Many of the dishes listed on the typical sushi bar's menu boast terms and ingredients that fall on the end of the health spectrum. Below are a few offenders to be wary of:
Any item with the term "spicy": You can usually count on mayo being a key ingredient in these dishes.
Tempura or any item with the word "crunchy": These terms are code for deep fried, which can turn any wholesome fish or vegetable into a higher calorie concoction of unhealthy fat.
Sauces: Those delectable sauces drizzled atop and around your rolls? They're typically high in sugar, fat, and calories. Dynamite sauce (the creamy, light orange sauce) is primarily made up of mayo, and eel sauce (the sweet brown sauce) is very high in sugar.
White rice: Being a refined grain, white rice lacks in fiber and nutrients. It can also spike blood sugar, leading to continuous feelings of hunger following consumption.
Advice for a healthier meal:
- Start with a miso soup, house salad, edamame, or seaweed salad to fill you up a bit before digging into the rolls. Their high sodium contents aside, miso soup is low in calories and full of gut-healthy probiotics (which aid in digestion) and seaweed contains an array of vitamins and minerals, such as vitamin B, iodine, and iron. If you opt for a starter salad, ask for the dressing on the side and dip your fork into it between bites. You're likely to save yourself a hefty amount of calories, sugar, and fat that commonly lurk in many salad dressings.
- If ordering maki (the rolls, usually coming in an order of six), ask if you can substitute white rice for brown rice, which will provide you with nutrients and fiber. You can also swap it for cucumber (yes— cucumber!). This low-carb and refreshing option keeps the meal extra-light.
- Ask to have any sauces that would otherwise be topping your rolls excluded from your order. I guarantee your dish will still be full of flavor!
- Interested in ordering nigiri (a piece of fish atop sushi rice, held together by a bit of wasabi)? Consider swapping it for sashimi (fish without the rice). If you're already ordering up some maki, this will aid in cutting down your meal's carb content. Salmon and tuna are both great choices. They're high in omega-3s and are among the lower-calorie fish.
- Go for the wasabi! Adding a spicy kick to your sushi can rev your metabolism, just don't go too crazy if you've yet to experiment with it. A friend of mine learned this the hard way when in elementary school, I prepared a wasabi roll (all of the wasabi my maki lunch came with, wrapped in a piece of seaweed I'd extracted from one of my rolls) for her. I didn't actually think she'd eat it. And yet, she did. Her face turned a very bright shade of red. Just a little of the green stuff will go a long way!
- Take it easy on the soy sauce, even if it's low-sodium. Our bodies do need sodium to function, but too much can lead to bloating and high blood pressure. While regular soy sauce contains around 920 milligrams of sodium per tablespoon, low-sodium still contains a good amount with around 575 milligrams per tablespoon.
- Not in the mood for fish/don't eat it? Consider giving soba noodles a try— they're made of buckwheat, making for a whole-grain, protein-bearing option. Veggie maki is another great option, as well.
- If you're dying for a tempura roll, by all means, order it! But consider splitting it with a friend or sharing it with the table. You'd be surprised by how satisfied you can feel from simply acquiring its taste, and by not making an indulgent roll the focus of your meal, you can save a hefty amount of calories and fat.
The message here isn't to say adieu to your favorite Japanese dishes; rather, it's about mix and matching the less healthy with the lean and clean to create a balanced meal!
