Crab sticks: composition, calories, harm or benefit

2024 Author: Isabella Gilson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:14

When in the 90s of the twentieth century the domestic market was simply attacked by various foreign goods, almost every citizen singled out for himself a separate and exquisite (at that time) product - crab sticks. Their composition, of course, does not contain crabs at all, but at that time such an imitation of elite meat became the basis for many festive dishes. Let's talk more about this product, its composition, history and production process below.

Over time, sticks began to be produced in our country, which significantly reduced their cost. Popularity subsided after various reports about the dangers of crab sticks, and for many they have simply become boring. So what is the product really, are crab sticks so harmful?

Product origin

For the first time, written mention of surimi was noted back in XII in Japan. That is what they called there the first works of culinary art, familiar and familiar to us today as crab sticks.

"Surimi" translatesas "ground washed fish", which describes the entire manufacturing process. In those days, the composition of crab sticks was exclusively natural and was based on minced ocean fish (always with white meat). After thorough grinding, it was washed so that the smell and taste practically disappeared, and then squeezed out. Products of various shapes were formed from the resulting mass. The sticks familiar to us were then called "kamaboko" and over time (to give them a new taste), herbs and dyes began to be added to the composition. Industrial production of surimi began only 50 years ago.

Composition of surimi

What are crab sticks made of today? Their composition has changed a lot thanks to modern technology and many chemical additives. A natural product should not contain carbohydrates at all, but due to additional components, modern crab sticks contain about 15 g of them. Also, there is fish protein in the composition, the amount of which may vary depending on the product production technology and brand recipe. The calorie content of surimi is only 80-100 kcal per 100 g of the product.

In order to purchase a quality product and not fall for counterfeit, you should remember that minced fish - surimi - should be the basis for imitation of crab meat. As additional components, various manufacturers use starch, egg white, s alt, sugar, vegetable oil, possibly water and food additives. Many of them are banned in the EU countries, and in our country they are widely used by unscrupulousmanufacturers, so special attention should be paid to them. By the way, the composition of Vici crab sticks does not contain such additives, since the brand's products are imported to various countries of the world and meet their quality standards.

What sticks are made of

Despite the popularity of the product, many on domestic tables still do not understand what surimi is. This is a concentrated fish protein that does not have enzymes, fats and cholesterol, has high elasticity and gelling properties. Such minced meat simply does not have color and smell, and fish for its production is suitable only with white meat. Most often, the composition of crab sticks includes cod fish - hake, pollock or blue whiting, but tropical species can also be used.

Sardines, giant squids, horse mackerels and other breeds are also considered suitable, but the minced meat from them turns out to be dark, so this product belongs to the second-class.

Production technology

Now it's clear what crab sticks are made of. Their composition, by the way, always contains only raw fish, which allows you to save the maximum amount of vitamins and other nutrients in the final product.

Production itself is carried out directly on board fishing vessels, where freshly caught fish is immediately processed into fillets, from which minced meat is immediately made. Shredded fish meat is thoroughly washed, squeezed and pressed into chilled surimi blocks.

Fish waste is processed into feed meal hereor simply thrown into the sea, but it is forbidden to do this, so many are silent about such a procedure.

On the shore, crab sticks, already familiar to us, are made from minced meat, adding flavorings, dyes and other additional components to surimi.

Production is actually not very complicated, and is based on the processing of fresh and whole fish, and not its waste (as many believe).

Product benefits

The different composition of crab sticks benefits and harms the body in different ways, so it is difficult to generalize indicators for all products. The benefit of surimi lies in the high content of fish protein, which is quickly absorbed and does not “load” the body, but this is if the composition contains real minced fish.

Additionally, vegetable oils, starch and water, which are also easily digestible, should also be highlighted, have their own beneficial substances. Many manufacturers additionally enrich their products with amino acids, vitamins and minerals, which has a positive effect on the body.

Harm crab sticks

Surimi bears harm only in the form of its chemical additives in the composition, many of which are hazardous to he alth and are prohibited in a number of countries. The composition of Vichi crab sticks does not have them, but the price of this product is appropriate, since you always have to pay for quality. To get a good product, you should not buy the cheapest crab sticks sold by weight and distributed under the brand name of a supermarket. You should also beware of surimi, which, after defrosting and unfolding, are torn or paintthey show through several layers of roll.

The harm to the body is also based on the habit of adding crab sticks to salads with mayonnaise.

The high calorie content of such dishes completely covers all the benefits of surimi itself, even of the highest quality. What is only the composition of the salad with crab sticks and corn, the options for which are already huge. You can choose a set of ingredients for every taste, but all of them are necessarily seasoned with mayonnaise, and some even contain red caviar and butter, so there can be no talk of a low-calorie dish.

Slimming benefits

According to nutritionists, it is advisable to use such a low-calorie product in diets. The reason is the high content of easily digestible protein, which allows you to quickly restore strength and at the same time do not consume many calories. It is very simple to calculate the latter, because their content is always indicated on the package. As an ideal dish for a diet, you can prepare a light salad of fresh tomatoes, tofu cheese and crab sticks. You can fill it with any vegetable oil, but it is better to take olive oil.

You can also cook boiled rice by sprinkling greens, boiled eggs and chopped crab sticks on top. Melted butter is suitable as a dressing.

How to buy the best product

To get only benefits from crab sticks and minimize harm to the body, you should not buy the cheapestoptions, especially loose ones. A quality product should be stored in a vacuum-packed chilled or frozen form. There should be no excess liquid or ice inside the package, indicating re-freezing.

Surimi packaging must contain all the necessary information about the manufacturer, the composition of the product, the period and conditions of its storage. In the composition, the first thing to be indicated is minced fish - surimi. The color of the sticks should be white, and only one side should be colored.

After opening the package, good crab sticks can be easily unfolded into a ribbon, they do not crumble or break. Their color is uniform, and the consistency is elastic.

Keep such a product in the refrigerator and never re-freeze. This significantly impairs the taste and quality of the sticks, so if you need to use less than the entire package, the leftovers must be immediately placed in the freezer.