Is sushi good for your health?
There’s no straightforward answer to this question. Let’s start with the fact that ‘sushi’ in Poland encompasses a plethora of culinary possibilities. There are futomaki, hosomaki, nigiri, rolls with tamago (a type of Japanese omelet) and many other variants that have little to do with Japanese tradition. They vary not only in appearance but also in the number of ingredients.
By definition, sushi should be prepared with top-quality products. There are few ingredients, so each of them contributes to the flavor and texture. On the face of it, you might think that the yummy rolls are packed full with everything that is believed to be very healthy and nutritious, especially for athletes. But are they really that healthy? Let’s have a closer look.
Healthy and nutritionally complete sushi ingredients
- Saltwater fish
Mainly salmon, tuna, sea bass, and mackerel. Saltwater fish are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, protein, and vitamins. Sushi fish is either raw or cooked.
- Nori
Nori is a type of seaweed that contains iron, iodine, zinc and manganese, as well as vitamins A and C, and B group vitamins. They exhibit antioxidant effects and contain water-soluble fiber.
- Avocado
Frequently added to sushi rolls. Avocado is a true superfood, rich in healthy monounsaturated fatty acids, vitamins (K, C, B5, B6, E), micronutrients, and fiber.
However, avocados are not for everyone. Find out if avocado is good or bad for you. Read: Avocado – your best friend or your enemy?.
In addition to the above ingredients, sushi can contain, for example, lettuce, carrots, fresh cucumber, turnips and pickled vegetables. These foods are healthy and desirable in your daily diet. In fact, much depends on the creativity of the sushi master, who can make your rolls with just about anything you like.
That’s one side of the coin, because sushi in Poland is not just about nori, fish, and vegetables.
Sushi ingredients needing a closer look
- Rice
Sushi requires a special kind of rice. Sushi rice grains are short and gently rounded. Cooking gives them a slightly sticky texture. Rice is known to be one of the staple foods in athletes’ diets, so why does it deserve a closer scrutiny? What’s problematic about sushi rice is the marinade consisting of dissolved white sugar, rice vinegar, and salt. The mixture prevents sushi rolls from falling apart and gives them a delicious taste. The marinade has no harmful health effects, but it ramps up the calorie content of sushi, of which many people are unaware.
- Mayonnaise
An ingredient present in almost every sushi roll served in restaurants. Mayonnaise brings out the flavor of all the ingredients, though it’s virtually undetectable in its own right. The energy value of mayonnaise is as much as 166 kcal per one tablespoon! If you’re interested in more information about this condiment, click HERE.
- Cream cheese
Another indispensable sushi ingredient that makes other ingredients stick together and takes the flavors of your sushi rolls to another level. Again, it’s not ‘unhealthy’ as such, but it does make sushi more calorie-dense because of its high fat content. One tablespoon contains 5.9 g of fat and has about 65 kcal of energy.
- Tempura-fried ingredients
Traditional sushi is synonymous with simplicity and quality. That’s why the Japanese love nigiri – rice balls served with just a slice of fish or a vegetable on top. Without any add-ons or extras! However, Europeans and Americans simply adore deep-fried foods, which is why sushi rolls are often made with shrimp, vegetables, fish and chicken which are coated in tempura (flour-based fry batter) and dropped into boiling oil. In addition to making sushi unnecessarily calorie-dense, deep frying can be directly harmful to your health by increasing the amount of unhealthy trans fats which contribute to a range of conditions including atherosclerosis and cancer.
- Soy sauce
It’s hard to even imagine sushi without soy sauce. It’s a condiment based on good ingredients including water, soybeans, and cereal grains. Soy sauce is obtained in the process of fermentation. What should be borne in mind, though, is that it’s very high in sodium. By putting a lot of soy sauce on your sushi, you can critically exceed the recommended daily intake of sodium for adults (5 g). One tablespoon of soy sauce contains 1 g of sodium. Since sushi rice is very absorbent, it soaks up a lot of soy sauce, which means you end up consuming a handful of tablespoons as part of your sushi meal. In addition, soy sauce contains umami, so your appetite grows as you eat. Should that ring alarm bells? Excess sodium has an adverse effect on blood pressure and can cause hypertension, increasing the risk of cardiovascular disease.
