Sushi seems like it is low calorie and good for you, but I have a sneaking suspicion that some types aren't. After following a pretty regimented food day, I decided to eat 8 crunchy, spicy california type rolls. That seemingly small meal made me so very full and is giving me a feeling that some sushi is not too great for the old calorie counter. I know my sis who is rather svelte tries to stick to the raw fish without the rice. I wonder for eight rolls, exactly how much rice there is.

Thoughts on sushi?

If it doesnt have added sauce or tempura, then I think it's still low calorie and good for you. I don't know what's in the sauce, but the tempura's full of oil, so those are like having fries in each piece. :)

fish is naturally low in cals.

Yah, these rolls had some good sauce drizzled over them. I am suspecting that those sauces are mayonaise based.

Really the amount of rice in a sushi roll is pretty reasonable - as long as you're not supplementing it with fried tempura or an additional rice bowl or lots of sodium-rich soy sauce (or other sauce) then you should be okay. I'm going have sushi for lunch on Sunday and am very much looking forward to it!! Personally I like when I am filled up by sushi - it's always a much healthier "full" feeling than from foods like fries, burgers, etc.

I believe it. I hate mayo with a passion, and I love sushi but i've had rolls like you describe and the sauce just ruined it for me.

I gave sushi a chance but didn't like it much. Just posting a 'becareful' as my daughter and husband both got hepatitis A (last fall) from eating sushi. Hep A is not long lasting, like the other hep strains, nevertheless they were both quite ill. I am 100% positive this is what made them ill as we don't eat out often and that would be the only thing they consumed that the 3 other members of the household did not. My daughter only ate the california rolls. I was adamant she did not consume any raw meats at her age. I guess it didn't matter as all the various rolls share the same prep areas.

Sushi, when prepared correctly with the right quality of fish, really doesn't offer any higher chance of food poisoning than any other food. It _can_ happen, but you can also get food poisoning from peanut butter, spinach, eggs or ground beef (just to name a few...)

If you like sushi, I'd say go for it - just make sure you buy it from a well-run restaurant or make sure the fish is cooked, not raw (you will usually find cooked fish in sushi sold in grocery stores, for example). And it's best not to try to make your own sushi with raw fish at home.

Edited to add: All that said, there is _some_ risk of food poisoning anytime raw meat is involved. The vinegar used in the preparation of sushi is meant to combat bacterial growth, as is the freezing process required for commercial-grade sushi fish. Someone probably wouldn't want to be eating sushi on a daily basis (espcially since some species - tuna, especially - tend to have high levels of mercury that can accumulate in the body if the fish is consumed frequently). Sushi's not for everyone - I happen to love it as an occasional "treat" and have never gotten ill.

Here's a good site on 'sushi safety': http://www.bouldercounty.org/health/environ/foodsafety/factsheets/safeSushi.htm

Makai,

I like to get either veggie rolls (with things like cucumber, avocado and carrot) or california rolls (but nothing "crunchy" since that usually means there is something fried in it and no sauces except wasabi and soy) and they're pretty healthy. You can also add a side like miso soup (which is very low in calories but could be high in sodium) to make your meal more filling. I personally thing sushi is one of the more filling meals for the number of calories in it.

Next time you go, if you ask your server what is in the roll, he or she should be able to tell you if it's fried and what sauces it includes. Also, if it's a more health-conscious restaurant, they might make brown rice sushi or no rice sushi if you ask.

-Alison

Sushi is great for you...but North American-style sushi...not so much. Anything with 'spicy' in the name means it has mayonnaise in it. Also, if you have issues with preservatives in your food, don't get anything with 'surimi' or 'california' in the title.
Also, people order a lot of sushi in your average restaurant. I usually eat edamame before I start my meal, then order sashimi and a maki roll. That is usually filling and very tasty. If you are queasy or worried about raw fish...order the ebi...shrimp, which is often cooked, just ask. happy eating :)

8 rolls sounds like a lot, are you sure you do not mean 8 pieces. A normal (non-fried) roll has about 250 calories. I like to start the meal with miso soup (50) and a green salad with ginger dressing (100). I usually split two rolls (250)and get 2 pieces of sushi (150). I almost always drink green tea when I eat sushi. That is one place i cut down on calories, at any other restaurant I usually have wine. My sushi dinner's come out to 550 calories total. And that is without feeling deprived.

Stay away from spicy rolls (mayonnaise). Eel is high in fat but I like it so I don't care- I always get an eel roll.

LOVE SUSHI - mostly the rolls. You have to be smart about who is making your sushi (wouldn't get it from a grocery store or restaurant that doesn't specialize in the art of sushi). I feel strongly that you should to go to a sushi bar, order ala carte and enjoy an entire evening - it's definitely not fast food.

That sounds like an awesome dinner! I think I'm going to have to get some sushi this weekend!

I avoid anything crunchy or with mayo, and I ask for brown rice if they have it. At Whole Foods they sell a shrimp/avocado/cucumber roll with brown rice. The shrimp wasn't fried in tempura, so it was very healthy and delicious!

lmao! Wow! I get the impression it is believed we ordered the sushi from an alley next to a dumpster LOL It was an oriental restaurant and was prepared in public view. Unfortunately I didn't get the chance to follow the 'fella' around that was preparing the sushi- all day to watch his hygiene habits. And can you believe it? The damn restaurant wouldn't let me order the ingredients from the reputable suppliers, unbelievable! LOL

i personally eat sashimi, which is just the fish, and a wonderful tuna with some pickled ginger (just a few small pieces) is just the best!

the rice will kill you if you eat too much. The rice I use has more calories than the basmati I use for everyday recipes.