What The 'Crab' Inside California Rolls Is Really Made Of

No matter how healthy we try to be, we all enjoy a little indulgence from time to time. Whether it's the standard burgers and fries or some quick sushi, every now and then all we want is something cheap and fast. Even if we don't necessarily want it, sometimes our day's schedule gets out of hand and that's what we have to work with.

Yet when we put aside these speedy treats for something fresher, we often notice that the prices can go up pretty significantly. Of course there are different cuts and quality grades of certain foods, especially meat and fish, but it can still feel strange to pay such different prices for the same product.

Sometimes, however, the products aren't as similar as we might think. About three years ago, European food conglomerates were rocked by scandal when investigators found horse meat inside of cheap beef products.

The food we're talking about today isn't anywhere near as horrific as that, but there's still a difference between what's advertised and what you're actually eating here. If you've ever wondered why frozen crab cakes and discount California rolls can be so cheap, this is your answer.

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So let's say you're about to tuck into some savory California rolls.

What you're expecting is a nice blend of seaweed, avocado, and crab meat.

Yet whether your taste buds can tell or not, something isn't right.

Unless someone made a point to tell you what kind of crab it was, they likely weren't being entirely honest.

What you're probably eating is crab stick.

It's also known as surimi or crab cake, but yet another name should tell you something important about it.

That's because it's also called imitation crab.

That's right, there's a good chance that what you're eating has no crab meat in it whatsoever.

So what is in it?

Imitation crab is made from low-cost, white-fleshed fish.

Usually you're getting Alaskan pollock, but there are some similar species of fish that can work too. Before the fish is turned to "crab," it's washed to get rid of the telltale smell.

Then the fish is ground to this white paste.

At this point, it's mixed with a variety of possible oils, sweeteners, egg whites, gums, and starches. Sometimes real shellfish or shellfish extract is mixed in too, but you can get the same crab taste with artificial flavoring. 

When the mixture is complete, it's time to start sculpting.

A fish that can hold together well like pollock is needed for this step so it can be shaped to look like crab meat.

Now that we know what we're dealing with, let's have a look at how healthy this mixture is.

At first glance, there doesn't seem to be a world of difference between surimi and real crab.

Three ounces of eitherholdsabout 80 calories, with the imitation crab containing 0.4 g of fat compared to 1.3 g in the real crab. The imitation crab may even contain slightly less salt, though both samples will have at least 700 mg of sodium, so it's pretty high either way.

However, there are some key differences in what surimi has and what it doesn't.

Real crab meat isn't known to contain any carbohydrates or sugars but three ounces of imitation crab has about 6 g of sugar and 13 g of carbs.

And what's missing from the crab stick is just as important.

Surimi simply doesn't have the nutritional value you find in real crab.

In particular, the real crab has more protein and almost three times as much potassium as the imitation meat.

So now that you know the difference, you're equipped to make the best choice for you.

Be sure to SHARE this and let your friends know exactly what they're eating.