Following a keto diet is swarmed with dilemmas about which ingredients to avoid and which to eat. One such common query revolves around seafood – specifically crabs: are crab legs keto?
The good news is: yes, crab legs are keto! They’re rich in healthy fat and protein, are low in calories and carbs, and not to mention: taste heavenly. Fantastic combo, right?
In this article, we will go on a journey of crab legs exploration and uncover several exciting and informative facts.
Let's get started and here's everything you need to know about are crab legs keto!
- What Does A Keto Diet Do?
- What Are Crab Legs?
- Nutritional Value of Crab Legs
- Are Crab Legs Keto Friendly?
- Crab Legs Recipe – Cajun Sheet Pan Crab Legs
- Cooking Instructions
- Crab Legs With The Most Meat
- How Can You Include Crab Legs In A Keto Diet?
- Cooking Crab Legs
- Wrapping Up
- Frequently Asked Questions
What Does A Keto Diet Do?
Keto diets primarily aim at keeping your body in ketosis to facilitate a smooth burning of fat for energy process. However, it’s not as manageable as it sounds.
Following a keto diet means taking a low carb, high fat diet and nothing else – not even on cheat days.
Thankfully, various yummy food options fall at par with the requirements of this diet. Some delicious options include the following:
- Meat
- Poultry
- Eggs
- Fish – mackerel, salmon, sardines, and other fatty fish full of omega-3 fats
- Seeds and nuts
- Healthy fat oils – avocado oil, olive oil, coconut oil
- Vegetables low in carb – cauliflower, leafy green vegetables, broccoli
What Are Crab Legs?
As the name indicates, crab legs are a crab's long and thin limbs with a hard – but not brittle – outer shell filled with white, soft, and delicate inner flesh.
Crab legs are a delicious snack and meal commonly enjoyed with a bit of molten butter and a splash of lemon juice.
Crab legs are generally very tender and easy to eat when cooked to perfection. They’re prepared immediately before consumption to preserve their texture and flavor. The meat is pretty dense, making it a hearty and fulfilling meal.
King crab legs and snow crab legs are the most popular crab legs eaten in the United States, but King Crabs take the lead with their long meaty legs. Despite their small size, Snow Crabs put in an equal fight with King Crabs for taste.
Certain coastal areas in the United States, such as Virginia and Maryland, are generally swarmed with people looking to eat these delicacies. These swarms also include people on keto diets, as crab legs are low in carbs and high in essential minerals, vitamins, and healthy fats.
Keep reading to find out more about are crab legs keto!
Nutritional Value of Crab Legs
Let us skim through the nutritional value of one serving size of crab legs, which comes up to around 454 grams:
| Calories | 300kcal |
| Total Carbs | 1 gram |
| Net Carbs | 1 gram |
| Fiber | – |
| Starch | – |
| Sugar | – |
| Sugar Alcohols | – |
| Protein | 61 grams |
| Fat | 4 grams |
| Monosaturated fat | – |
| Polyunsaturated fat | – |
| Saturated fat | 0.5 grams |
| Cholesterol | 180 milligram |
| Glycemic Load | – |
| Sodium | 2755 milligram |
| Vitamin A | – |
| Vitamin D | – |
Are Crab Legs Keto Friendly?
Yes! Crab legs are an ideal keto-friendly food option, and their ideality owes to their high protein and healthy fat content, low-calorie count, and low carb content. Besides being an excellent prompter for a weight-loss journey, they’re also rich in nutrients.
The delicate crab meat is infused with omega-three fatty acids, renowned for its anti-inflammatory properties and other valuables that lower the risk of cardiovascular disorders.
Apart from that, they’re also rich in selenium – a valuable mineral that maintains thyroid health.
Such nutrients are not present in crab sticks or imitation crab meat. Instead, these secondary products may contain hidden carbs that will knock you out of ketosis. Thus, choose fresh crab and steer clear of everything else that says “crab”!
Crab Legs Recipe – Cajun Sheet Pan Crab Legs
Cajun sheet pan crab legs, along with some fresh veggies, is a top-rated and carb-free meal that’s not only uncomplicated to prepare but is also filled with minerals, nutrients, and healthy fats. Let's go ahead and look at its recipe!
You will need the following ingredients to make finger-licking good Cajun sheet pan crab legs:
| Ghee or Butter | To grease |
| Zucchini (lengthwise halved and neatly sliced) | 2 |
| Cauliflower (roughly chopped into bite sized pieces) or other low-carb vegetables such as green beans or broccoli | 3 cups |
| Butter and ghee (melted separately) | 10 tablespoons |
| Cajun seasoning | 2 tablespoons |
| Garlic cloves (minced) | 1 tablespoon |
| Bratwurst or polish sausages (Cut roundly, each piece half an inch thick) | 6 ounces |
| Lemon | Cut in half |
| Parsley (chopped) | To garnish |
| Frozen snow crab legs (almost two clusters, thawed either for a few minutes under cold, running water or in the refrigerator, preferably overnight) | 2 pounds |
Cooking Instructions
- Important things first: preheat your oven to about 450 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Take a large baking sheet lined with aluminum foil and add a few drops of butter or ghee to grease.
