You must have read quotes like 'You had me at sushi' or 'Soy happy together' or 'Keep calm and eat sushi; multiple times in your social media feed. Sure it is corny, but it is all good because sushi is totally healthy, right? While it is valid for the most part, not all sushi rolls are healthy. Specific rolls like fried and mayo-laden Kamikaze roll can fill you up with a lot of calories. It may not be a big deal once in a while, if you did not intend your salad to come with a side of saturated fat, it is disturbing nonetheless.

Is Sushi Healthy?

Sushi is healthy, but it again depends on what you order. Try and order for fatty fishes like salmon to get a boost of omega-3 fatty acids. That said, you should be mindful of your intake of other fatty fishes like tuna and mackerel as they are high in mercury. Mercury is linked to congenital disabilities and can be toxic if consumed at high levels. Also, be sure to eat not more than two tuna rolls, and get the rest of your protein from shrimp or any other source. International Sushi Day 2020: From Its Origin to Being Used as Taxes Once Upon a Time, Here Are 7 Interesting Facts About Japanese Dish.

The other downside of eating sushi is that one roll can contain up to one cup of rice, which is a lot of carbohydrates. Plus, white rice does not contain fibre, and it can spike your blood sugar levels leading to a crash and cravings. Ideally, it would help if you were not consuming more than a cup and a half of rice the entire day. When eating out, ask for fibre-rich brown rice or swap the white stuff for quinoa when making sushi at home. 

Of course, if you are immunosuppressed or are coping with an autoimmune disease or pregnant, you should steer clear of raw fish altogether. Raw foods carry a higher risk of passing a bacterial infection. Moving Sushi Video from Japanese Restaurant Will Freak You Out!

Healthy Sushi Options

When it comes to sushi, the fewer the creamy add-ons, the better. So swap your spicy mayo for a side of pickled ginger. Here are some of the best sushi options to order. Weight Loss, Beauty and Other Amazing Health Benefits of This Japanese Delicacy.

The California roll: It includes ingredients like avocado, crab, and cucumber.

The vegetarian roll: The roll includes tofu, avocado, and a variety of fresh vegetables like bell pepper and carrot. 

Sashimi: It is a plain slice of raw fish which comes with a base of rice. Brown rice is always better.

However avoid the fried and creamy options like dragon eye, Boston roll, the kamikaze roll, the Philadelphia roll and tempura or panko rolls, which are just fried filler.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 18, 2020 01:04 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).