When it comes to Asian cuisine, sushi is definitely one of the healthier options. Between fresh fish, veggies and seaweed, sushi has some great nutritional benefits, but here are a few tips to make your sushi the healthiest it can be:
1) Start with Miso Soup
Eat miso soup before you get sushi, the warm broth will fill you up without all the calories and you won’t eat as many rolls. Miso soup also has some great health benefits because it is traditionally made with fermented grain/noodles which contains probiotic bacteria (the good kind!).
2) Limit White Rice
In each sushi roll, there is approximately 1 cup of white rice which is equivalent to about 200 calories. That’s quite a lot, considering it’s an empty carb that spikes your blood sugar and each serving usually comes with 6-8 rolls. You could skip the rice all together and get sashimi. More grocery stores and restaurants are offering sushi made with brown rice, which is a great option too.
3) Skip the Sauce and Cream Cheese
A lot of non-traditional sushi has a creamy mayo sauce that is drizzled (sometimes drenched!) on the sushi roll. Try and avoid the rolls that have cream cheese in them too, this will help you avoid unnecessary fats. Stick with traditional sushi and you won’t have to worry about either!
4) Use Low-Sodium Sauce
Soy sauce has a TON of sodium that can skyrocket your cholesterol levels. Make sure to use reduced-sodium soy sauce, but be careful because it can still contain quite a bit of salt. Use sparingly!
5) Eat with Chopsticks
Using chopsticks instead of a fork can help you slow down your eating, especially if you’re not the best at using them! That will give your brain and body time to be in sync.
6) Eat the Ginger
Sushi usually comes with ginger, you know that “garnish” that you never eat? Well, include that in your meal! Ginger is a great immune booster and has vitamins such as magnesium and potassium. Plus, it’s a great way to clear your palette from one flavorful sushi roll to another.
If you’re feeling ambitious, you can even make your own sushi, that way you control the ingredients! Here’s a great recipe from “To Live and to Diet in L.A.” Brown Rice Sushi Recipe