Is Sushi As Healthy As You Think?
Yes, but it can backfire on you quickly!
I get a lot of questions from clients (and friends) asking if sushi is really as healthy as they think. Truthfully, it can be a very healthy meal, but it can also sabotage your goals without you knowing it. The basic foundation of your sushi meal is fish, so you’re off to a good start with a lean source of protein and heart healthy omega-3 fatty acids. Plus most rolls have some fiber, vitamins, and minerals thanks to their cucumber, avocado, seaweed, or carrots. But from here your would-be healthy meal can quickly snowball into a calorie bomb and leave you feeling hungry afterwards.
Here are 5 ways to keep your sushi nights in check
Roll Don’ts: Don’t go overboard on the spicy rolls. That spicy mayo jacks up the saturated fat and calories without offering any nutrition in return. Another calorie culprit are those Philadelphia rolls with their cream cheese, skip these too. Next, avoid the rolls that say crunchy or crispy (which is another way of saying fried), skip the added crunch toppings, and all things tempura.
Roll Do’s: Do look for rolls that are plain fish and veggies, and ask for brown rice when you can. If you’re looking for some spice add jalapeño to the roll. Keep your roll pieces to 6-10 total and fill in with sashimi pieces. Frequently, the sashimi section will offer a really great fish selection that never make it into the rolls, like octopus, sea bass, trout, fluke, article char, and snapper. Also, mix things up with a hand roll instead of a typical cut-up roll, which will give you a healthy crunch from the seaweed.
Add in more fiber: Fiber is what is going to fill you up and keep you full long after the meal ends. It also seriously ups the nutrition game of any dish. Try adding in edamame to your meal along with some greens like a house salad with ginger dressing, a seaweed salad, or spinach ohitashi. And don’t skip the miso soup, a total nutritious powerhouse.
Easy with the Sake: If you’re drinking sake (or any booze) make sure you’re drinking plenty of water with it too. Sushi meals can be high in salt, making you more thirsty than usual and having you reach for a drink more often than at other meals. If you are only drinking alcohol you will end up drinking more than you realize leaving you to overeat and likely feeling hungover the next day. Instead keep your beverages to a 1 to 1 ratio of booze to water. Don’t love plain water, try adding in a lemon, switching to sparkling water, or plain club soda will work too.
Be smart about Mercury: Too much raw or undercooked fish can lead to mercury poisoning, which will leave you with mood swings, anxiety, decreased ability to focus and think straight, insomnia, headaches, muscle weakness and tremors, and peeling gums…basically everything you want to take a hard pass on. If you’re like me, and you eat sushi once a week (or more), than you want to make sure you 1) choose fish that are low in mercury, like salmon, shrimp, scallops, or eel, and 2) mix up the type of fish you’re eating per sushi meal, you can still eat your tuna/toro/yellowtail, just not every time you eat sushi. If you eat sushi once in awhile, then you’re ok with the fish you choose. To know more about the mercury in your favorite sushi order, here’s a list of highest to lowest levels of mercury in fish.
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