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Seafood Health Benefits
Dungeness Crab
Health Benefits
• High in Omega 3s: Omega 3's help to lower triglycerides and blood pressure along with reducing the risk of
heart disease, it is also thought to reduce the inflammation, enhance immune function, and even lower the risk of
certain types of cancer. A three-ounce portion of cooked crab has about 300-500 milligrams of these healthy fats.
• Low Calorie: Good source of lean protein. A 3 oz serving of Dungeness Crab has only 94 calories! This makes
it an excellent high protein alternative for those who wish to avoid red meats, fish, or other protein sources.
• Good Choice for Diabetics: Dungeness Crab is a good source of chromium, which works with insulin to help the
body maintain normal blood glucose levels, and is also carbohydrate free, which makes it a good choice for diabetics.
• Antioxidants: Good source of selenium, which reduces oxidative damage to tissues and cells.
• Vitamin & Mineral rich: Dungeness Crab is a good source of vitamin B12, niacin, phosphorus, zinc, copper
and calcium.
• Heart Friendly Food: as little as 2 grams of fat per serving, makes it a heart friendly food.
• Safe to Eat: Low in mercury and other contaminants. One of the big concerns with a seafood rich diet is exposure
to mercury. Dungeness Crab is considered one of the safest seafoods in terms of mercury levels and there are no
significant concerns about PCB contaminants, while Blue Crabs from the Eastern Seaboard are not so lucky: they
are on the Environmental Defense Fund’s watch list due to concerns about mercury and PCB levels.
• Bad rap on cholesterol: A lot of people avoid crab and shrimp out of fear about cholesterol. Actually, compared to
other protein sources, Dungeness Crab fares pretty well. The little known facts are that Dungeness Crab, at about
22 mg cholesterol per ounce, has the same cholesterol as white meat chicken, and has quite a bit less cholesterol
than steak or eggs, when equivalent weights are consumed.
Health Concerns:
• High in natural sodium: there is one group of people who should limit their intake of Dungeness Crab: those on
a restricted sodium diet. The natural sodium found in Dungeness Crabs is about 300 milligrams in a 3oz serving.
However, to put this into perspective, a 3 oz serving of potato chips, or a 3 oz serving of canned tuna fish have
around the same amount of sodium.
• Botulism in Canned Crabmeat: Only canned, vacuum-sealed fresh crabmeat, subjected to temperature abuse,
is subject to concerns about botulism. The best way to preserve the taste and texture of crabmeat is to keep it away
from oxygen, but a warm, anaerobic environment is also a good place for the growth of clostridium botulinum, a
potentially deadly botulism. There are simple solutions, primarily temperature control. Either buy only frozen
crabmeat, or only fresh canned meat with a TID (a temperature indicator device) on the can. The TID will change
color if the can has been subjected to temperature abuse and is no longer safe to consume. If purchasing frozen
canned crabmeat, thaw it under refrigeration. Do not leave an unopened can out of your refrigerator or freezer for
more than 2 hours. A meat temperature of 38F or less is ideal. The longer a product is in storage, and the more
different places it has to be stored or transported, the greater the risk that somewhere along the line, temperature
abuse can occur. Buying your Pacific Northwest Dungeness crabmeat directly from us gives you the assurance
of our locality and our tracking program. Our products move from the boat, to the processing facility down the road,
and from there directly to you. You will know who caught your crab, when, where, and how.