In This ArticleView AllIn This ArticleWhat Is Sushi?Sushi NutritionSushi Health BenefitsPotential Drawbacks of Eating SushiCan Sushi Be Part of a Healthy Diet?Can You Eat Sushi and Lose Weight?Can You Eat Sushi If You’re Vegan?The Bottom Line
In This ArticleView All
View All
In This Article
What Is Sushi?
Sushi Nutrition
Sushi Health Benefits
Potential Drawbacks of Eating Sushi
Can Sushi Be Part of a Healthy Diet?
Can You Eat Sushi and Lose Weight?
Can You Eat Sushi If You’re Vegan?
The Bottom Line
Japanhas one of the highest life expectancies globally, and their diets help contribute to their longevity. One of Japan’s most frequently eaten staples is sushi, a traditional dish where seasoned short-grain rice is prepared with vinegar and served with fillings and toppings such as vegetables, fish and seafood.
Sushi is no stranger to the American food scene either. The number of Japanese restaurants on American soil is steadily increasing over the last 10 years, with more than 28,000 restaurants in the U.S.
Here we explain a little bit more about sushi, the health benefits of eating it, sushi nutrition, plus dietitian-approved tips for a healthier order and what to watch out for on the menu.
Try it:Vegetarian Sushi Grain Bowl
Rice is the common ingredient among all sushi types, except for sashimi, which consists of a standalone piece of thinly sliced raw fish or meat. The rice is prepared with vinegar and other seasonings to help it hold its shape. Sushi comes in different forms, including:
If you have never had sushi, it is never too late to try this delicious food and discover its nutritional benefits. If you are already a sushi lover, you’ll love learning more about why it’s good for you.
What makes sushi a well-loved food is its endless combination of ingredients creating a wide range of complex yet enticing flavors. From the fresh tasting sashimi pieces to the famous California roll and the chopped scallop handroll, restaurants can offer traditional sushi selections alongside the house or specialty rolls.
Generally, one piece of a traditional maki roll provides anywhere between 20 and 28 calories. Depending on the filling, a piece ofvegetable maki(20g), for instance, has 20 calories, while a piece oftuna maki(30g) has 29 calories. A piece ofsalmon nigiri(35g) provides 37 calories, and a slice (1 oz) ofsalmon sashimiprovides 36 calories.
The health benefits of sushi lie within two components: the fish and the seaweed.
Fish
Fish is a lean and nutritious source of protein. While most people get enough protein, USDA My Plate recommends adults eat between 5 and 7 ounces of protein foods daily. Protein helps fill you up since it takes longer to digest, so your meal is more satisfying. Sushi is a great way to get your lean protein servings if you love eating fish, but if you are a vegetarian or a vegan, you can also enjoy sushi made with plant-based proteins, such as tofu, to meet your recommended daily intake of protein foods.
Fatty fish, such as salmon and mackerel, are among the common ingredients in sushi, with EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid), the omega-3 fats that are essential for heart health. TheAmerican Heart Associationrecommends eating at least two servings of three-ounce-cooked fish per week, particularly fatty fish, such as salmon.
Fishalso contains more vitamin D and vitamin B12 than other foods, providing a source of essential minerals, including selenium, zinc and iodine.
Seaweed (Nori)
If you choose to eat maki and temaki hand rolls, you will also enjoy a piece of blackish-purple dried seaweed that wraps the rice and filling. You may be surprised to learn that this type of seaweed containsiodine, an essential nutrient to make thyroid hormones for controlling the body’s metabolism.
While sushi is generally considered a nutritious food, there are some culprits that you want to watch out for.
The Type of Sushi You Choose Matters
House or specialty rolls generally consist of more ingredients and sauces. Inevitably, they will have more calories, sodium and fat than a traditional sushi roll.
For example, a piece ofspicy California roll(30g) has almost double the calories (54 calories) of its non-spicycounterpart, which only has 28 calories. The difference between the two is a spicy sauce added to the former. Rolls dressed with additional sauces, such as mayonnaise, spicy mayonnaise or teriyaki sauce, have additional calories, saturated fat and sodium.
Rolls that provide a crunch, such as those that include deep-fried ingredients, like tempura rolls, which consist of fillings dipped in a tempura batter which is then deep-fried; and spider rolls, which contain fried soft-shelled crab meat, are also higher in calories and fat since they’re made with fried ingredients.
To put this into context, a piece ofshrimp roll(30g) has 30 calories. A piece ofshrimp tempura roll, on the other hand, has an extra 17 calories. That’s not a huge difference, but you’d be looking at an additional 100 calories for six pieces.
Your best bet is always to read the roll’s description to know what is in them before ordering. And, if you decide to order any specialty rolls, enjoy them in moderation.
Condiments and Extras Can Add Up
Many people enjoy dipping sushi and sashimi in soy sauce. Drenching them with soy sauce actually overpowers the natural flavors of the fish. And, from a nutrition standpoint,soy sauceis packed with sodium, with 879mg for every tablespoon. TheDietary Guidelines for Americans 2015-2020recommend no more than2300mgof sodium per day, which is equivalent to one teaspoon of salt. In other words, if you finish about one tablespoon of soy sauce in your dipping dish, you would have consumed over one-third of your recommended sodium intake.
If you are not into extra flavorings, consider eating a slice or two of pickled ginger served with sushi and sashimi. Traditionally, pickled ginger is eaten between different kinds of sushi to give your taste buds a cleanse to experience the full-bodied flavors from the subsequent sushi pieces.
Watch Out for Mercury
Fish undoubtedly provides abundant nutrients, but it is best to avoid eating raw fish whilepregnant. You may want to go for sushi selections that offer fish with lower mercury concentrations, such as salmon, Atlantic and Pacific mackerel, especially if you’re breastfeeding, as the mercury in fish can pass throughbreast milkin small amounts. Additionally, you would want to keep your fish and seafood consumption between 8 and 12 ounces per week.
The simple answer is yes, and it depends on what you order. If you look solely from a calorie perspective, a typical, healthy meal (lunch and dinner) for most people contains 500 to 700 calories.
That said, your healthier sushi meal could look something like this:
Six pieces of salmon roll: 185 calories
Six pieces of avocado roll:166 calories
Six pieces of California roll: 167 calories
If you have a larger appetite, you may want to order a house salad (easy on the dressing), a bowl ofmiso soupand a side dish ofedamame. On the contrary, if you still want to enjoy miso soup and edamame but do not have the appetite for all the food, consider ordering two sushi rolls instead of three.
For the most part, we’d recommend sticking with a few rolls and adding in some healthy sides, but if you don’t eat sushi often, it’s OK to order whatever you’re in the mood for at the time and balance it out with your meals and snacks throughout the rest of the day.
Some restaurants also offerbrown riceas an alternative to white rice. If you are managing your weight or want to eat healthier, you may want to swap the white for the brown for the fiber, which can be more satisfying and have a lesser effect on your blood sugar.
Best Foods for Weight Loss
You’ll find a mix of traditional vegetable sushi rolls—think cucumber and avocado—and contemporary rolls catered to vegans. These may have several different foods in one roll, like a specialty roll, but with plant-based ingredients. As such, these fancier vegan sushi rolls may have added sauces, which means more calories and sodium.
Lastly, while some vegan sushi may use tofu or mock meat, some may lack it. In this case, you may want to order a side dish, such as edamame, to include someplant-based proteinas part of your meal. If you’re eating strictly plant-based, you may want to ask about foods that seem vegan, like miso soup, but may be made with fish sauce or broth.
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