Pick up those chopsticks!

Alright so through the years I have found that people either LOVE sushi or HATE sushi. I for one absolutely LOVE SUSHI. I am a huge fan of sushi. In fact my boyfriend and I eat sushi all the time. How might we afford to each sushi all the time you might be wondering? well We have found an amazing sushi place that has the best happy hour in the world. If you guys live in southern California (or Las Vegas, Nevada, Glendale or Tempe, Arizona) you should definitely check out this place called Kabuki. They have 10 locations spread out southern California and they are amazing. Their happy hour is great. They have sushi rolls starting at $2.50, and do not let the low price fool you about the quality of the fish, their fish is always fresh and great. Anyways though that is off topic. This post is really about why sushi is good for you and should be a part of your diet. So for all you sushi lovers who are trying to live a healthy life-style, read this, and DO NOT CUT SUSHI OUT OF YOUR DIET! (the one great food that tastes amazing that you don't have to deprive yourself of! yes!!). So anyways, sushi is so good for you because.....Sushi uses simple, healthy ingredients, such as seafood, seaweed, rice and vegetables. So whether you are trying to keep your high blood sugar down, boost your energy levels, or just drop a few pounds pick up those chopsticks and eat your SUSHI!!! Even the highest calorie varieties of fish used in sushi (like tuna, salmon and eel) contain less than 200 calories per serving. Thats about half of what you would get if you ate a prepared steak. Shrimp and octopus are even lower! (like around 100 calories per serving). And anyways the fatty fish calories are full of the nutritional power of not only protein, B-vitamins, and minerals like selenium, but also Omega-3 fatty acids. "studies continue to demonstrate the enormous role these fats play in maintaining a healthy heart,and metabolism in general. The Omega-3's have even been touted to improve conditions such as arthritis, psoriasis, and depression." *

Raw foods (such as the fish in sushi) are often the best for preserving enzymes and other nutrients in your body, as long as the raw foods are fresh of course. Time, Heat, Freezing, Microwaving, etc destroy those nutrients. Although most sushi contains white rice, which is pretty much empty carbs/calories, most places allow you to substitute white rice with brown rice which contains many more nutrients and is high in fiber (it tastes good too, trust me). As for soy sauce, don't worry about that. It is a fermented soy product that does not have any problems if the proper amount is used (obviously if you down soy sauce like water you will experience some problems , but if you dip your sushi in it or pour some on your rice you are fine). The salt is not a problem in it because people tend to not use that much soy sauce because it is so salty and strong. Also it is definitely not fattening or high in calories, so that is good. And as for wasabi, don't worry about it. It is so spicy that you don't consume enough of it to make the calories noticeable. It is also pretty rich in Vitamin C.

The seaweed, rice and vegetables in the sushi add only about 150 calories or less per serving, and these calories provide even more vitamins, minerals, and fiber (especially if you sub white rice for brown rice like I mentioned earlier), and also are a good source of carbs to complement the protein in the fish.

Also the artful way in which sushi is presented has yet another nutritious benefit to dieters. The portions are small, by american standards at least, and consists of several bite-sized pieces, encouraging the eater to practice the art of slowly savoring and eating their food.

So there you have it. Reasons to eat sushi! So go out right now and enjoy some delicious sushi rolls, and do not feel guilty about it!

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*quoted from http://www.eatsushi.com/article.asp?X=38