If there is one food that hollers “healthy” it’s sushi. It’s always served fresh, is stuffed with the goodness of seaweed and fish, and is always light on the tummy. All your lean meat and vegetables come wrapped in a tight, compact roll, which makes it so perfect for when you’re on the go!
But like all other good things, sushi too comes with its own set of caveats that you’re blissfully unaware of. The benefits of this food are pretty much lost in translation after its popularity took it to the West. You now have deep fried rolls served with mayonnaise-based sauces that do away with the simplicity of this famous Japanese food. Order two of these, along with an appetizer, and a few drinks and you’ve overridden your calorie intake for the day. Not so healthy, after all!
But there is no need to despair. Practicing a little mindfulness about your choice of condiments can prevent your sushi night from undoing all your efforts at the gym. Here are some healthy options you can consider.
6 Most Nutritious Sushi Rolls To Order
1. The Signature Veggie Roll
This roll serves you fresh pickled vegetables wrapped snugly in seaweed. The vegetables will give you a healthy dose of vitamins A, C, and E, while the seaweed packs in essential minerals like zinc, iodine, and calcium. If you want more fiber, leave out the white rice and go for brown instead. A regular sushi veggie roll will give you approximately 170 calories.
2. The Mackerel Roll
While tuna is a great option too, it does come with some risks like mercury poisoning. Switch over to the mackerel instead. This delicious white fish serves you plenty of heart-friendly omega-3s with a boost of selenium – an important mineral that may help keep cancer at bay.
3. The Rainbow Roll
From bagels and ice cream to noodles and grilled cheese sandwiches– the colorful rainbow food trend has had a lot of people going berserk. And while most of these foods are absolute health no-nos, rainbow sushi gets a great big thumbs up!
The rainbow sushi roll is for those of us who want a bit of everything. This roll is characterized by a variety of colorful fish wrapped tightly around a regular vegetable roll. Its hefty nutritional value may make this roll a little heavier on the calories as compared to the others. But even if you pair this roll with a one bowl serving of miso soup, you’re still well under 425 calories.
4. The Salmon-Cucumber Roll
Like the mackerel option, this choice of sushi roll is also high in omega-3 fatty acids. Try to stick to the straight version instead of the spicy one though. A single tablespoon of chili-spiked mayonnaise can slap on an extra 99 calories along with 11 grams of fat!
5. The Sashimi Roll
Finely sliced raw fish without rice is one of the characteristics of the sashimi roll. The absence of rice in this roll will give you fewer calories than the other sushi rolls. Try drizzling a little wasabi over it. This green-colored paste made from horseradish has some potent antimicrobial properties that will fight off food poisoning.
6. The Avocado Roll
If you’re really particular about getting your dose of monounsaturated fatty acids, pick the avocado roll. Avocados are also incredibly low on calories, and super high in vitamin-content. When you see an avocado roll on your plate, you’re basically looking at a healthy serving of vitamins B5, B6, B9, C, E, and K. And if you pair this with brown rice instead of white, you’ve also got yourself a healthy boost of fiber!
