Is It Safe to Eat Imitation Crab During Pregnancy?

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You probably have a lot of questions when you get pregnant, and whether you can and should eat seafood is a common one.

The answer? That depends.

On the one hand, grilled and grilled seafood is a good source of lean protein that also happens to be packaged with brain-stimulating omega-3 fatty acids.

On the other hand, your stuffed sole fillet could be filled with more than breading. In fact, it could be plagued by mercury, parasites and pollutants. (Would you like soup or salad with that? Or have you completely lost your appetite?!)

Knowing this, no one could blame you for choosing crab imitation the next time you're standing at the deli counter weighing your options. It's the best of both worlds, isn't it? You get the benefits of seafood without all the toxins?

Or do you? Here is the dish on eating imitation crab during pregnancy, from what it is actually to when it is safe to eat.

What is crab imitation?

Let's go right now: imitation crab is not really crab. Not even a little. It is a mashup of fish paste, seasonings, starch, egg whites, and crab aroma. Pollock is usually the type of fish ground and processed into fish paste, which is called surimi, used to make imitation crab meat.
Is that for sure?

There are two questions you need to ask about all types of seafood during pregnancy: Is it a low-mercury food, and has it been cooked? Imitation crab meat checks both boxes, so it is safe to eat during pregnancy.

Pollock, which is the fish of choice for imitation crab meat manufacturers, is a low-mercury and unro pregnant fish in reasonable quantities (two or three servings per week).

The same goes for many other types of fish, although some that should be avoided if they have been added to your crab meat — namely shark, swordfish, king mackerel and a few others.

However, no seafood should be eaten raw during pregnancy.

Even if your imitation crab meat is cooked, if it has been used in a seafood dish (such as sushi or stuffed lobster), you need to make sure that everything has been fully cooked before eating it. So this Californian roll with crab imitation inside but topped with raw tuna? It's a no-go.

If you eat raw fish or meat, you run the risk of ingesting bacteria (or parasites) that could make you super sick. (During pregnancy, you have a weaker immune system.)

Benefits of Imitation Crab During Pregnancy

Read also : Eat Seafood While Pregnant, May or Not?

Honestly, imitation crab meat doesn't really do you any nutritional favors. And real crab meat is actually considered a beneficial seafood when you expect it because it is low in calories, but rich in omega-3 and vitamins D and A.

But again, the imitation stuff is -- well, an imitation. You don't reap those benefits here. You are, however, eating a food that is:

• low in calories and fat
•  low mercury content
•  Affordable and convenient
•  always pre-cooked and pasteurized (i.e. safe to eat)

Cons of imitation crab during pregnancy

As long as any dish containing imitation crab meat has been properly stored and cooked, there is no real danger in eating it. That said, better choices are available. (Some people compare eating imitation crab meat to eating hot dogs in terms of processing - and we basically agree.)

Here are some drawbacks of eating imitation crab during pregnancy:

Although regular crab meat is a source of protein, imitation of crab meat is not.

    Sodium is usually added to crab meat imitation — and you can't control the amount because it's prepackaged.

It usually contains random ingredients that do not provide any nutritional benefit. On the contrary, they flavor and color the meat, preserve it, and improve its texture. This means everything from artificial dyes and sweeteners to xanthan gum and sometimes even monosodium glutamate (MSG).