Does sushi make you fat? Advice on how to eat it when on a diet
In recent years, an all you can eat dinner or dinner in a refined Japanese restaurant has become an increasingly frequent choice for children and adults alike. However, sushi is a food that makes us talk: on the one hand, there is those who claim that it is a healthy and balanced dish, on the other hand, is pointed out as a food rich in calories and which, therefore, should be avoided when on a diet. So it is normal to ask: sushi makes you fat yes or no ?
Today we will see in detail the nutritional properties of this Japanese dish and how it can be inserted into a slimming diet.
Nutritional properties of sushi
In the original version, sushi is a simple dish based on rice, seaweed and fish. This means that it is born as a low-calorie and healthy recipe, because it is rich in nutritional properties that are good for our body. In fact, all that is needed for food is contained in a maki. Thanks to rice, you get the right amount of carbohydrates, while through fish - usually salmon, tuna or sea bass - s "introduces a significant amount of protein, omega 3 and vitamins. In addition, it should be specified that, leaving the fish raw , none of its nutritional values are lost.
Seaweed is also a food that has a good dose of omega 3. These fatty acids are essential for our health, because they help fight bad cholesterol in favor of the good one, improve cognitive abilities and have antioxidant properties.
Therefore, with a single piece of sushi we introduce substances with multiple virtues into our body.
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Calories of various types of sushi
When you are following a diet to lose weight, in addition to the nutritional properties, you pay close attention to the calories of food. We have summarized the calories contained in the main types of sushi, from uramaki to nigiri, with the different varieties of fish.
- Nigiri
One of the most popular types of sushi is certainly nigiri, which is a morsel of rice with a slice of raw fish on top. Its calories vary depending on the fish chosen.
- Salmon: 50 kcal;
- Tuna: 45 kcal;
- Sea bass: 35 kcal;
- Sea bass: 41 kcal;
- Sea bream: 41 kcal.
- Uramaki
Uramaki are rice rolls with "seaweed" inside and fish in the center, which can be combined with other ingredients according to recipes, such as avocado, cream cheese, cucumber, salad and other vegetables. The calories of the most popular uramaki are:
- Salmon roll: 35 kcal;
- Uramaki philadelphia: 40 kcal;
- California roll: 42 kcal;
- Uramaki ebiten: 80 kcal.
- Temaki
Temaki is a cone made up of a rolled "nori seaweed" and, inside, rice and fish, such as salmon, tuna or even shrimp. Among the various types of sushi it is certainly the most substantial and that first favors the sense of satiety. Its caloric intake is around 110 kcal.
- sashimi
Sashimi is simply sliced raw fish, not accompanied by rice or seaweed. It is the least caloric recipe, with a significant amount of protein.
- Salmon: 45 kcal;
- Tuna: 40 kcal;
- Sea bass: 35 kcal;
- Shrimp: 60 kcal.
Does sushi make you fat? It depends
So let's go back to our starting question: does sushi make you fat? The answer is: it depends. We have seen how this recipe is born with only three ingredients (rice, seaweed and fish), which, combined with each other, represent a healthy and balanced dish, not particularly caloric. There are, however, some variations that we often find in restaurants - all you can eat and beyond - that make sushi "an enemy" of a slimming meal plan.
First of all, you should avoid rolls containing fried or tempura foods, spreadable cheeses and sauces such as mayonnaise. All these foods, in fact, not only do not belong to the traditionally understood Japanese cuisine, but contain many calories and fats that are not suitable for weight loss.
Another factor to consider are the sauces that we often find as an accompaniment. Spicy sauce is not recommended because it derives from the combination of mayonnaise and chili sauce, both of which are very high in calories and fat, while soy is known for its high salt content. On average, it contains 15 grams per 100 grams of product and salt is the number one enemy in terms of water retention and the fight against cellulite. Therefore, always remember to use it in moderation!
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Eat sushi when on a diet
Can i eat sushi if i'm on a diet? Yes, once a week, paying attention to the dishes that you order and, above all, without exaggerating in quantity. Experts recommend starting a Japanese restaurant meal with a serving of miso or seaweed soup, as both promote satiety, aid digestion and prevent bloating. In addition, sashimi is preferred over temaki and roll.
To conclude, we suggest some examples of menus to follow with the relative caloric intake, so that you can choose the one that best meets your needs and your favorite!
Menu 1
Miso soup: 198 kcal
1 salmon sashimi: 45 kcal
1 Tuna Sashimi: 40 kcal
2 Nigiri salmon: 100 kcal
1 California roll: 42 kcal
3 Hosomaki tuna: 60 kcal
Total calories: 485
Menu 2
Miso soup: 198 kcal
1 Tuna Sashimi: 40 kcal
1 Shrimp Sashimi: 30 kcal
2 Nigiri tuna: 90 kcal
1 Nigiri salmon: 45 kcal
3 Avocado roll: 69 kcal
Total calories: 472
Menu 3
Wakame seaweed salad: 70 kcal
2 Nigiri salmon: 90 kcal
2 Tuna Sashimi: 160kcal
2 Gunkan with salmon: 164 kcal
Total calories: 484