All sushi/sashimi calories & nutrition courtesy of sushifaq.com
Seafood is generally a great option to incorporate into your diet, especially for those who are on a weight loss diet.
With many types of fish being very high in lean protein and low in fat, seafood is a low-calorie option, offering numerous health benefits to boot.
When it comes to sushi, there are lots of other ingredients involved, so exactly how healthy is sushi? And what about sashimi?
Let’s break down and figure out the calorie content and nutritional value of various sushi and sashimi options to help you find the best options for your diet.
Looking at every popular type of sushi and sashimi as the main ingredient in your sushi meal, we’ll determine the healthiest options to order at sushi restaurants.
Sushi vs Sashimi: What’s the Difference?
Directly translated, sashimi means “pierced body” while sushi means “sour-tasting,” likely referring to the slightly sour taste of the vinegar rice.
The types of fish used in sashimi often contain healthy fats and are a great source of protein, whereas the sushi roll may contain different ingredients like raw seafood, cream cheese, or even cucumber.
Sashimi is often described as a type of sushi, which is technically correct, but they are quite different. What makes sashimi different than traditional sushi?
To put it simply, sashimi is thinly sliced raw fish. Sushi, on the other hand, does not exclusively contain raw fish. While it is the most common form of “traditional” sushi, you may find cooked sushi (like Shrimp Tempura) or sushi containing no fish at all, like Cucumber Rolls.
And of course, a sushi roll will contain rice and other vegetables as well wrapped up into a roll. If you’re conscious about portion sizes, you may want to opt for sashimi or even cucumber rolls which offer lesser grams of carbs and grams of fat.
There are two main types of sushi: and .
is a traditional that contains , vegetables, and , and is rolled up in . Nigiri is thinly sliced , similar to , served over . When you see a piece of fish laying on top of the sushi, that is a nigiri roll.
For these purposes, we’ll be looking at & nigiri options together (categorizes as sushi), with options being separate.
Should you Order or When Dieting?
When you’re dieting, your goal is to be in a calorie deficit. In other words, you’re trying to keep your calories relatively low. Is or better for that?
Technically speaking, is the better choice on strictly a calorie basis because it contains only seafood.
With that being said, is certainly not a bad option. We’ll break down the different types of rolls below, but you’ll see that the calories can vary greatly depending on the type of you order.
The main ingredient in sushi is usually rice, and when you order a sushi roll, you’re also getting white rice with your fish. When you add rice into the equation, you’re adding in extra carbs and calories while removing some of the protein that you’d be getting if you had ordered the same size portion of sashimi.
If you’re open to alternatives, opting for brown rice can provide additional nutritional benefits from a micronutrient standpoint, but won’t necessarily change much in the calorie department.
Will Sushi Fit Into Your Diet?
Depending on who you ask, you’re going to get different answers as to whether or not is healthy
It’s tough to argue that you can’t have as part of your diet. Sushi is made of great ingredients like healthy fish, rice, vegetables, and minimal sauces for dipping, providing an excellent balance of carbs, protein, and healthy fats.
However, there will be those that claim that is not healthy because it is high in carbs from the . Or, they may claim that they are ” bad carbs” because of the .
Even though does contain , it is quite compared to other takeout options out there, and seafood is packed with () that are great to incorporate into any healthy diet.
One other sneaky benefit to eating while dieting is that rolls are meant to be enjoyed slowly and socially. When you’re dieting and calories are at a premium, there are two things that will really help you: focusing on volume, and slowing down to help listen to your hunger cues.
Because of this, I find sushi to be a great addition to ANY diet.
Just remember to manage your portion sizes to avoid overeating and manage the overall calorie content of your sushi meal and you’ll be in great shape.
Calories & Nutrition Facts for Sushi Rolls
Depending on the type of you order, the calories will vary. This is due to the type of used and the way it is prepared. It’s also worth noting that every restaurant will prepare rolls slightly differently with their own unique , so these calories should be used as estimates only.
The calories listed here are for an entire , which is typically cut up into 6-8 pieces. If you want to find the calories for a single piece of , simply divide by the amount of pieces you have.
Which is the healthiest? Well, that depends on your goals!
Roll with the Highest Protein
: 475 Calories, 16g Fat, 50g Carbs, 33g Protein
A has a piece of on the outside (this can be , but is most often ), which is what is contributing to the higher protein here. The inside contains , , and crab.
The deserves an honorable mention here because it actually gives you more bang for your buck. While it contains 24g of protein compared to 33g in the , the contains at only 185 total.
: 135 Calories, 0g Fat, 30g Carbs, 6g Protein
A is exactly what it sounds like- rolled up in and . Since it is made up of only and a , it should come as no surprise that it contains no fat.
