Unlock the Keto Benefits of Crawfish: Ingredients To Skip in Your Next Boil

Keto dieters who love seafood often want to know about the carb content of crawfish.¹ This popular finger food, especially in Louisiana, is a keto-friendly crustacean (like the Crawfish) found in freshwaters like lakes, rivers, and streams.²

These little critters that taste like shrimp but look like small lobsters are usually boiled with several ingredients seen in etouffee or gumbo, and these extra additives are exactly what should be avoided in your next boil since many of them are high in carbs.

The following guide will explain how crawfish is actually keto, which ingredients to look out for at the next crawfish boil, and three keto friendly crawfish boil recipes for those who can’t get enough Cajun food.

Carbs In Crawfish + Does Crawfish Have Carbs?

Crawfish, which are perfect for anyone focused on nutrition, are packed with beneficial micronutrients, and this is why they are a common delicacy.

They are an excellent source of lean protein (25 grams in every 5-ounce serving), fitting into various dietary approaches. Most importantly, crawfish have low-fat content and zero carbohydrates.

Source: Stephanie Moody via Unsplash³

These crustaceans are perfect for beginners looking into other weight loss diets, not just the Keto diet. Tracking calories is among the 13 weight loss tips for beginners, and crawfish are low in calories.

They contain beneficial nutrients such as iron, zinc, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, and vitamin B.⁴ Crawfish nutritional information per 3 ounces is as follows:

• Protein: 14 grams
• Fiber: None
• Total sugars: None
• Total Carbohydrates: None
• Sodium: 49 mg
• Cholesterol: 97 mg
• Saturated Fat: 0.1 grams
• Total Fat: 0.8 grams
• Calories: 65

Crawfish: A Keto-Friendly Option?

Based on the nutritional profile, crawfish alone are Keto friendly, but be cautious of additives that may contain carbs.

The lack of carbohydrate content and low fat make them perfect as a stand-alone meal. Most importantly, because they have no carbs, one can have as much as they want and include other items to flavor the dish and meet the 20-40 grams daily carbohydrate intake.

They are excellent for both low-fat and low-carb diet plans.

Crawfish are whole foods (exist naturally) and are either wild or farm-raised. Because they are whole food, commercial crawfish are minimally processed.⁵

Dieticians recommend eating whole foods when on a diet to get nutrients while, at the same time, avoiding processing chemicals. These types of food also decrease the possibility of heart disease, cancer, and type 2 diabetes.

They are also great for tracking your weight loss progress on the Keto diet. The lack of processing chemicals also means crawfish are free of food additives, highly refined oils, and non-Keto sweeteners.

While a bowl of crawfish is keto friendly or keto safe, the ingredients and additives included in many recipes for preparing the dish may be less Keto friendly. Elements such as rice, potatoes, corn, and other grains often included with this meal are packed with carbs and will ruin your diet.

Advantages & Disadvantages of Eating Crawfish

Looking at the nutritional profile above, several values stand out immediately. Crawfish are a great source of vitamin B12 and protein.

Moreover, they contain high amounts of phosphorus and copper, and these two mineral foods are hard to find in everyday food. What’s more, crawfish provide much-needed minerals such as iron, potassium, and niacin.

Besides having no carbs, these crustaceans also have low calories and are great for people who want to fill their stomachs and still cut down weight. Eating a regular serving of crawfish will provide anyone on a diet with a healthy dose of protein without adding in too many calories.

Even so, it’s not all fun and games when eating crawfish.

First, crawfish can have bacteria that make one sick, causing harmful side effects such as chest pain, weight loss, cough, fever, night sweats, and dyspnea.⁶ Second, eating crawfish can lead to paragonimiasis, an infection affecting organs like the lungs, the skin, and the brain.

Finally, the benefits of eating crawfish depend on how it’s cooked and what accompanies the delicacy. For example, a Cajun crawfish boil contains a lot of sodium which may not be very healthy.