- Place the zucchini halves, cauliflower, and any other low-carb vegetables of your choice onto the greased baking sheet in an even and organized layer. Place it aside.
- Take a small bowl and add five tablespoons of melted butter or ghee, minced garlic cloves, and Cajun seasoning. Stir well and pour half of the mixture on the vegetables, ensuring that you submerge the cauliflower in it as it takes longer to cook.
- Place the veggies in the oven for about 15 to 20 minutes or until they’re tender.
- Place the sliced polish sausages with the tender veggies. Break open the thawed crab legs and place them in the pan along with the veggies and sausages. Brush the remaining butter mixture on the crab legs and store the rest. Bake for about ten more minutes.
- Garnish your masterpiece with chopped parsley and fresh lemon juice and serve immediately with the stored butter mixture as a dip. Enjoy!
Crab Legs With The Most Meat
Let me take you on a journey of crab leg kinds: the ones with the most meat!
King Crab Legs
King crabs unequivocally hold the highest popularity amongst all kinds of crabs. They are painstakingly caught in the wild, generally in cold aquatic environments, and can grow to gigantic sizes: some can even reach 15 pounds!
King crabs may thus seem scary if you look at one, but their legs are by far the yummiest with the most meat. King crab legs are, obviously, the largest in size and possess a milder flavor than the others.
Because of their delicate and mild flavor, they are a perfect fit for those trying crab legs for the first time.
Snow Crab Legs
Snow crab legs are the second most prized crab legs after king crabs legs. They are found both in the Atlantic and the Pacific Ocean but are considerably smaller than king crabs: most kinds grow up to one or two pounds.
Snow crab legs are delicate and sweet with a distinctive flavor. They also cost less than king crab legs and are thus an excellent option for those who want to eat healthy on a strict budget.
Dungeness Crab Legs
Dungeness crabs live in the Pacific Ocean and are relatively tiny, weighing an average of two or four pounds. They also have a flavor distinct from the rest and are considered a rarity and luxury in certain parts of the globe.
How Can You Include Crab Legs In A Keto Diet?
There are several yummy but healthy ways to incorporate crab legs into your keto diet. Let me add a few of my favorites with you!
- Use crab legs as an embellishing ingredient to your favorite keto salad for a healthy, fulfilling, and tasty meal.
- Craving an appetizer? Crab legs got you covered. Make a keto crab dip sauce using some cheddar cheese, sour cream, and cream cheese, and enjoy!
- Use crab legs to make yummy crab leg soup, crab cakes, or crab stew.
- Lazy to make a complete meal? Just steam some vegetables and enjoy them alongside some steamed crab legs!
Cooking Crab Legs
Cooking crab legs may sound arduous, but it is relatively easy. Some of the most suitable and easy methods include steaming, grilling, boiling, or broiling. It is best to serve them immediately after cooking, but you can also cool them down in the refrigerator for a bit before enjoying them.
Let us delve into the various methods of cooking crab legs to make this endeavor even easier for you!
Broiling Crab Legs
Put the thawed crab legs onto a baking sheet and place it on the oven rack. Broil for about three to four minutes, and you are done!
Steaming Crab Legs
Boil some water in a deep pot over medium heat and add sugar and salt. Put the thawed crab legs into the boiling water and cover the pot with a lid. Steam them for about twenty minutes, and remove the lid to allow them to have an additional steam bath for about five minutes!
Boiling Crab Legs
Boiled crab legs are by far the easiest to make. Put thawed crab legs in boiling water and leave for about fifteen to twenty minutes. Take the boiled crab legs out (make sure you are careful with the boiling water!) and enjoy them with a homemade keto dip!
Wrapping Up
Almost everybody enjoys seafood. But sadly, those on a keto diet cannot eat all kinds of seafood because of their high carb and cholesterol content. The good news is: crab legs are keto-friendly, luscious, and healthy!
Now that you learned a bit about crab legs, make sure to place some in your shopping carry the next time you go keto-grocery shopping!
Come back for more yummy and healthy information after you are done enjoying crab legs!
Click on one of the links below to learn more about keto friendly foods:
Frequently Asked Questions
Do crab legs have sugar?
No! crab legs don't have any sugar in them. They contain chromium which helps with insulin to metabolize sugar better. It effectively helps lower blood sugar levels.
Is it ok to eat crab everyday?
While it's completely okay to eat white crab meat everyday, you should definitely avoid eating brown crab meat daily.
When should you not eat crab?
One of the oldest rules with consuming shellfish is to avoid eating them in months that end with r!