Roll with the Lowest Calories
or : 135-140 Calories
A not only contains the lowest fat, but also the fewest calories. An swaps the out for , giving it slightly more fat. Even still, the contains only 140 calories, making it a low-calorie option.
Many people assume a will be the healthiest or lowest in calories because it is mostly vegetables with crab or imitation crab, but that is not necessarily the case. The calories in a are on par with other rolls, but it contains much less protein than other rolls containing similar amounts of calories.
Roll with the Highest Calories
: 505 Calories, 21g Fat, 64g Carbs, 20g Protein
Shrimp contains shrimp that has been battered and deep-fried, leading to higher calories than all other rolls. If is not your style, fried shrimp may be more appealing to you, but be aware of the extra calories, which are double many other rolls.
How To Save Calories When Ordering Sushi
While you typically won’t be making many substitutions when ordering sushi, there are a few words to look out for if calories are a concern…
Tempura: If you see a sushi roll with tempura, it means that the fish is deep-fried with a heavy coating. It’s absolutely delicious but can pack in the calories.
Looking at our sushi nutrition guide above, we can use the Shrimp Tempura Roll as an example. With 21g of fat and 505 Calories, it has the highest amount of calories and fat of any of the sushi rolls compared.
Sauces/Mayo: You’ll find a lot of heavy sauces or mayo when you order sushi, and it’s important to keep in mind that these condiments can contain quite a large amount of calories. A spicy mayo topping can easily add 100 calories to any sushi!
If calories are a concern, stick with some of these lower-calorie options: wasabi, soy sauce, or sriracha.
Is Sashimi Healthy?
If you’ve ever gone out for , you’ve likely seen “” on the menu as well.
is simply taking the that you’d normally find in , and serving it on its own without the .
If you’re watching your carbs or ever wondered what you can order on the keto diet, is for you!
It’s going to be lower in calories & carbs than traditional rolls, so you’ll likely find many more options that suit your diet.
Calories & Nutrition Facts for Sashimi
Since is so low in calories and packed with protein, there are tons of healthy options for out there!
is carb-free, so it’s suitable for any low-carb or keto diet. But since there are no carbs, that means that the protein and fat content can really vary.
Quick note on serving size: there is no hard-set rule for . Depending on the restaurant you go to, you’ll have slightly different sized portions. It is likely that one piece of will be close to one ounce, which is what is listed here, but it is certainly possible to have a very thin slice that is closer to 0.5oz.
with Lowest Calories
Each piece of is quite similar in terms of calories, but Roe technically wins here with 21 calories, 1g fat, and 3g protein. If eating eggs is not your style, the sea bass, red snapper, flounder, and any other will be great options.
with the Lowest Fat
Many options are very low in fat, with most options containing only 0.5g fat per piece. When you order , you’ll likely get a few pieces, but that fat content will still be very low.
with the Most Protein
Octopus: 45 Calories, 0.5g Fat, 1g Carbs, 8.5g Protein
Almost all is going to pack a fair amount of protein, but if you’re looking for the highest, octopus is the way to go!
with the Highest Calories
: 65 Calories, 4g Fat, 6.5g Protein
has roughly 4g of fat per ounce. While serving sizes will vary, it’s safe to assume that you’ll enjoy at least 4oz of at a time. In this case, the would be 260 Calories & 16g of Fat. That’s still quite healthy in my mind, especially considering it also packs in 26g of protein, but that may be more calories than you are looking for.
Is Sushi or Sashimi the Healthier Choice?
I’m all for making your own decisions when it comes to diets. I always preach about eating foods you enjoy, and I don’t believe that any foods should ever be called “bad.”
That being said, if you’re dieting, you’re going to be looking for lower-calorie options, and it’s no secret that sashimi is the winner here. Across the board, sashimi calories are going to be lower than sushi calories.
Plus, sashimi, especially when it includes fatty fish, is a great source of healthy fats and lean protein.
While sushi calories are going to be higher than sashimi, you may find sushi more filling than sashimi. Sure, sashimi will provide you with more protein and fewer calories, but sushi is going to provide you with a bit more volume between the rice and cucumbers.
Plus, if you’re enjoying sushi as part of a post-workout meal, the additional carbs from rice may be hugely beneficial to your recovery.
Personally, I would choose sushi over sashimi, even when dieting. Sure, the sushi calories are a bit higher, but in my mind, that’s going to be more enjoyable as a meal.
As a final note, remember that your sushi order should suit your dietary needs and personal preferences. With a variety of types of fish available and even sushi leftovers making a quick & east healthy snack, there’s something for everyone.
From low-fat cucumber rolls to more indulgent spicy rolls with cream cheese, enjoy the journey of finding your favorite sushi or sashimi option!