Anyone who decides to fry them will increase the amount of saturated fat and cholesterol, which are enemies of weight loss.

Non-Keto Ingredients & Additives to Avoid In a Cajun Louisiana Crawfish Boil

The Cajun Louisiana Crawfish Boil is a typical delicacy in the state during the summer months, just like other seafood boils such as shrimp boil. The crustaceans are cooked in a spice mix and served in a big pot to be enjoyed by everyone at the table.

Source: Sunira Moses from Unsplash⁷

This meal often contains a variety of ingredients that are not suitable for someone following a Keto diet, including crawfish.

These ingredients include:

Potatoes: The most common potatoes used with this dish are red potatoes, and they are packed with carbs. Their carbohydrate content is 23g per 5 ounces, (high glycemic index) so they should be avoided altogether.

Corn: This is a starchy grain not recommended in a Keto diet and sometimes comes as “baby corn”. It has a carb content of 27g per 5 ounces (high glycemic index).

Smoked sausage: While smoked sausage is Keto friendly, it contains a low amount of carbs; as such, anyone on a Keto diet should be wary about including it on their plate when they have a Cajun Louisiana crawfish boil.

Is Crawfish Bisque Suitable for a Keto Diet?

A Crawfish Bisque has the following nutritional profile per serving:

• Carbohydrates: 25-37g
• Fat: 0g
• Fiber: 1g
• Protein: 2g
• Sodium: 25mg

Based on the profile above, one serving of crawfish Bisque is within the Keto limits. Moreover, the carbs can be reduced to 8 grams per serving by removing the corn and replacing it with mushrooms.

One serving is enough if a person’s dietary carb requirement is under 25g.

Before eating this meal, a person on the Keto diet should consider whether they will eat more food later as they can’t have more carbs for that day. This meal’s daily value percentage for sodium is tiny.

According to the FDA’s guidelines for sodium intake, this meal should be supplemented with another sodium-rich meal before the end of the day.

Full List of Keto Seafood (Seafood You Can Eat on Keto)

Crawfish is Keto friendly, and while not all seafood fits into the Keto diet, most types do.

It’s important to note that seafood is much leaner than red meat, so it may not meet the required daily fat intake. However, seafood contains omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids, which are really good for the brain.

The best seafood to eat on a Keto diet include:

• Salmon
• Mackerel
• Herring
• Oysters
• Tuna
• Mahi-Mahi
• Bay scallops
• Shrimp
• Crawfish
• Flounder
• Healthy Keto Crawfish Recipes
• Langostino
• Lobster
• Crab
• Sardines

All types of shellfish, mollusks, and crustaceans are great for Keto. A seafood-based diet is an excellent choice for those looking to lose 10-15 pounds in a month.

Seafood lovers may want to check out the Bonefish Grill keto menu options, along with which shellfish to avoid.

Healthy Keto Crawfish Recipes

The main ingredients in crawfish recipes that need to be substituted are potatoes and corn. These ingredients can be done away with entirely or replaced with whole white mushrooms.

Here are a few recipes to try while on a Keto diet:

1. Crawfish Etouffee Keto Recipe

Etouffee is a common crawfish dish in Louisiana. This recipe simmers crawfish tails with garlic, onion, and green pepper. It can make 4 (1-cup servings).

Ingredients

• Chopped onion- 1
• Olive oil- 4 tbsps.
• All-purpose flour- 4 tbsps.
• Chopped green bell pepper- ½ cup
• Fat-free chicken broth- 1 cup
• Minced garlic- 1 tablespoon
• Paprika- 1 tablespoon
• Louisiana Crawfish tails- 1 pound
• A pinch of salt and pepper
• Green onions- 1 bunch, finely chopped stems only.

