Are you a huge sushi fan? and you don't really know in which category to put these foods? Are they really slimming allies?  

A little history …  

Sushi has been around since the 4th century BC. Contrary to popular belief, this dish first appeared in China and then migrated to Japan.  

Here is the sushi in detail for you, they will no longer hold any secrets for you.  

1. What is a sushi?  

Sushi is a Japanese dish made from vinegar rice which is combined with another ingredient (most often raw fish, seafood or raw vegetables).

The different types of sushi:

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• Nigiris : made with vinegar rice and covered with a slice of raw fish, a shrimp, omelet or even vegetables.  

• Makis: same composition as nigiris except that they are rice rolls surrounded by a sheet of seaweed (called nori). Inside is raw fish, cucumber or avocado. 

The seaweed leaf is low in calories and is rich in fiber which is good for weight loss.  

Californias are lemurs with seaweed inside and vinegar rice around.  

• Sashimi: made simply of slices of raw fish. It is the lowest calorie sushi.  

• Chirashi: bowl of vinegar rice covered with various accompaniments.  

• Temaki: shaped like a cone thanks to the nori sheet filled with vinegar rice and other ingredients.  

Some caloric values of sushi (1 piece):  

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• Cucumber or carrot or asparagus sushi: 30 to 32 calories 

• Vegetable and fish sushi: 32 to 37 calories 

• Sushi with vegetables and seafood: 36 to 38 calories 

• A marinated maki with tuna: 38 calories 

• Avocado salmon maki: 55 calories 

• A salmon and roe nigiri: 100 calories  

2. Let's take a closer look at the composition of the sushi ...  

• Rice: is a cereal with a high carbohydrate intake, which is essential for our body. It is also rich in minerals (such as phosphorus, starch or vitamin B1). 

During a diet, rice is to be favored since it has a positive effect on satiety but also it is recommended in case of transit disorder. 

However, be careful because the rice used in sushi is sticky rice that has been cooked for longer (therefore richer in carbohydrates) and therefore has a higher blood sugar index (98)  than conventional rice (81). If you want to enjoy sushi and pay attention to your figure, go for brown rice.  

• Raw fish provides as much protein as meat and with much less fat. It is an important source of omega 3, 6 and 9, suppliers of good cholesterol which acts on the mood, the well-being and reduces the risks of cardiovascular diseases and cancers. So take the opportunity to be happy! Raw fish is low in saturated fat, cholesterol and so-called fatty fish (salmon, tuna, mackerel)  provide more omega-3 than lean fish.  

• For the seaweed leaf: The leaves called Nori are low in calories and rich in protein. They contain powerful minerals like magnesium, calcium, iron and antioxidants.  

3. Vinegar rice recipe: How to prepare your rice?  

First of all prepare your rice and let it cool. Add the vinegar and a teaspoon of sugar. You can now create your own maki; Place a sheet of Nori on a wooden doily (called makisu) and spread the rice on it. Cover your future roll with salmon, cucumber, avocado and sprinkle with sesame seeds. 

Then roll the makisu and cut your roll into 6 equal parts using a sharp knife. Serve with soy sauce, wasabi and ginger.

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To answer the question if sushi is a slimming ally. The answer is no. According to an American study, sushi would have more calories than a Macdonald's sandwich !!  

Indeed, the rice known in sushi represents more than 75% of a platter while there is only 5 g of fish per piece. Some restaurants even offer nutella makis or californias with mayonnaise. 

The study advises us to eat more than 600 grams of fatty fish such as salmon or tuna per week. She also claims that "a classic roll contains 290 to 350 calories and is the carbohydrate equivalent of 2.5 to 4 slices of bread."

Let's compare a Big Mac and a meal at a Japanese restaurant.  

The big mac sandwich has 540 calories compared to a plate of 6 makis: between 220 calories and 330 calories and a serving of two sushi: between 200 calories and 300 calories. Total Japanese meal: 440 to 630 calories.  

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Do I need to comment on the table above?  

The advice of your coach if you want to have a meal in a Japanese restaurant:

• On the menu, there are many dishes that will benefit your weight loss. If you like sushi, maki and california, serve them with 'filling' and high fiber foods to fill your meal. Like miso soup which only provides 36 calories per 100 ml. It is a low-fat preparation, based on water and vegetables. Do not ignore this soup which is a slimming food with anti carcinogenic, energizing virtues, has a satiating effect thanks to its protein content (12%).  

- You can also enjoy a coleslaw as a starter , as a main course, garnish your sushi with chicken, white meat or fish skewers and sashimi.  

• For the drink, opt for water or even green tea (without sugar). Green tea helps to keep the figure by limiting the absorption of fats by the digestive system and by promoting the consumption of calories.  

• Use chopsticks: in fact, you will eat more slowly with chopsticks than with your fingers. It is well known that eating slowly makes you lose weight.  Eating more slowly helps your brain to understand the feeling of fullness. it takes 20 minutes for our stomach to register this sensation.  

- By eating fast, you will consume more calories than necessary so take your time using the chopsticks and chew each of your bites.  

So be careful with sushi, don't think of it as low-calorie food. Remember also that sushi, like any other food, does not make you fat or lose weight, which affects the weight is  first of all the quantity we eat and especially what we consume in caloric value throughout the week. It's all about balancing  and to diversify its diet.  

In summary:  

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At a Japanese restaurant, what to choose?

Entrance  :

1 miso soup ((tofu, fish broth, miso paste, wakame) and coleslaw

As a main course  : 

all-you-can-eat salmon or tuna sashimi, or chicken or salmon skewers + 1 bowl of plain rice or 8 sushi / makis 

Favor lean fish such as sea bream or shrimp. If you prefer salmon, every now and then, these are good fats rich in omega-3s. 

For dessert  :

1 fruit salad or sorbet (2 scoops)

What not to choose  ?
Spring rolls, tempura / donuts, fried foods, and all fatty meats, skewers with cheese, makis served with cheese or mayonnaise. Avoid fried maki or california. 

Little more  : 

Soy sauce and wasabi are low calorie sauces, so use them to flavor your dishes.  

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