Sushi nutrition is a question that is on a lot of peoples minds. But is it actually one of the healthiest and most nutritional foods available today? Is Sushi Healthy? Really? I'm not sure. Yet. But we will find out.
I do know that great claims have been made as to the health benefits of the typical Japanese diet of Fish, Rice and Vegetables. All of which are present in most types of sushi. And as a matter of fact, the average life expectancy of both men and women in Japan are the highest of any people in the world. And the obesity rate is 3.2%; about 10 times LESS than it is here in the United States. How's that for a track record?
For a run down of some of the health benefits of common sushi ingredients visit our Health Benefits of Sushi page. We'll dig deeper into nitty gritty of some of the most commonly used sushi items.
If you are more interested in the calorie content of
If you are not interested in either of the above, and just want to know what kind of "dirt" we could dig up on the supposed "healthiness" of eating sushi, see below for some sushi nutrition bustin' facts.
All Sushi is not created Equally
In general, sushi should be pretty healthy. But there are certain things to watch out for as in most everything else you can eat. Here's a list of a few things to keep an eye out for.Not as Healthy Sushi Nutrition Choices
- Some seafood such as Shrimp and Squid are high in cholestrol. So eat this in moderation. Especially if you already have high cholestrol and need to watch your intake.
- Soy sauce is high in salt. So use in moderation or use the light soy sauce. It can contain wheat too so should be avoided by those who have problems digesting gluten.
- Some modern Sushi may not be as healthy as their ancient counterparts. With the advent of fusion sushi and experimental sushi some techniques make the sushi unhealthy. For instance, there are some rolls that are battered (usually in tempura batter) and then quick fried. No matter how "quick" the frying is, deep frying is never healthy. So avoid these options if healthy choices are a priority.
- Mayonnaise and other condiments may be used. Some Sushi (especially rolls) may contain condiments such as japanese mayonnaise. One roll that springs to mind is the spicy tuna roll or handroll. If you want to avoid the mayo in these rolls, just opt for the regular tuna roll.