When people think about losing weight, they focus on healthy eating and exercise. We all know that a balanced diet is what we need to get rid of excess fat. But why should we compromise on taste and give up delicious food in our weight loss journey? One of the delicious and healthy dishes you can think of is lots of vegetables, nori rolls, fish and vinegared rice. This sounds like a good option for weight loss. But is sushi healthy enough for weight loss? Read on to find out if sushi can help you lose weight.
HealthShots reached out to holistic health coach Azhar Ali Sayed, who shares everything you need to know about sushi.
What is sushi?
Medium-grain rice is cooked in vinegar and mixed with raw or cooked fish and various toppings or fillings to make sushi. Contrary to popular belief, the main ingredient in sushi is rice, not raw fish, Syed said. This dish calls for the use of a specific type of vinegar for the rice. Rice vinegar, salt, and sugar are the main ingredients in sushi vinegar. This gives the rice its distinctive flavor and sticky texture, which holds its shape when molded.
There are many kinds of sushi to choose from. A sushi roll made with rice, seaweed, and various fillings, usually vegetables or seafood. Nigiri, on the other hand, is rice wrapped in raw fish. Then there's temaki, which are hand rolls in which nori (aka seaweed) is used as a wrapping and filled with rice, fish and/or vegetables (good for eating fish).
Is sushi good for weight loss?
The term “sushi” is a broad term, as it refers to a wide variety of combinations of ingredients. Still, certain kinds of sushi, especially the simpler ones, can be incorporated into a balanced diet for weight loss. Sushi can be part of a healthy diet, as long as you pay attention to the sauces you use and limit fried foods like tempura shrimp. The healthy and light ingredients of sushi might be a wise choice if ordering just for weight loss.
Sushi is very healthy with Omega-3 (sign of omega-3 deficiency) fatty acids, which are anti-inflammatory and essential for heart health. Fatty fish like salmon and mackerel are rich in Omega-3s. Fish contains vitamin D and vitamin B12, in addition to other vitamins and minerals such as selenium, zinc and iodine. Certain types of sushi, such as maki and hand-rolled sushi, contain dried seaweed, which is rich in nutrients such as calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, iron, sodium, iodine, thiamine and vitamins A, C and E.
The Best and Worst Diet Sushi
Some sushi rolls contain mayonnaise, cream cheese, and fried foods that should be avoided when trying to lose weight.
Here are two low-calorie sushi recipes you can consider preparing during your weight loss period –
1. Tuna Roll
raw material
• 100g cooked sushi rice
• 1 tablespoon seasoned rice vinegar
• 1 sheet of nori
• 100g tuna
• 50g cucumber (cut into strips)
• 50 grams of avocado cut lengthwise (How to Eat Avocados).
method
• Place nori, shiny side down, on a sushi mat or plastic wrap.
• Cook sushi rice, then add seasoned rice vinegar
• Once the rice has cooled down, you can start rolling the sushi
• The rice mixture should be spread on each sheet of nori.Just be sure to leave a little space, no rice on top
• There should be a horizontal line of tuna, cucumber and avocado on top of each roll. Wrap the nori tightly around these toppings.
• Peel off plastic wrap as you go and keep rolling.
• In a bowl of water, dip your finger and slide it along the top of the nori, then finish rolling. The water helps seal the roll by wrapping it together.
• Use a sharp knife to cut rolls easily.
2. Cucumber rolls
raw material
• 1 sheet of nori
• 100g of prepared sushi rice
• 100g Japanese cucumber (cut into long strips)
method
• Place a piece of nori on a bamboo mat
• Spread the sushi rice on the nori.
• Take 1/8 of the cucumber strips and place them horizontally on the rice, and roll them up at the end.
