Is Sushi Good for You? Here’s What a Dietitian Says

The biggest question asked by most Asian food lovers is: Is sushi good for you? Sushi is a traditional Japanese dish made with a variety of cooked and raw seafood, vegetables, and rice wrapped in sheets of dried seaweed called nori.

Sushi is often considered to be a healthy food, as it's made from freshly sourced seafood and rice. Not just in Japan, sushi is quite popular in the United States and is sold in fast food stores as well as in Asian restaurants.

It can be made from cooked or raw ingredients depending on your taste preference. Squids, eels, salmon, tuna, and crab meat are among the popular ingredients. In this article, we will discuss the nutritional facts that make sushi good for you and the possible downsides of this popular dish.

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Is Sushi Healthy for You? Nutritional Facts That Make Sushi Good for You

Health benefits that make sushi good for you (Image via Unsplash/Vinicius Benedit)

The nutritional value varies with the type of sushi roll. We bring out the different types of popular sushi rolls and their respective nutritional values below:

1) California Roll

It's a popular type of sushi roll that includes cucumber, avocado, and cooked imitation crab wrapped in nori. Imitation crab is a type of fish called pollock, also known as surimi. Pollock is low in mercury, which makes surimi sushi good for you.

Hundred grams of Surimi-based California rolls contain:

• Calories: 93
• Protein: 2.9 grams
• Carbs: 18.4 grams
• Fat: 0.7 grams
• Sodium: 428 mg, or around 18% of the Daily Value (DV)

As imitation crabs are pre-cooked, California rolls are an ideal option for those who do not prefer raw sushi rolls.

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2) Spicy Tuna & Salmon Sashimi Roll

It'd a popular dish containing vinegar, rice, avocado, cucumber, sesame seeds, and chili sauce. The main ingredient is either raw tuna or salmon. Raw fish is known as sashimi in Japanese. Hundred grams of spicy sushi rolls provide:

• Calories: 175
• Protein: 7.5 grams
• Carbs: 16.7 grams
• Fat: 7.5 grams
• Sodium: 217 mg, or 9% of the DV

Tuna and salmon contain good amounts of omega-3 fatty acids known for their anti-inflammatory properties. These fatty acids make salmon or tuna sushi good for you.

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3) Shrimp Tempura Roll

Tempura refers to foods dipped in batter and deep-fried. In this dish, shrimp are dipped in a batter of flour, eggs, and breadcrumbs before being deep-fried in oil or butter.

Shrimp tempura is best enjoyed with tempura sauce made of soy sauce, sugar, and mirin, a type of Japanese rice wine. This dish has a crispy texture and is often found in popular fast-food stores. Hundred grams of shrimp tempura rolls contain:

• Calories: 175
• Protein: 3.7 grams
• Carbs: 28 grams
• Fat: 5.9 grams
• Sodium: 421 mg, or 17% of the DV

Fried shrimp rolls often contain seed oils rich in omega-6 fatty acids that cause inflammation. Chronic inflammation is associated with a risk of heart attack, liver cirrhosis, and joint pain.

Tempura fried in butter is considered to be a better option. Oil can increase the calorific value of sushi rolls, which makes other types of sushi good for you.

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Is Sushi Good for Weight Loss?

Sushi made using fresh fish can be good for weight loss (Image via Unsplash/Andraz Lazic)

A comparative analysis of popular types of sushi rolls reveals the difference in nutritional values of each dish, which can be attributed to the different types of ingredients used in them.

If you're on a low-carb diet, go for rice-free sushi known as sashimi. The negligible amount of rice used in these recipes makes sushi good for you and your weight loss goals. Keep in mind that some sushi rolls contain deep-fried seafood and must be avoided. Avocados used in sushi rolls are nutritious fruits and are among the foods containing healthy fats.

You can also prepare sushi at home using avocados, salmon, and rice. Home-cooked ingredients make sushi good for you. Remember to include fresh fish and organic avocados to get all the benefits.

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Indranil Biswas is a dietitian with a diploma in dietetics with a specialization in clinical and sports nutrition.

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