Sushi Roll Selector

Thank you, Corinna, for providing me with this awesome information today (link)! :)

Unlike the Japanese, who favor sashimi and nigiri-style sushi, the vast majority of sushi consumed in this country comes in roll form. And nowhere does the potential for seriously healthy eats or nutritional negligence oscillate so wildly than in these rice-stuffed seaweed bites. Better take a second to digest our version of a roll call, listed from best to worst. (Nutrition stats are for an entire 6 to 8 piece roll.)

Rainbow Roll
Nori, rice, avocado, surimi, plus a variety of raw fish arranged on top
476 calories
16 g fat
33 g protein
6 g fiber
50 g carbohydrates

Higher in calories than most rolls you’ll find, but loaded as this is with substantial portions of myriad raw fish, most of those calories are the good kind. Rainbow rolls are typically large, so a single order and a bowl of miso soup make a filling dinner.

Cucumber Roll
Nori, rice, cucumber
136 calories
0 g fat
6 g protein
3.5 g fiber
30 g carbohydrates

It’s hard to go wrong with cucumbers and seaweed. Though not a nutritional powerhouse, cucumbers are a low-calorie delivery system for vitamins A and C, fiber, and silica, a compound that has been shown to foster healthy skin.

Avocado Roll
Nori, rice, avocado
140 calories
5.5 g fat

2 g protein

6 g fiber

28 g carbohydrates

Most of the calories in this vegetarian roll come from healthy monounsaturated fats. Avocado makes a great addition to any roll, since a sushi-size portion also contains about 3 grams of fiber.

Tuna Roll
Nori, rice, tuna
184 calories
2 g fat
24 g protein
3.5 g fiber
27 g carbohydrates

More than half of the calories in this simple, classic roll come from protein, making it a great light meal or a snack with substance.

California Roll
Nori, rice, avocado, surimi
255 calories
7 g fat
9 g protein
6 g fiber
38 g carbohydrates

The ubiquitous fusion roll is a great beginner’s foray into the potential of sushi, since there’s no raw fish involved. There are also no real healthy fats either (aside from the avocado, of course), since the fake crab (made from a variety of processed and compressed fish) has 1⁄15 the amount of omega-3s as the real stuff.

Spicy Tuna Roll
Nori, rice, tuna, mayo, chili sauce
290 calories
11 g fat
24 g protein
3.5 g fiber
26 g carbohydrates

In the world of sushi, “spicy” means a spoonful of mayo spiked with an Asian chili sauce. The calorie counts can climb higher than this, depending on how heavy a hand the sushi chef has with the spicy stuff. Either way, you’re better off satisfying your need for heat with a touch of wasabi.

Philadelphia Roll
Nori, rice, salmon, cream cheese, cucumber
290 calories
12 g fat (5 g saturated)
14 g protein
2 g fiber
28 g carbohydrates

Just like the mayo adds empty calories to an otherwise reliable spicy tuna roll, cream cheese blankets perfectly fine salmon and cucumber with an unnecessary measure of fat.

Salmon and Avocado Roll
Nori, rice, salmon, avocado
304 calories
8.5 g fat
13 g protein
6 g fiber
42 g carbohydrates

High in calories, but nearly all of those calories come from the one-two punch of healthy fats found in the salmon and the avocado.

Eel and Avocado Roll
Nori, rice, avocado, eel
372 calories
17 g fat
20 g protein
6 g fiber
31 g carbohydrates

Eel brings a solid helping of omega-3s to the sushi bar, but unfortunately, it’s almost always covered in a gloppy, sugary brown sauce that masks both the nutrition and the delicate natural flavor of this wily sea creature. If you opt for this roll, make it your only one of the night.

Shrimp Tempura Roll
Nori, rice, shrimp, tempura batter, oil for frying
508 calories
21 g fat
20 g protein
4.5 g fiber
64 g carbohydrates

Why take a perfectly good piece of lean shrimp and ruin it with thick batter and a hot oil bath? The joy of fried food—the crunch—is snuffed out by the moist rice, so this one doesn’t make sense from either a flavor or a nutritional perspective.