How Many Calories in One Pound of Snow Crab Legs?

Snow crabs are one of the more environmentally friendly seafood choices, according to the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch. These crabs also provide a number of essential nutrients, including selenium, copper, zinc, phosphorus, magnesium, iron, niacin, riboflavin and vitamins B-12 and C. You'd be better off sticking to a 3-ounce serving of snow crab than eating a whole pound, however, especially if you're watching your caloric intake.

Close-up of snow crab legs. (Image: James Pauls/iStock/Getty Images)

Crab Calorie Comparisons

A 3-ounce serving of snow crab cooked in moist heat has just 98 calories. Eat a pound instead, and you'll be consuming about 522 calories. Some other types of crab are lower in calories. For example, a 3-ounce serving of Alaska king crab has 82 calories, and the same amount of blue crab has 71 calories. This is for plain crab; if you dip it in butter as you eat it, you'll add 100 calories per tablespoon of butter used.