

Dear HG,

What is imitation crabmeat really made of, and does it taste just like the real thing? Is it a good low-fat protein? What do you do with it?

Real Curious 'bout Fake Crab

Dear Real Curious,

Imitation crab is made of minced pollock (a mild white fish) that's blended with many other ingredients -- things like sugar, sorbitol, wheat, and egg whites are often used to mimic crab's natural texture. Sometimes flavors extracted from real crab are used to make it taste more authentic. Imitation crab tastes similar to real crab, but I think they each have their own thing going on, and I like them both. Fake crab is a little sweeter and less fishy, with a firmer texture. A 3-oz. serving (about half a cup) of imitation crab has around 80 calories, 1g fat, 10g carbs, and 8g protein (POINTS® value 2*). A 3-oz. serving of real crab contains around the same amount of calories and fat, but it has more protein (14g per 3-oz. serving) and no carbs. As you can see, both are low in fat and calories and high in protein. (FYI, they're both pretty high in sodium.) Of course, imitation crab is a lot cheaper and more convenient than real crab. As for what to do with it, the easiest way to use imitation crab is in salads. (Just be sure to use light or fat-free mayo if you're making deli-style crab salad.) You can also use imitation crab to make wraps, burritos, egg-white scrambles, and more. And it's pretty good eaten straight as a protein-packed snack. Click here for three crab-ulous HG recipes, and try them with fake crab. The sky's the limit when it comes to this copycat crustacean, so go for it!


Dear Hungry Girl,

I have seen pics of your cute HG tour t-shirts, but I don't remember seeing them for sale or as giveaways in the emails. Can I buy one? If not, how can I get one??

Wanting a Tee

Dear Wanting,

Unfortunately, those t-shirts are not for sale and never have been. They were made in limited quantity specifically for the "200 Under 200 Tour." But I have been giving them away A LOT on Twitter and Facebook. So if you become a Hungry Girl Facebook fan, or start to follow me on Twitter, you'll have chances to win them. I tend to post a lot of quick Qs asking people for their opinions on things, and I sometimes give tour tees away to those who chime in. It's also not uncommon for me to ask people on Facebook or Twitter to review 200 Under 200 over at Amazon (something everyone should do!) -- sometimes I'll give tees away to people who write reviews. Anyhow, the long answer is, follow me on Twitter and join the HG Facebook fun, and you could win stuff (like those shirts). The short answer for you is, I'M SENDING YOU A SHIRT. Congrats! BTW, if you want to purchase HG goodies, click here and visit our store. Thanks for emailing!

This month is Romance Awareness Month. To do our part, we're calling attention to our So-Cool-They're-HOT Couples! (They love each other, and we love to eat them.)

