantages-of-crab-meat/#ixzz29hBdmXV8
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