I'm getting mixed opinions. Is sushi good for you or not so good? I loooove the stuff, and I know the white rice isn't all that great...but it isn't THAT bad is it? And is it possible to get sushi without the rice? LoL
sushi is probably good for you in moderation. I think it is very good for you nutrition wise, its probably just quite high in calories because of the rice
Unfortunately I doubt you'll be able to get sushi without the rice as the 'sushi' is the rice, everything else in it is just an added extra. If it's the fish you like though you could try sashimi, that's prepared raw fish. It's quite nice, though I've never been a fan of seafood. Not sure if you can buy it in shops as conveniently as sushi but all the Japanese restaraunts round here have a take-out service so it might be the same where you are.
It may depend on your reaction to carbs. The calories usually aren't terrible, unless you are choosing a sushi with fried components or fatty fish. Some restaurants make brown rice sushi, which increases the fiber and can be more filling on fewer calories.
For lower carb japanese food options, I love seaweed salad, octopus and/or squid salad, and grilled beef or chicken on skewers, and edamame.
If you know of a sushi place where the chefs are especially accommodating, you could ask them to use less rice than usual. Or you could try making your own at home! That's easy for me to say, since I've never made sushi, haha.
I usually just get a smaller serving and order a healthy side to go with it -- soups fill you up for low calories because of all the water, edamame has lots of protein, and seaweed salad is pretty filling (I'd guess it's got a lot of fiber, but I've never looked it up). Or, if I'm bringing it home, I'll make a low-cal salad or something to go with it.
I LOVE SUSHI! But I have to watch my carbs. Fortunately, it's also high in other nutrients such as protein.
Mostly I order 1 roll of sushi (6 pcs) with some sashimi.
Sushi is roughly 200 cal 30 grams carbs and 20 grams protein. Add 100 cals for avocado or spicy alternatives such as spicy tuna). Order some Sashimi along with it. It's just raw fish or beef. You can also have the seared varieties. This adds protein without the carbs. Mind you the seared beef is about 350 cals per serving. All others are roughly 49 cals to 130 cals.
You should definitely keep it as part of your diet, but try and use the low sodium soy sauce.
I am all for making your own sushi. It is fun, and not that difficult. Honestly I learned on youtube. I haven't made anything other than california rolls though
Sushi doesn't have to contain raw fish. I've made sushi at home alot, but I only used raw fish once. The friend who taught me how to make sushi brought over sushi grade tuna (it has been frozen at extra low temperatures to kill any potential parasites).
The amount of sugar I was taught to put in sushi rice is pretty minimal for a large amount of rice, but at home I use Splenda instead. I also use other grains besides rice (bulgur wheat is good, but it doesn't really get sticky at all, so I have to make handrolls (make a nori cone and fill it with the bulgur and toppings).
Because even "good carbs," can be triggers for me, I don't eat much sushi anymore. Not because it's very high in calorie, but because I'm not satisfied with a reasonable portion. The squid salad and octupus salad has a touch of sweetener in the dressing, but it's low enough that it doesn't seem to trigger cravings for me.
You've really got to know yourself, and your physical and psychological triggers.
I make sushi at home all the time. I use brown rice and the amount of sugar you use is very minimal. I don't normally use fish in my sushi at home, but I have and if you buy sushi grade and use it the same day (keep refrigerated) I don't think it's a concern.
Oooh and I LOVE seaweed salad! I'm trying to learn how to duplicated it at home.
If you aren't carb sensitive I don't think white rice is unhealthy in moderation. We only eat brown rice at home and don't eat out often, so I don't worry about white rice when we go out for sushi. If you are carb sensitive then I'd order sashimi.
thats odd, i have never used sugar for making sushi, i've just used short grain rice whichh is sticky anyway, and sushi vinegar. Unless the vinegar has sugar in it?
Our downtown health food store sells the seaweed salad in frozen bricks. Yesterday, I nearly bought a brick (but it was $20), but instead I just bought a half pound of it from the deli. I don't know it's just such a "fun" thing to eat. I love the crunchy, squeaky, chewy texture, and the transparency of some of the seaweed that makes it look like it's made of threads of glass or plastic. It's just so pretty and fun ot eat, it's hard to believe it's not manmade like jello or something.
Seasoned rice wine vinegar has added sugar, and the unseasoned rice wine vinegar has some sweetness of it's own as well, so if you use a sweet or sweetened vinegar you wouldn't add sugar, or at least would use less.
The recipe I had used less than a tablespoon of sugar for a very large bowl of rice.
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