- Tamago
Tamago is a type of Japanese omelet which can be tucked inside sushi rolls or used instead of nori. You may not know that the eggs are heavily sweetened with white sugar, which gives them a distinct taste.
- Side sauces
Many restaurants offer sushi rolls with so-called ‘sweet dipping sauce’ and mayonnaise-based dips. Watch out for them! They contain mainly sugar and fat.
Is sushi a good choice for those who follow a diet?
Again, no straightforward answer! A lot depends on whether your chosen sushi dish contains tempura-fried ingredients, mayonnaise, cream cheese, oily sea fish, avocado and rice. However, if you have just one or two rolls, the meal can be considered a low-calorie option. There are between 200 and 350 calories in one sushi roll. Since ingredients vary, it’s difficult to provide an accurate estimate.
What are the ways to make sushi lower in calories? You can choose to forgo some of the additions, such as mayonnaise and fried ingredients, and replace them with vegetables. Many restaurants offer rice-free sushi, too.
Is sushi a light meal suitable for athletes?
No, definitely not! Sushi is far from being a light meal. It’s rich in fiber, carbohydrates, and fats, which makes it very filling. Sushi should be eaten in moderation and with caution. Otherwise, the meal will leave you with an uncomfortable full feeling persisting for a few hours. What’s more, soy sauce can make you extremely thirsty, which ultimately worsens the sensation of fullness.
Sushi is thus best avoided before a major workout, but it can be a great way to reward yourself after a particularly intense training session or a long run.
Can sushi be prepared at home? What ingredients do you need?
Many people make sushi on their own, at home. The main reason is that restaurant-made rolls are often exorbitantly priced. What’s more, preparing sushi is a fun activity, though at the same time very time-consuming and quite challenging.
Making sushi is definitely a unique skill that requires a lot of training and patience. Few people can recreate both the shape and taste of authentic sushi in the comfort of their kitchen. The main difficulty is the preparation of sushi rice and marinade. Without these key ingredients, sushi lacks proper texture and flavor qualities. Also, rice is best cooked in a special rice cooker. If you intend to make sushi at home on a regular basis, you may consider buying one.
What are the ingredient ratios? There’s no universal recipe, but the rule of thumb is to prepare a marinade of 2 tablespoons of rice vinegar (cannot be replaced with any other type), 2 tablespoons of sugar, and 1 teaspoon of salt for each 250 g rice portion. The mixture needs to be heated so that the sugar dissolves completely. Use it to pour over cooled cooked rice, and then mix everything.
You may also need to hone up sushi rolling skills. Make sure that nori is only on the outside of the roll, without any seaweed tucked inside. This requires a special technique and great precision for pressing all the ingredients together. Find some tutorials to help you master the basics. You’ll also need a special sushi rolling mat (resembling a bamboo table mat). The mat is essential for proper sushi rolling.
Summing up, you can make sushi at home for fun and as a form of celebration. However, it won’t be a quick job. Prepping the ingredients alone takes up a lot of time! That’s why it’s a good option for spending time and cooking together with family and friends. You can put practically anything you like in your sushi roll – for example tofu, fruit or smoked fish (high sodium alert!). This is clearly against the rules of traditional Japanese cuisine, but European sushi is in fact just a variation on the theme of the Japanese original.
If you want to make sushi at home, you’ll need:
- Sushi rice (no other rice will work)
- Nori
- Rice vinegar
- High-quality (light) soy sauce
- Sushi rolling mat and food-grade plastic film
- Optionally: special rice cooker and thermos to store it Keep your rice warm throughout.
Make sure you have a very sharp knife! Everything else comes down to your taste preferences.