What Ingredients to Look for in Rolls:

1. Avocado: provides healthy monounsaturated fats to keep you feeling full and satisfied
2. Fish: look for tuna, salmon, yellowtail, shrimp, & lobster that is raw, grilled, or cooked to provide filling protein and healthy omega-3’s
3. Cucumber & Carrot: these veggies will fill the roll without piling on the calories
4. Mango: some rolls are topped with fresh fruit such as mango – what a great, sneaky way to get fruit into your dinner!
5. Squash & Sweet Potato – often these veggies will be the main event for veggie rolls. This is a great option to score in more veggies and antioxidants

What to Avoid in Rolls:

1. Tempura: anything tempura has been battered and deep-fried. Avoid rolls with tempura-based proteins/veggies to prevent excess calories and trans fats. (6 pieces of a shrimp tempura roll has around 544 calories!)
2. Crunchies/flakes/crispy flakes: these words just mean small bits of tempura inside or on top of the roll
3. Mayonnaise & Spicy Mayo: these spreads add extra calories and saturated fat

Other Options to Consider:

1. Sashimi: this is fresh raw seafood usually sliced into very thin pieces. This is a great option to get the protein and omega 3’s from fish without all the rice, tempura, and mayo

2. Hand Rolls: these are large cone-shaped pieces of nori (edible seaweed) with the same ingredients as regular inside-out sushi but often contain less rice. Another bonus- they are easier and less messy to eat.

What to ask For:

1. Brown Rice: more and more sushi restaurants are offering the option to substitute the traditional white sticky sushi rice for brown rice. Don’t be afraid to ask the waiter or waitress for this substitution even if this option is not presented on the menu. Brown rice might cost more but it will provide more health benefits and fiber.
2. Cucumber/Soy Paper: If you want to avoid rice altogether, look for rolls that are wrapped in cucumber or soy paper. These rolls are becoming more popular menu items. If the restaurant doesn’t have any, ask the waiter or waitress if you can substitute the rice for cucumber or soy paper.
3. Sauce/Spicy Mayo/Tempura Flakes & Crunchies on the side: if you don’t want to eat sushi without the crunch of the tempura flakes or the taste of the spicy mayos, ask for such items on the side instead of on the roll. That way you can control the portion you eat.

Keep these tips in mind next to you want to go out for a “light” sushi meal.

Research Assistance provided by Marsi Shapiro

General Tips
•Go easy on the extra additives like soy sauce, extra salt, butter, and ketchup and mayo, which are high in calories and sodium.
•Avoid fried options and side items that can add tons of extra fat and calories sabotaging any weight loss efforts.
•Don’t hesitate to ask for special requests but BE VERY NICE! Ask that your veggies be steamed instead of prepared in oil and butter.
•Choose water for your drink order instead of soda or other sugary drinks.

Sushi
•Avoid: tempura-fried rolls; too much volume of rolls- instead choose sashimi style.
•Limit: spicy rolls, which have tons of sauces added that are likely mayonnaise-based; sides such as wasabi and pickled ginger; soy sauce (ask for the low-sodium option).
•Top picks: eel roll; avocado roll; salmon or tuna nigiri; appetizers like tuna tataki, miso soup, edamame, brown rice sushi whenever available.
Sushi Take Home Tip: with sushi just don’t go overboard with too many rolls and pieces which can lead to a very large meal.

Chinese Food
•Avoid: fried rice (most restaurants will swap it for plain rice if you ask); fried entrees; egg rolls; deep-fried dishes.
•Limit: soy sauces and duck sauces; dumplings.
•Top Picks: plain noodles with vegetables and peanut sauce; wonton soup and egg drop soup; brown steamed rice; stir-fried vegetables; ahi tuna dishes, Kung Pao shrimp.

Italian and Pizza Restaurants
•Avoid: fat-laden dipping sauces; extra cheese; thick-crust pies; sugary sides like cinnamon sticks.
•Limit: high-fat meat toppings such as bacon, pepperoni and sausage (try chicken instead).
•Top Picks: thin-crust pizzas with bbq chicken or vegetable toppings such as red peppers, onions and spinach; other toppings like pineapples.

Sub Sandwich Chains (Subway, Quizno’s)
•Avoid: extra cheeses; mayonnaise-based sauces; footlong options; white breads and wraps.
•Limit: side options like chips.
•Top Picks: six-inch options; whole-grain breads; healthy meats such as roast beef, turkey, chicken and lean ham; apples, water.

Mexican Restaurants
•Avoid: refried beans; steak chalupas.
•Limit: sour creams and cheese sauces; nachos; quesadillas; large portions of rice.
•Top Picks: black beans; grilled chicken fajitas, vegetable burritos; shrimp ensaladas.