How Healthy Is Sushi?

What exactly is sushi?

Sushi is a traditional Japanese food, based around a particular variety of short-grain rice that's lightly seasoned with vinegar and served with a selection of raw or cooked seafood like shrimp, fish and vegetables.

Toppings and fillings include sushi-grade raw fish, such as salmon or tuna, cooked fish or shellfish, tofu, avocado, chicken, vegetables and wasabi.

Nutritional profile of sushi

A serving of sushi tuna nigiri (6 pieces) typically provides:

• 255kcal / 1080kj
• 12.6g protein
• 3.8g fat
• 45.5g carbohydrates

What sushi ingredients are healthy?

Sushi can be a healthy choice, but it depends on the type you choose and the ingredients used. Oily fish, such as salmon, provides omega-3, which is an essential fatty acid and has to be obtained from your diet.

While avocados are an excellent source of heart-healthy fats, including the mono-unsaturated variety as well as vitamin E. Seaweed is a classic ingredient in sushi, both as dried sheets used to wrap around the rice (nori) or in salads (wakame). High in fibre and protein, seaweed is also a good source of minerals including iodine, iron, zinc and vitamin B12.

How to make a healthy sushi order

• Keep rice to a minimum and look for the fresh fish and sashimi-style dishes, or those wrapped in seaweed.
• Add some miso soup and edamame beans for extra health benefits.
• Go easy on the soy sauce and avoid any deep-fried dishes or mayonnaise-heavy dishes.
• Mind your portions. It’s very easy to think you’re not eating a lot when sushi comes in bite-size pieces, but the calories and salt content could soon add up, especially when you eat more than 8-10 pieces.