How to Eat Sushi for Weight Loss | Low Calorie Sushi Tips

Written by Claire Benoist, BS

Being on a weight loss or health journey doesn’t mean you can’t still enjoy your favorite foods. In fact, weight loss is more successful in the long run when we can find ways to still enjoy our favorite foods in ways that support our goals. 

If you’re like me, just the mention of sushi makes your mouth water. It’s fresh, it’s flavorful and fun to share with friends. However, calories in sushi can easily and quickly add up. 

Sushi is typically made with white rice cooked with vinegar and sugar to make it sticky and keep the rolls from falling apart. This combined with the fact that the rice is usually packed down tightly explains why calories from sushi add up quickly. But have no fear, there are still plenty of choices you can make to make sushi nights fit within your goals. 

Keep it simple

Usually, the simpler the roll the better. Make fish and vegetables the star of your meal by ordering rolls that feature your favorite fish and produce like cucumbers, carrots, asparagus, apples (don’t knock it til you try it!), avocados, etc. Avoid words like crunchy or battered as these refer to rolls that are deep fried. On that same note, skip the calamari too as that is usually also deep fried. Baked rolls tend to be on the heavier side so it’s best to avoid them as well. Sauces can also be sneaky source of extra calories. Ask for sauces on the side if you want them so you can decide how much to add to your roll. The sauces that accompany sushi are rich in flavor so a little goes a long way.

Sushi is a food that is easy to over eat since rolls are typically cut and each bite is pre-portioned for you. To avoid this issue, be mindful of hunger/fullness levels as you eat by taking pauses throughout the meal and ordering only 1 roll.

Make some swaps

Though sushi is traditionally made with white rice, you can ask for brown rice which is higher in fiber. This can help to make you feel full faster and will help to slow down digestion and absorption of sugars from the rice, avoiding a blood sugar spike. You can also avoid the rice altogether and have your sushi wrapped in cucumber instead. This swap will make your roll crisp and refreshing, perfect for enjoying at your favorite sushi spot on upcoming warm summer days. Or, if you’re in it mostly for the fish, you can skip the roll altogether and just order sashimi. Then you can simply enjoy the delicate flavors of the fish without all the extra noise. 

Add some sides

In order to add some vegetable goodness to your meal and so you can still hit your produce goals when eating out, order a couple of vegetable sides. A side salad is always an option, so when eating at a Japanese restaurant, try seaweed salad! Besides being fresh and crunchy, seaweed salad packs a punch of vitamins A, C, E and K as well as being one of the few non-animal sources of vitamin B12. If that’s not your jam, try sunomono instead, a pickled cucumber salad. And of course, you can’t go wrong with edamame. The extra protein from this powerhouse vegetable will help to make you feel full and satisfied from your meal. Stick to the simple salted edamame and avoid the extra oils and calories in other edamame preparations. If you’re feeling a little more adventurous, try the shishito peppers. Shishito peppers are usually mild, but every once in a while, a spicy one will make its way onto your plate, keeping you and your taste buds on your toes. Just make sure they’re not fried. And don’t sleep on the ginger and daikon radish that often come on sushi plates! Ginger is a powerful anti-inflammatory food and daikon radish is a great source of vitamin C. 

If you are interested in a long-term weight loss solution, check out The Millennial Nutritionist’s 3 month weight loss program. Through calorie tracking and sustainability lifestyle changes, many clients have successful weight loss during the program and after. Get started today!