Best Healthy Crab Cake Recipe

About the Author

Abby Campbell, BSc, SFN, SSN, CPT, is a leading professional fitness and nutrition expert, researcher, and published author of One Size Does NOT Fit All Diet Plan, one of Amazon's Top Gluten-Free and Weight Loss Diets. (You may read more about Abby at the bottom of this article.)

If you're a seafood lover, you may love this recipe as it contains crab meat as well as shrimp. It is also gluten free, as bread crumbs have been replaced with unsweetened shredded coconut. While cooked in coconut oil, you will find these cakes to be rich in flavor that will have you and your family begging for more!

Afraid of cholesterol? No need! Misconceptions about the cholesterol contained in seafood such as crabs and shrimp have been laid to rest. Several research studies have been conducted while finding that there is no danger to health when it comes to cholesterol levels. The University of Washington (2009) has reported that shrimp has no effect on cholesterol levels, and crabs have actually been shown to lower LDL (bad cholesterol) levels. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (1996) reported that shrimp is good for your health despite its cholesterol content. Rockefeller University in New York (1996), along with Harvard University, also conducted tests that fed people one-half pound of shrimp per day. Their findings concluded that shrimp consumption does not raise human cholesterol levels. The scientists behind the study don't know why cholesterol levels aren't raised but believe it's because shrimp is low in overall fat and high in fish oils. All in all, the studies report that seafood are good and necessary for a heart healthy lifestyle.

Please note that dietary fat is not your enemy. The "No Fat" or "Low Fat" diet is a diet of the past; it is a fad that came about during a time when packaged foods were preserved with unnatural fats called "trans" or "hydrogenated" fats. Unfortunately, these chemically processed fats wreaked havoc on the body causing heart disease.

Natural dietary fats, especially Omega-3 fatty acids, are an extremely important for:

• energy
• in the formation of your cell membranes, brain, and nervous system
• in the balance of hormones
• in the promotion of a healthy immune system
• to keep inflammation low

This three main categories of natural fats (i.e., saturated, monounsaturated, and polyunsaturated) are not created equal but are equally important to your body. Eating them in balance is key for a health.

Because of the USDA daily values listed in the Nutrition Facts section of this recipe, an important note is being made. Future hub articles will be addressed regarding the USDA nutrition errors. For now, please note the following:

Nutrition facts have been added for this Best Healthy Crab Cake recipe. Though the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has made great strides and positive changes in nutrition guidelines since 1992, a note should be made that the daily values given in this recipe are based on the USDA. Currently, the USDA fails:

1. at providing recommendations for individuals with different goals.
2. at recommendations for too much milk.
3. to educate individuals on food types within food groups.
4. to provide nutrition information relating to exercise.
5. to provide information on supplementation value.

The reason this is mentioned is because the current daily values are actually meant for a population that is within a healthy and undernourished yet active weight range. The USDA currently recommends a macronutrient split of 15 to 20 percent protein, 50 to 55 percent carbohydates, and 25 to 30 percent fats. This is not acceptable for a society who is overweight and obese.

Since the majority of society is nearly 70 percent overweight and obese (and non-active), the macronutrient ratio should be set at a higher protein intake (two times the USDA recommendations) with a much smaller ratio for carbohydrates (one-fourth to one-third of the USDA recommendations). The USDA fat range is in good standing but can go up to 40 percent for someone who is trying to lose body fat. This Best Healthy Crab Cake Recipe has the right proportions of protein, carbohydrates, and fats, when eaten with a side of vegetables, salad, and a small portion of starch. It is rich in taste, nutrient dense, but low in calories.

Please check out How to Eat a Good Diet hub for more information regarding healthy eating.

You're reading "Best Healthy Crab Cake Recipe" by Abby Campbell. Please rate it, leave a comment, and tell us what you think below. Then share the recipe article with your family and friends. You may even share on Facebook, Twitter, or Pinterest (buttons to your right).

Abby Campbell, BSc, SFN, SSN, CPT, is a leading professional fitness and nutrition expert, researcher, and published author. For the past 10 years, she has coached thousands of women locally and online to lose body fat and lead healthy lifestyles. Her clients have lost thousands of pounds, reclaimed health, and call her “Coach No Gimmick.” She is from Northern Virginia but now resides near Charlotte, North Carolina. Abby has been married for 20 years and has three grown daughters, one of which is autistic. She is a 19 year cancer survivor.