How Healthy is Sushi?

Sushi has taken the front seat in mainstream dining, now available at thousands of buffets and even grocery stores. A few decades ago, sushi was simply a gourmet menu item; sushi was served at only upscale restaurants and was long considered a luxury until it started popping up on local dinner menus.

The surge in popularity is also due to its 'health food' status; sushi that's prepared with quality ingredients and in its traditional style is still a low-calorie food. Now you can find it at franchises, fast food stops, and even gas stations where freshly packed sushi sits in the refrigerator section. If you're in need for a healthy meal or snack, here's a quick nutritional guide for finding out if your pick of sushi really is worth the investment:

Popular and Standard Sushi Rolls

The most popular, and most common sushi rolls you find at the neighborhood market and Asian restaurant include the following healthy choices:

-Dragon roll: 84 calories, 3 grams of fat

-Rainbow roll: 80 calories, 1.5 grams of fat

-California roll: 60 calories, 2 grams of fat

-Veggie roll: 70 calories, 1 gram of fat

-Avocado roll: 40 calories, 2 grams of fat

Gourmet Sushi Rolls

Move onto gourmet combinations, and you'll likely find the following healthy choices:

-Spicy Tuna Roll: 75 calories, 2 grams of fat

-Shrimp Nigiri: 68 calories, 1 gram of fat

-Philly Rolls: 85 calories, 3 grams of fat

-Salmon Nigiri: 68 calorie, 1 gram of fat

The average piece of sushi is fairly healthy compared to fast food and processed fare. As long as you have the sodium content under control, you'll find a balanced meal of rice and protein. Some sushi is already packed with soy sauce which can raise the sodium content sky high. It's best to take advantage of low sodium soy sauce if it's available, and you can always dress up the roll with a pinch of wasabi or pickled ginger. Just steer clear of gourmet sushi rolls that include duck or eel, since these will quickly add hundreds of calories per serving; anything filled with cream cheese is also likely to be high-calorie.

Another sushi item to watch out for is 'tempura'. Tempura means deep fried, and you'll be adding excess calories without realizing it; when it comes to sushi, there's not a lot of difference in taste since the meat portions are so small; look for steamed fish as often as possible and you'll be well on your way to healthier eating.