Instructions

1. Rinse and drain the crawfish tails
2. Coat a large nonstick skillet with nonstick cooking oil, then heat the oil.
3. Add flour and stir over medium heat for about 6-8 minutes until it turns light brown.
4. Add garlic, onion, and green paper, and saute until tender. This will take five minutes.
5. Pour the broth gradually and stir until it thickens, then add paprika.
6. Let the stew boil, cover, reduce the heat and cook for12 minutes.
7. Add the crawfish and let it cook for a few minutes until heated.
8. Add your favorite seasoning, then finally add in the green onions.
9. Remove from the heat, let it sit for a few minutes, and serve.

Every 1-cup serving has the following nutritional information.

• Fat- 9g
• Calories- 220 cal
• Calories from fat- 35%
• Carbohydrate- 13g
• Sodium- 218mg
• Cholesterol- 154 mg
• Dietary fiber- 5g
• Protein 22g
• Sugars 4 g
• Diabetic exchanges: 3 lean meat, 1 carbohydrate

2. Keto Crawfish Remoulade Sauce Recipe

This recipe is for those who prefer having crawfish as a salad rather than the main meal. This salad is healthy and has a simple taste. It involves tossing crawfish in spicy horseradish on a bed of lettuce.

It can be served with crackers as a dip or eaten alone as a light lunch. Overall, the meal has 16 (¼-cup) servings.

Ingredients

• Mayonnaise- 2 tablespoons
• Fat-free yogurt- 2 tablespoons
• Prepared horseradish- 2 tablespoons
• Mustard- 2 tablespoons (grainy or creole)
• Dijon mustard- 2 tablespoons
• Lemon juice- 1 tbsps.
• Chopped parsley- 1/3 cup
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Cooked crawfish- 2 pounds

Instructions

1. Mix the yogurt, horseradish, mayonnaise, lemon juice, mustard, onions, and parsley in a medium bowl. Add your favorite seasoning.
2. Add the crawfish and mix.
3. Refrigerate until it’s time to serve.

Nutritional information

One serving will contain the following:

• Cholesterol 110 mg
• Fat 0g
• Protein 12 g
• Sugars 1g
• Dietary fiber 1g
• Carbohydrate 2g
• Sodium 220 mg
• Diabetic exchanges: 2 very lean meat

3. Cajun Spice Keto Crawfish Recipe

This recipe does not use corn and potatoes standard in Cajun spice crawfish recipes.

Ingredients

For the seafood boil:

• 1 cup fish fry crawfish, crab, and shrimp boil- per 5 pounds of crawfish.
• Crawfish- 5 pounds

For the Cajun seasoning

• Butter- 4 sticks
• Garlic- 5 minced cloves
• Bay seasoning- 2 tbsps.
• Paprika- 2 tbsps.
• Cayenne- 2 tbsps.
• Lemon pepper- 2 tbsps.
• Chicken granules- 2 tbsps.
• Ghost chili pepper- 2 tablespoons
• Swerve brown sugar replacement: 2 tablespoons.

Instructions

Seafood boil

1. Rinse the crawfish and put them in a large pot half filled with water.
2. Pour 1 cup of Louisiana Fish Fry Crawfish Shrimp & Crap Boil, stir, and boil for 5 minutes.
3. Turn the heat off and let the crawfish soak for 15 minutes.

Cajun seasoning

1. Start with the four sticks of butter in a pot and the minced garlic. Saute for 5 minutes and put it aside.
2. Mix cayenne, old bay, paprika, lemon pepper, ghost chili, and chicken granules in a separate bowl.
3. Mix the dry seasoning with the garlic butter, then add brown sugar
4. Drain the crawfish, then on low heat, add the Cajun seasoning and stir well.
5. Turn off the heat and wait for a few minutes before serving.

Nutritional Information

• Calories: 36 cal
• Carbs- 7g
• Fat- 1g
• Protein- 2g
• Sodium- 600mg
• Sugar- 1g
• Fiber- 2g
• Net carbs- 6g

To conclude, crawfish is an excellent meal for Keto or any other diet because its carb-free, minimally processed, and does not contain harmful additives. One must only avoid the additives and extra ingredients accompanying crawfish during meals, especially corn and potatoes, which are packed with carbs.

Frequently Asked Questions