Top 10 Healthy Dishes to Order While Dining at a Japanese Restaurant

Research over the past few decades have shown that Japanese people have a much longer life span than any other people in the world. The reasons for their long lives have been traced back to their healthy lifestyle in the foods they eat. A traditional Japanese diet consists of rice, vegetables, fish and legumes. Another great feature of the Japanese diet is the way they prepare their food; they are prepared boiled, steamed, grilled and even served raw, they also use a wok to prepare some of their stir-fry dishes, another great quality of Japanese food is that they do not drown their food in sauces like Americans tend to do. By adding an overwhelming amount of sauces to our food we take away from the benefits of the nutrients, minerals and vitamins we are trying to get out of the food. However, Japanese cuisine does not over do it with the sauces and believe it or not, the food tastes better.

I personally love Japanese food because of the healthy value and great taste. Below is a list of the top 10 healthiest Japanese dishes you should consider ordering when you go out to a Japanese restaurant.

Miso Soup

This is one of my favorite Asian style soups, made from a base of fermented soybeans, which contains a wholesome serving of isoflavones. Studies have shown that compound of Miso soup can reduce the production of fat cells. Miso soup has 70 calories, 2g of fat, 9g carbohydrates and 5g of protein.

Vegetable Tempura

Even though this dish is battered and deep fried, it is not as bad for you as you would think. Unlike American batter used to deep fry foods, Japanese use a tempura batter; which is much lighter and has less calories, with the added vegetables stuffed inside the batter it is overall better than any American deep fried dishes. The calorie count for one serving of vegetable tempura is 400 calories, 39g of fat, 10.5g carbohydrates and 8g of protein.

Rice

Most people think that rice is bad for you and full of carbohydrates. Well this is not true; in fact rice is a major staple in any Asian diet and is actually good for you. Rice is a better starch than potatoes. Japanese and all Asian cultures steam their rice making it even healthier for consumption. A serving of steamed white rice has 140 calories, 0g of fat, 28g of carbohydrates and 4g of protein.

Nigiri

This dish is one of my favorites and is packed with flavor. This dish consists of medium sized cube shaped rice with raw fish of your choice fastened atop and wrapped with seaweed. One serving is 68 calories, 1g fat, 9g of carbohydrates and 5g of protein.

Sashimi

This is a dish that presents seafood in its purest form and consists of small, thin slices of raw salmon, squid or tuna and is packed full of fresh protein and almost no fat. 60calories, 0g of fat, 1g carbohydrates and 25g of protein in each piece you eat.

Tofu

This is another staple in the Japanese diet because it is very high in protein and low in fat. Tofu is a great way to get what you need without eating what you don't want. Per serving Tofu has 40 calories, 0g of fat, 4g carbohydrates and 20g of protein.

Green Tea

Although from China, green tea has evolved into several Japanese tea's, such as bancha and matcha tea. Green tea is a very rich source of antioxidants and catechin which can help fight off cardiovascular disease, oral health, Alzheimer's and certain cancers. There are no calories, fat so enjoy a nice hot cup pf green tea with your next Japanese meal.

Shiitake Mushrooms

Shiitake mushrooms are not your everyday common mushrooms. Shiitake mushrooms are tasteful delicacies that are high in protein and very low in calories. These particular mushrooms also have "medicinal properties", such as lentinan, which is a cancer reducing property; they also help lower cholesterol, blood pressure and stimulate the immune system. Shiitake have 10 calories per serving, 0g of fat, 0g of carbohydrates and 10g of protein.

Azuki Beans

This is one of the best Japanese deserts that I have ever had and healthy too. This desert replaced chocolate. This bean is full of polyphenols, which are great for the heart. One serving is 294 calories, 20g of fat, 50g of carbohydrates and 18g of protein.

Sushi

All sushi is good for your, they have few calories and are high in protein and omega-3's, nutrients and vitamins. Cucumber rolls have 110 calories, 0g of fat, 7g of carbohydrates and 10-12g of protein depending on what fish is in or on it. Tuna roll has 140 calories, 2g of fat, 7g of carbohydrates and 20g of protein. California roll has 255 calories, 7g of fat, 10g of carbohydrates and 20g of protein.

References for this article came from my own personal experience and from www.thedailyplate.com and www.everydayhealth.com.