If you love sushi but have dietary
restrictions, don’t worry that you’ll have
to give up sushi. One of the healthier
popular foods on the culinary market, sushi
is so varied that you’re sure to find a type
that matches your diet. Read on to learn
which types of sushi best match your dietary
restrictions.
Important disclaimer: We are
not dieticians. We’ve done our best to
provide the best information out there on
how sushi fits into your diet, but if you
have serious health concerns, be sure to
bring them up with a doctor first. ng sushi
rolls, cucumber and tuna rolls come in with
some of the lowest fat and calorie contents.
Salmon rolls don’t do as well as tuna;
salmon is almost twice as fatty. Salmon roe
and whitefish are lower in fat content,
while eel, yellowtail, shrimp, scallop,
mackerel, and salmon tend to be higher.
Cucumber, seaweed, and avocado are typical
vegetables found in sushi; cucumber and
seaweed are lower in fat and calories, while
avocado is higher. Avoid tempura.
The Atkins diet. If you want to avoid carbs,
go with sashimi instead of sushi. That way,
you’ll get the protein without the rice.
Choose sardine, tuna, red snapper, bonito,
yellowtail, or eel for higher-protein
sashimi. Watch out for abalone, which
contains carbs.
Vegans and vegetarians. There are lots of
sushi options for vegans and vegetarians.
The rice itself is veg-safe, made of a
combination of rice, vinegar, rice wine, and
seasonings. Eating vegan or vegetarian at a
sushi restaurant is often simply a matter of
picking the right ingredients to go with the
rice. Choose cucumber rolls; avocado rolls;
pickle rolls which incorporate pickled
carrot, plum, or Japanese radish; nato maki,
or fermented soybean roll; spinach rolls;
and shiitake mushroom rolls, just to name a
few.
People with allergies. Those with strong
allergies—particularly to shellfish—need to
be especially careful in Japanese
restaurants. While you can easily choose
sushi that does not incorporate shellfish,
it may be that the sushi chef will have
prepared your sushi on the same cutting
board or using the same knife he used to
prepare a shellfish dish a moment ago. To
those with very sensitive allergies, this
can be dangerous. If you have strong
allergies, make sure you choose a sushi
restaurant where the staff speaks fluent
English—and can communicate your needs
fluently to the chef. Although some of the
best sushi restaurants are Japanese, it can
be difficult to overcome the language
barrier to communicate the importance of
your dietary restrictions.
Heart-healthy diets. Raw fish contains more
Omega-3 fatty acids than cooked, and these
typically promote heart health. Even fattier
fish such as salmon are high in Omega-3
fatty acids in their raw state. Vegetable
sushi is excellent for those with heart
conditions, but tempura sushi should be
avoided.
Pregnant women. Women who are pregnant
should avoid eating raw fish. The risks of
contamination are very slight in a well-run
sushi restaurant, but because pregnant
women’s immune systems are usually in a
weakened state—and the baby’s is only just
developing—they are especially vulnerable to
any contamination. Good sushi for pregnant
women include cooked varieties such as eel,
shrimp, vegetable sushi, spider rolls, and
California rolls.
Sushi calorie counters will be happy to know
that sushi is healthy enough to be enjoyed
on almost every diet. As with everything,
eat it in moderation to insure maximum
health, and talk with a doctor if you have
serious health concerns about eating sushi.
You shouldn’t have to give up sushi for the
sake of your diet—in most cases, eating the
right sushi can help improve your health.
Have a question, comment, or
suggestion?Chef Ozaki
loves to talk with his customers—both at the
restaurant and online.Feel free to email him at
Ozaki@Allsushirecipes.com if you have any
questions—or any suggestions on how he can
make this site better
Find local
Japanese sushi bar restaurant at
Allsushirecipes.com