Does This Sushi Make Me Look Fat?
How to spot and avoid sources of hidden calories in sushi
If you’re carefully counting calories, here’s something that may shock you. Some sushi can out weigh fast food fare like cheeseburgers in calories. Sushi has for so long been seen as a healthy food that one can eat without all the guilt. And though many sushi rolls and nigiri have obvious health benefits, there are several places where hidden calories lurk, often undetected.
Calorie Hide Out #1 : High Fructose Corn Syrup Convenient prepackaged vinegar marinades for sushi rice often contain large amounts of high fructose corn syrup, which is higher in calories than granulated sugar. This can easily be avoided by mixing your own marinade where you can adjust the amount of sugar according to your diet and particular tastes. Also, watch out for pre-packed sushi rolls often found in grocery stores. The rice is usually dressed with high fructose corn syrup.
Calorie Hide Out #2 : Mayo 55+ calories per roll Because we tend to favor rich tastes, sushi bars accommodate that preference with the addition of mayo based sauces. It is obvious that any roll stating mayo as a sauce will be higher in calories. Requests to omit the mayo based sauce can usually be accommodated. But before ordering that California Roll, ask if the crab has been dressed with mayo. Many sushi bars do this to enhance the taste of the artificial crab stick. Another sneaky place mayo lurks? Take a look at your Spicy Tuna. Practices vary greatly and some sushi bars dress Spicy Tuna or anything labeled “spicy” with mayo, while others rely on lower calorie hot sauces and dried spices for flavor.
Calorie Hide Out #3 : Rice 120+calories per 1/2 cup Here is another calorie booster that at first may seem quite obvious. The very definition of sushi means vinegar dressed rice and it is an easily reached conclusion that limiting the amount of rice during a sushi meal will also reduce the total calorie intake. But what isn’t so obvious is just how much rice you may be consuming. The rice often appears minimal because it is compacted. The amount of rice use varies greatly depending on the sushi type. Nigiri zushi may have anywhere from 1-2 tablespoons of rice per piece, where inside out sushi rolls may have as much a 1 full cup of rice per 6-8 piece order. Thin rolls have the least amount of rice per 4-6 piece order, at about 1/3 cup of rice. Also, the amount of rice used varies on the sushi chef and the practice of the sushi bar. Less experienced sushi chefs tend to spread rice thicker than their more experienced counterparts. And discount sushi bars encourage the use of a thicker coating of rice to minimize the use of more expensive fillings.To limit your rice intake, take advantage of low calorie sashimi and popular appetizers such as edamame or seaweed salad to help fill you up. And when choosing your sushi, order nigiri zushi and thin rolls rather than ordering several inside out rolls.
Limiting tempura rolls and crunchy rolls will cut down on calories, too. Crunchies can add 70+ calories per roll.
Here are a few examples of approximate calorie breakdowns for commonly eaten sushi. The caloric intake can great shift, as sushi portions are not standard and each sushi bar incorporates various ingredients.
Thin Cucumber Roll (Kappa Maki) 136 calories
Thin Avocado Roll 246 calories
Thin Tuna Roll 190 calories
Salmon Nigiri 68 calories
Eel Nigiri 90 calories
Dragon Roll 507 calories
Shrimp Tempura (Inside Out Roll) 544 calories
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