Not-so-skinny sushi
Jul 18th, 2012
You know what a label nazi I am by now. Unless I am going out to a special dinner or event I know the general (read: exact) nutritional information of everything I put into my mouth. But sushi is one that has always escaped me. What could be unhealthy about seaweed and fish? Nothing as long as that’s all you are eating. In general, I stick to sashimi but occasionally I need something heartier and will opt for my go-to spicy tuna roll. My favorite part of the spicy tuna roll is, of course, the spicy which is just mayonnaise in a delicious disguise. If you like sushi rolls this information from Women’s Health will prove helpful the next time you check the box on your order form. *Nutrition stats based on a 6-8 piece roll.
Rainbow Roll: 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.
Cucumber Roll: Nori, rice, cucumber
136 calories
0 g fat
6 g protein
3.5 g fiber
30 g carbohydrates
It’s hard to go wrong with cucumbers and seaweed. Though not a nutritional powerhouse, cucumbers are a low-calorie delivery system for vitamins A and C, fiber, and silica, a compound that has been shown to foster healthy skin.
Avocado Roll: Nori, rice, avocado
140 calories
5.5 g fat
2 g protein
6 g fiber
28 g carbohydrates
Most of the calories in this vegetarian roll come from healthy monounsaturated fats. Avocado makes a great addition to any roll, since a sushi-size portion also contains about 3 grams of fiber.
Tuna Roll: Nori, rice, tuna
184 calories
2 g fat
24 g protein
3.5 g fiber
27 g carbohydrates
More than half of the calories in this simple, classic roll come from protein, making it a great light meal or a snack with substance.
California Roll: Nori, rice, avocado, surimi
255 calories
7 g fat
9 g protein
6 g fiber
38 g carbohydrates
The ubiquitous fusion roll is a great beginner’s foray into the potential of sushi, since there’s no raw fish involved. There are also no real healthy fats either (aside from the avocado, of course), since the fake crab (made from a variety of processed and compressed fish) has 1⁄15 the amount of omega-3s as the real stuff.
Spicy Tuna Roll: Nori, rice, tuna, mayo, chili sauce
290 calories
11 g fat
24 g protein
3.5 g fiber
26 g carbohydrates
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: 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: 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 and Avocado Roll: 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 of this wily sea creature. If you opt for this roll, make it your only one of the night.
Shrimp Tempura Roll: Nori, rice, shrimp, tempura batter, oil for frying
508 calories
21 g fat
20 g protein
4.5 g fiber
64 g carbohydrates
Why take a perfectly good piece of lean shrimp and ruin it with thick batter and a hot oil bath? The joy of fried food—the crunch—is snuffed out by the moist rice, so this one doesn’t make sense from either a flavor or a nutritional perspective.
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