Sushi is not as healthy as people assume
Sure, it looks healthy. On a physical level, the design is very minimalist and clean, which gives the eyes a taste before the meal even begins. But looks can be deceiving; in fact, one Dragon Roll can have more than 600 calories. If you are consider sushi a healthy part of your diet, then you should be aware of some of the things that can make it unhealthy. Try avoiding them next time you order, and you'll save yourself plenty of calories.
1. Sushi Rice is littered with carbohydrates/simple sugars.
We all know to avoid sugar and carbohydrates when going on a weight-loss diet. Consumers assume that brown sushi rice turns an unhealthy sushi roll into a healthy one. Unfortunately, it's not the rice alone that makes the roll unhealthy.
Have you ever tasted just the rice? Try it next time.
You'll notice it tastes very sweet, unlike normal, flavorless rice. That's because sushi restaurants load their rice with sugar to enhance the flavor. While this practice makes the sushi taste better, it also makes it very high in unhealthy carbohydrates, especially considering that rice itself is already loaded with carbs.
2. The sauces are full of unhealthy fats and sugars.
While it looks like only a little sauce, the calories add up to turn a regular sushi roll into an unhealthy, raw-fish version of a Big Mac. Eel sauce and spicy mayonnaise are the top culprits.
Pound for pound, Eel Sauce has 3x more sugar than Coca Cola.
3. One tray of soy sauce has almost half your daily recommended intake of sodium.
Not to mention the very salted seaweed wrapper. This leads to high blood pressure and other unwanted health effects.
4. It is less protein than you think
Sushi restaurants want to make money; therefore, most of them put very little fish and pump up the rest of the roll with the sugar-saturated rice.
Don't avoid sushi if you like it.
Just realize that it's not the healthy meal that you might assume it to be, and treat it accordingly. Healthier alternatives to ordering regular rolls may be to just get sashimi (the raw fish), but remember to also add plenty of vegetables for fiber.