10 Health Benefits Of Crab Meat

1. Promotes weight loss

Crab meat is incredibly low in calories and contains only about 1.5 g of fat in 100 g. And the rest of the calories come from protein. This makes it a perfect seafood option for those who are overweight, obese or who are trying to keep themselves fit.

2. Improves Your Eyesight

Crabs are a great source of vitamin A, which is known to improve your eyesight. Vitamin A contains organic compounds like retinol, retinal, retinoic acid, andbeta-carotene that contributes to eye health by playing a major role in the visual cycle and preventing macular degeneration and cataract.

3. Prevents Cell Damage

Selenium is an essential mineral which is found plenty in crab meat that helps in preventing cells and tissues from potential damages caused by free radicals. Selenium also works by playing a vital role in the proper functioning of the thyroid hormone by protecting the thyroid glands against oxidative damage thus, helping in the production of thyroid hormones.

4. Protects the heart

Crab meat is a good source of omega 3 fatty acids, selenium and copper that help in lowering your bad cholesterol. Bad cholesterol increases the risk of heart attack and stroke. However, heart patients have very few food options due to the presence of cholesterol and calories in food. Crab meat could be an excellent option for them due to the presence of these wonderful nutrients.

Crab meat is low in saturated fat too. Research also suggests that crabs also contain sterols which inhibit the absorption of cholesterol and increases the excretion of cholesterol in the faecal matter.

5. Boosts the immune system

If your immune system is weak, it will pave the way for pathogens to cause illnesses and diseases. So, to strengthen your immune system, you can consume crabs. The presence of selenium in it has been linked to stimulating immune system activity thus preventing free radicals from attacking the immune system, thereby keeping your immune system strong.

6. Promotes mental health

Crab meat is enriched with protein, zinc and omega 3 fatty acids which have the ability to improve cognition and concentration. It also helps in strengthening myelin, a lipid-rich fatty substance formed in the central nervous system and protects the nervous system, while also reducing plaque and inflammation in neural pathways.

7. Maintains the skin, eyes and the nervous system

Riboflavin, also known as vitamin B2, is required to produce fat molecules (steroids), red blood cells and to maintain skin, eyes and the nervous system. Riboflavin helps in absorbing iron in the digestive tract and breaks down protein, fats and carbohydrates for supplying energy to the body.

8. Helps in faster wound recovery

Wounds and injuries take a lot of time to heal and foods play a vital role in speeding up the recovery process. Crabs can help heal wounds faster because they contain zinc, vitamin B12 and vitamin C which when consumed helps to produces erythrocytes which will help in building the new tissues.

9. Prevents prostate cancer

Crabs have generous amounts of selenium that removes the carcinogenic effects of cadmium, arsenic, silver and mercury. This can help in speeding up the removal of cancerous cells and slow down the growth of a tumour.

A study published in Clinical Cancer Research found that foods that contain high amounts of omega 3 fatty acids such as crab meat could prevent the spread of prostate cancer to other parts of the body.

10. Stabilizes Insulin Levels

Crabs are rich in chromium that is said to lower blood sugar, insulin levels and stabilizes the insulin level in type 2 diabetes. So, if you are a diabetic patient you can have crab meat without worrying much about the effects.

Caution: There are some people who are allergic to shellfish. Shellfish can cause abdominal pain, tingling in the mouth, swelling of the face, lips, tongue, fingers or hands, light-headedness, etc. Avoid crabs completely if you have an allergy.

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