Harm and benefit of crab sticks: truth and delusions

Today it is impossible to constantly use only those foods that are devoid of any additives. Therefore, the harm and benefit of crab sticks are of interest to many.

Products of the twentieth century

In life, only a small part of people have the opportunity to eat natural delicacies. Perhaps, therefore, the appearance in the late nineties of the last century in the sale of crab sticks was a real sensation. They aroused a keen interest and instantly disappeared from the store shelves. This also contributed to the unrealistically low price of the product. Surprised buyers bought kilograms of fragrant pieces and even came up with hundreds of different dishes. Therefore, the harm and benefit of crab sticks interested everyone who happily joined the league of lovers of seafood. In fairness, it should be noted that in addition to the name, this product with crabs does not bind anything else. Sea inhabitants have become a kind of bait or, rather, a marketing move of enterprising producers. Why waste frantic funds for the purchase of live arthropods, if you can create an imitation product and successfully sell it on the market? Everything was simple and mutually beneficial: the buyer received a product similar to the one about which he had dreamed, and the producer received for it his reward. The damage and benefit of crab sticks was of no interest to anyone, since the demanded product was not in anyone's doubt.

Main component

A little later, people began to study more carefully what is written on the labels, and there were various questions. Many were surprised to discover an unusual composition and were perplexed about the presence of some components. The basis of the product was the mysterious ingredient "surimi". In Japanese it means "stuffing". There are no secrets. Surimi really is a stuffing, made from the meat of various white fish. Basically it is herring, pollock, mackerel, whiting, hake and other representatives of the ocean expanses. The Japanese have been using this compound for more than ten centuries. And he does not call doubts. True, the unusual way of cooking is still very interesting. First, fillets are removed from fresh fish. Then it is washed for a long time in cold running water. After that, the mixture is ground and mixed to a state of elastic homogeneous mass. The product has a fishy smell, an exceptionally white color and a slightly noticeable characteristic aroma. Now you can do anything from it. The damage and benefit of crab sticks in this case depends only on the quality of the fish, and it is controlled by specialists.

Composition of the product

To deal with the problem, it is necessary to know what crab sticks are made of. Benefits and harm to health are two opposite qualities that must be studied before the goods arrive on the counter. First you need to understand the recipe. In addition to the notorious mince, this food imitation includes starch, sugar, vegetable oil, egg white (or soybean) and salt. All these products are of natural origin. Together they are not capable of causing a serious illness or provoking a bad state of health. However, this is not the entire list of ingredients, which consist of crab sticks. The benefits and disadvantages of the product depend on all components in general. In addition to these products, there are those that play a supporting role. These are dyes and various chemical additives in the form of thickeners, flavors and flavor enhancers. All of these are indicated on the packaging and are authorized by the appropriate authorities for use in the production of food products.

In pursuit of a slender figure

Of great interest is the nutritional value of crab sticks. Like any other seafood, they are carbohydrate-protein foods. In addition, a huge amount of vitamins (A, B6, B12, C, D) and useful macroelements such as calcium, zinc, iron, iodine and magnesium remain unchanged because the semifinished product is not subjected to heat treatment. All this can be attributed to the positive characteristics of the product. Here, undoubtedly, it is worth adding the fact that such a mixture is a low-calorie. It does not overload the human body, because it contains about 80-90 kilocalories per 100 grams of the finished product. This can be interesting for those who struggle with excess weight. To achieve this goal, many diets advise people to include in their diet ordinary crab sticks. The benefits and harm to losing weight here have a fine line. On the one hand, a product with reduced caloric content allows the body to expend its own fat reserves. The benefits are obvious. But, on the other hand, frequent consumption of the product in large quantities can cause unwanted allergic reactions or disorders in the work of the gastrointestinal tract. Both are equally detrimental to human health. Therefore, the measure and advice of a knowledgeable specialist is needed in everything.

Danger nearby

That fish minced meat, which the Japanese used more than nine centuries ago, is not at all like modern crab sticks. Benefits and harm in the product of the new generation are near, which makes a person think several times before making a final decision.

It should be remembered that in addition to a unique complex of saturated fatty acids and a rich protein composition, the rods contain many chemical components, whose effects on a specific organism can not be foreseen by anyone. Of course, the lack of cholesterol and the minimum amount of fat makes such food favorable, for example, for cores. People with an enlarged thyroid gland can also include a crab imitator in their diet without fear for possible consequences. For them, this product is even useful. But because of the complex chemical composition they still should not be given to children in large quantities. It is clear that a couple of pieces a day will not do anything terrible. But if the product will be used with enviable constancy, irreparable changes will not keep you waiting.

the main problem

Now crab sticks are known to almost every person on earth. Modern cooks invented a lot of interesting recipes with them, and the housewives constantly increase this number with new results of flight of their imagination. Who does not know the famous salad with corn or chopsticks? But the benefit and harm of crab sticks and meat will always excite those who care about their health. These fears are not unfounded. To begin with, we must remember what is minced meat. In fact, this raw meat of fish of different varieties. Like any other product that has not undergone real thermal treatment, it is partly dangerous. After all, no one can know in advance about the possible disease of a fish. In addition, such products must be stored in accordance with certain temperature and time regimes. One can only guess what will happen to it if the allowable shelf life is exceeded by only a few days. Therefore, buying such goods in the store, you must choose only packaged products and carefully study the label. Do not buy sticks for weight. In this case, no one can fully vouch for their quality and give an appropriate guarantee.