Sushi is a popular Japanese dish that consists of cooked vinegar rice combined with other ingredients like raw fish, vegetables, and sometimes fruits. Salmon is one of the most common and popular types of sushi. When trying to count calories or follow a diet plan, it’s important to know the calorie content of the foods you eat. In this article, we will look at how many calories are in 6 pieces of salmon sushi.
What is Salmon Sushi?
Salmon sushi specifically refers to the type of sushi made with raw salmon. The fish is thinly sliced and placed over a ball of rice. Sometimes the salmon is lightly seared or cured before being used. The rice is seasoned with rice vinegar, sugar, and salt. Nori (dried seaweed sheets) are used to roll up the salmon and rice into a roll or maki sushi. Salmon nigiri sushi is another common variety where the salmon sits on top of a block of rice.
Some of the common types of salmon sushi include:
- Salmon maki – Salmon rolled up in nori
- Salmon nigiri – Salmon on top of a rice ball
- Salmon avocado roll – Salmon and avocado in a roll
- Salmon skin roll – Crispy salmon skin and cucumber roll
- Salmon roe – Salmon fish eggs on sushi
The raw salmon imparts a fresh, delicate flavor. When combined with rice and nori, the contrasting textures and flavors create a light, savory sushi experience.
Nutritional Value of Salmon
Salmon is considered one of the healthier fish options. It contains high quality protein and is rich in important nutrients like:
- Omega-3 fatty acids – Helps reduce inflammation and heart disease risk
- Vitamin D – Important for bone health
- Selenium – Boosts immune system function
- Vitamin B12 – Needed for nerve tissue and red blood cell health
- Potassium – Helps control blood pressure
The omega-3s in salmon have anti-inflammatory properties that provide health advantages like improved brain and eye function and reduced arthritis symptoms. The American Heart Association recommends eating salmon at least twice a week to get the cardiovascular benefits of omega-3s.
So while salmon does have fat and calories, it is considered one of the healthier fish to include in your diet. When eating sushi, choosing salmon over higher calorie options like tuna offers nutritional benefits.
Calories in Salmon Sushi
Now that we have covered some background on salmon sushi, let’s look at the actual calorie count.
The number of calories in salmon sushi can vary depending on a few factors:
- Size of the salmon pieces
- Amount of rice under the salmon
- Added ingredients like avocado or roe
- Preparation method (nigiri vs maki roll)
A typical piece of salmon nigiri or sashimi contains around 50 calories. This accounts for about 1.5 ounces of raw salmon.
Since most sushi servings include 6-8 pieces, we can estimate the calories for 6 pieces of salmon sushi as:
6 pieces salmon nigiri: 300 calories
6 pieces salmon maki: 360 calories
Maki rolls tend to be slightly higher in calories because they contain more rice.
If added ingredients like avocado are included, that can add another 50-100 calories to the total. Salmon roe would add minimal calories.
For simplicity, we can estimate 6 pieces of salmon sushi to contain approximately 300-400 calories.
Now let’s compare this to some other popular sushi options:
Calories per 6 pieces of sushi:
| Sushi Type | Calories |
|---|---|
| Salmon | 300-400 |
| Tuna | 400-500 |
| Yellowtail | 350-450 |
| Eel | 500-600 |
| Shrimp tempura roll | 500-600 |
| California roll (crab, avocado) | 300-400 |
This comparison shows that salmon sushi is on the lower end calorie-wise for sushi options.
Some tips to reduce the calories if trying to make a lighter sushi choice:
- Choose nigiri or sashimi over rolls
- Opt for lower calorie fillings like salmon, yellowtail or shrimp
- Avoid cream cheese, fried ingredients like tempura
- Watch the soy sauce as it’s high in sodium
- Fill up on lower calorie starters like edamame, seaweed salad
Nutrition Benefits of Salmon Sushi
Now that we’ve covered the calorie content of salmon sushi, let’s take a look at why it can be a nutritious choice in your diet.
Here are some of the key nutritional benefits of salmon sushi:
High Lean Protein
A 6 piece serving of salmon sushi provides 20-25g of protein. This supplies around 40% of the daily protein needs for most adults. Protein helps keep you feeling full and satisfied after eating. It also aids muscle building and repair, while boosting metabolism.
Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Salmon is one of the best sources of anti-inflammatory omega-3s. A 6 piece serving provides over half your daily needs for EPA and DHA omega-3s. These healthy fats promote brain, heart, joint, and eye health.
Vitamin D
It’s rare to find good food sources of vitamin D, but salmon is a big exception. You’ll get around 50% of your daily vitamin D needs in 6 pieces of salmon sushi. Vitamin D is vital for immune function, mood regulation, bone health and cancer prevention.
Selenium
Salmon is high in the antioxidant mineral selenium. Selenium helps reduce oxidative stress and lower the risk of chronic diseases like cancer and heart disease.
B Vitamins
You’ll get B vitamins like niacin, B6 and B12 from salmon sushi. These aid energy production and nervous system function.
Doesn’t Spike Blood Sugar
Sushi makes a good choice for diabetes or weight management because it doesn’t cause blood sugar spikes. The protein and healthy fats help slow digestion. Contrast this to carbohydrate heavy meals that can lead to surges and crashes in blood sugar.
As you can see, there are numerous nutritional upsides to choosing salmon sushi when eating out. Keeping your meal balanced with vegetables and avoiding excessive sodium soy sauce will ensure you get the maximum health benefits.
Precautions with Raw Fish
While enjoying the nutritional benefits of sushi, it’s also important to take safety precautions when eating raw fish to avoid any potential harmful bacteria or parasites. Here are some tips when eating sushi:
- Only eat at high quality, reputable sushi restaurants that follow proper food handling techniques.
- Check that the sushi smells fresh, without any sour, fishy or ammonia scents.
- Make sure the raw fish looks fresh, firm and moist, not dried out.
- Send back sushi that doesn’t look or small right.
- Avoid sushi buffets which may have lower food safety standards.
- If you are in a high-risk group like pregnant, elderly or immunocompromised, avoid raw sushi to be safe.
Being thoughtful about where and how you eat raw fish can help you avoid any safety issues. At high end sushi restaurants that freshly prepare everything, the risk is very low.
Should You Eat Sushi Everyday?
Is it healthy to eat salmon sushi or sushi in general daily as part of your regular diet? Here are some things to consider:
Potential Mercury Exposure
Certain fish like tuna or swordfish can be higher in mercury. Eating these types of sushi daily could potentially lead to excessive mercury buildup in the body. Salmon, yellowtail, eel and crab tend to be low mercury choices.
Sodium Content
The sodium in soy sauce and sushi rice could make daily sushi consumption result in excess sodium intake. This could be detrimental for those with high blood pressure or heart disease. Clearer, lower sodium soy sauces are better options.
Weight Gain
While sushi can be a nutritious choice, overdoing it could lead to unintended weight gain, especially with rolls containing fried ingredients or avocado. Portion size matters, so stick to 6-8 pieces per meal if enjoying sushi daily.
Cost
Eating sushi every single day could get very expensive. It’s considered more of a special occasion meal for many. Check for budget sushi happy hours if making it a regular habit.
Nutritional Balance
Any one food on its own will not provide complete, balanced nutrition. If eating sushi daily, round it out with plenty of vegetables, fruits, fiber-rich grains and plant-based proteins. Variety is key.
Overall, enjoying sushi several times a week can fit into a healthy diet, but moderation is advised for the reasons above. Be sure to choose low mercury varieties like salmon, shrimp or eel. Pair it with miso soup, seaweed salad and green tea for antioxidant benefits. With mindful choices, sushi can provide both delicious taste and good nutrition.
Conclusion
In summary, 6 pieces of salmon sushi will provide approximately 300-400 calories, with excellent sources of protein, omega-3s, vitamin D, selenium and B vitamins. While higher in calories than sashimi, salmon sushi offers more nutrition and fullness than rolls with fried ingredients like tempura. For a lighter meal, accompany your sushi with starters like edamame, greens or miso soup. While sushi makes for an enticing everyday meal, balance and dietary variety is key for overall health. Follow basic food safety precautions when enjoying raw fish. With mindful consumption, salmon sushi can be incorporated into an overall nutritious diet.
