Leslie Wieczorek
One “gift” that most Americans have is the ability to make any food or dish unhealthy. We can take some of the finest foods and fatten them up. Fish, for example—hey let’s bread it, deep fry it, melt some cheese on it, stick it on a bun with mayo and relish and voila! A yummy fish sandwich (called a “Whaler” at some establishments for good reason!) Then we do the same with perfectly good chicken; next we take a beautiful colorful salad and add croutons, bacon bits and a delicious creamy dressing…..but wait, how did I gain weight by eating a salad!
It happens because we become a bit careless. We go for convenience or cut ourselves little breaks here and there and before you know it, it has really added up—right around your hips!
One of my “treats” I like to have, that I see as quite healthy is sushi. I love it. I want it for my birthday every year and every other special occasion. I want it when I go out with my girls and I want it when I am settling down for live eviction night on Big Brother. So, I have it pretty much whenever I can.
Surprisingly to some, sushi is not always so good for you. Yep, we have even found a way to make raw fish fattening! As a general rule, the combination of rice, seaweed, seafood, and vegetables (often avocado or cucumber) makes for a low-calorie, high-protein meal that will fill you up and, depending on the type of seafood you choose, provide a healthy dose of heart-helpful omega-3 fatty acids. However, some sushi rolls come laced with mayo, sauces and cream cheese, and not all the meat is actually “real” – imitation crab comes with only 40 percent of the protein of the real deal and offers almost no omega-3s. Let’s look at some basic rolls to find out which ones are worth choosing and which are secret diet destroyers.
Spicy Tuna Roll: INGREDIENTS: Nori, rice, tuna, mayo, chili sauce; 290 calories,
11 g fat, 24 g protein, 3.5 g fiber, 26 g carbohydrates
This is really one of my favorites, but, in the world of sushi, “spicy” means a spoonful of mayo spiked with an Asian chili sauce. The calorie counts can climb higher than this, depending on how heavy a hand the sushi chef has with the spicy stuff. Either way, you’re better off satisfying your need for heat with a touch of wasabi.
Philadelphia Roll: INGREDIENTS: Nori, rice, salmon, cream cheese, cucumber;290 calories,12 g fat (5 g saturated), 14 g protein, 2 g fiber, 28 g carbohydrates. Just like the mayo adds empty calories to an otherwise reliable spicy tuna roll, cream cheese blankets perfectly fine salmon and cucumber with an unnecessary measure of fat.
Salmon & Avocado Roll: INGREDIENTS: Nori, rice, salmon, avocado
304 calories, 8.5 g fat, 13 g protein, 6 g fiber, 42 g carbohydrates
High in calories, but nearly all of those calories come from the one-two punch of healthy fats found in the salmon and the avocado
Eel & Avocado Roll: INGREDIENTS: Nori, rice, avocado, eel
372 calories, 17 g fat, 20 g protein, 6 g fiber, 31 g carbohydrates
Eel brings a solid helping of omega-3s to the sushi bar, but unfortunately, it’s almost always covered in a gloppy, sugary brown sauce that masks both the nutrition and the delicate natural flavor. If you opt for this roll, make it your only one of the night.
Rainbow Roll: INGREDIENTS: Nori, rice, avocado, surimi, plus a variety of raw fish arranged on top
476 calories, 16 g fat, 33 g protein, 6 g fiber, 50 g carbohydrates
Higher in calories than most rolls you’ll find, but loaded as this is with substantial portions of myriad raw fish, most of those calories are the good kind. Rainbow rolls are typically large, so a single order and a bowl of miso soup make a filling dinner.
So in general, the best way to keep sushi healthy is to avoid anything fried, take it easy on the sauces (if you do soy, go lite), and avoid the mayonnaise and cream cheese all together. If possible, request brown rice, and for true raw fish lovers- you can take out more guess work by going for the sashimi (just fish) and limiting the rolls.
Sayonara!