Is that sushi going straight to your tushie?

I obsess over Sushi.  I must have Kohana at least once a week. Twice is better.  On the other hand, my "thrifty" (*cough* "cheap") side won't let me partake of it as much as I like.  I seriously could eat it every day, especially for lunch.  Instead, I settle for every Tuesday night after playing tennis when my husband and I grab to-go sushi on the way home. 

In my effort this week to clean up my splurging last week I did a little research to see which sushi is best and what I should stay away from if I'm watching my fat and calories.  Because in case you didn't know, not all sushi is created equal.

Sushi is widely regarded as a healthy cuisine.  That's not untrue, for the most part.  Fish is extremely healthy.  But as Sushi has gone more mainstream in America, they have found ways to make it more pleasing to our American palate.  For example "Shrimp Tempura"  is A.K.A Fried Shrimp.  May as well hit up the local Captain D's.

Fear not friends, I have done some research on the best options for us sushi lovers that are watching our waist lines too.  Here's some of the best tips I've found...

MISO HUNGRY
Start you sushi meal with a soup or salad with Ginger Dressing (not creamy).  Studies show that people who start their meals with healthy soup end up eating fewer calories.  Miso soup, with around just 50 calories per cup, certainly falls into that category.  If you want a nibble to share with the table, go for edamame.  A 1/2 cup serving contains 127 calories, 6g fat and 4g fiber. 

RAW DEALS

(Like Mama always said before a spanking, "This hurts me worse than it hurts you".  These words are in all my favorites from Kohana) 

Look out for the following words. They'll clue you in that you're about to order something not so diet-friendly...
"Tempura"-Tempura is basically Japanese for "batter fried."  Tempura = a fat fest!
"Spider"-Spider rolls are usually greasy fried crab rolls.  They sound good, but they really pack in calories and fat.
"Dynamite"- In sushi-land, the word "dynamite" basically means, "baked in a sea of gooey mayo."  Skip it!
"Crunch" -  Yet another cute & clever way of saying "fried & fatty."

ROCKIN' ROLLS!

To have a rockin' body and a sushi roll, stick with the healthiest options.  In addition to these, I've seen tips where you can ask the chef to go easy on the rice when constructing your roll.  Many sushi restaurants, as well as Whole Foods and Publix offer brown rice rolls.  Brown over white anything is a better option for health.
Cucumber Roll  - This crunchy, healthy delight packs in just 130 calories & no fat!
Spicy Tuna Roll  - If made with a small amount of mayo, one of these will likely contain between 250 - 290 calories, and 5 - 10g of fat.
California Roll  - Order without mayo, and this one will set you back about 275 - 300 calories, and have 5 - 10g of fat.

(I admit these options are bor-ring!  Keep reading and I'll show you my picks for best Kohana Sushi)
As for the sauces and condiments, there are defiantly ones to steer clear of.

The Good:  Wasabi, Soy Sauce, Seaweed, Ginger, Edamame

The Dangerous:  Mayo, Cream Cheese, Various Oils

For us calorie counters, here a link to a chart that shows the fat and calorie content of the most popular sushi rolls.  Notice the "Whole Foods Sushi" tab along the top. Super helpful!

http://www.sushifaq.com/sushi-calories.htm

So what have we learned today kids?  After consulting my nutritionist, Google, here a few options I would pick at Kohana. (and those that I would stay away from).  There are a two healthy options that I don't have a picture for but deserve honorable mention: The New Orleans and Alaska Roll. Both contain all fish, no crunch, no sauce. Great picks.

My Finders and Keepers

Order up!  These rolls are yummy for your tummy and your waistline.

Fiji Roll-Does have shrimp tempura, yes. But also does not have any mayo based sauce or any fried fish extras on top.

Hollywood Roll-One of my personal fav's!  Only weakness is it does have bits of cream cheese in the roll and contains shrimp tempura again...but with no creamy sauces, you could do much worse than this one.

Sunset Roll-Contains no tempura and no mayo sauces.

Sunrise Roll- Does contain "crunch" but other than that as good good as the Sunset.

Finally, last but not least.

The hands down "Best all around" award goes to....drum roll....SPICY GIRL

Isn't she pretty!  Contains none of the fatty stuff we should steer clear from. You will be one spicy girl yourself if you stick with her.

Now for the losers and weepers...

Steer clear from these.

Sweetheart Roll-Has shrimp tempura AND "creamy (mayo) sauce".  A no go combo.

Kohana Roll- Do I even need to explain?  Fried, covered in sauce. Nah-eh! Bad Girl!

Phoenix Roll, and it's sister in sin The Alfredo Roll-  Both of them are favorites of mine so I'm just as sad as you are about it.  Look at all that sauce! 

May I have a little sushi with my sauce?

The only way we should partake in this is if the chef could hold all the sauces. By then I'm not sure we would like it anyway.

Volcano Roll- Another one I used to love.  But this one contains baked scallops drenched in butter, and sauces galore.  Another no-no.

There are several more worthy of making it to the best/worst list, but with no pictures I didn't want to bore you.  Plus, we haven't even brushed the surface with fat content, calories, and sustainability of each fish in sushi.  But I don't want to bore you out of reading my blog, so give me a break. 

You are armed with good info now to make better decisions when you peruse the menu at your favorite sushi joint.  Hope this helps you next time you are heading out for sushi night!  Let me know if you have any other great tips for smarter sushi picking.