A master sushi chef will tell you that the perfect bite of sushi is the one that best fits a customer’s taste, and although they mean this with the utmost sincerity, it is not true. The best bite of sushi is not a roll with four kinds of fish, avocado, cream cheese, and a quart of spicy mayo.Those Frankenrolls are admittedly delicious, but if that’s all you’re ordering, you’re doing it wrong. After reading the following reasons, we think you’ll agree.More: 10 Types of Seafood You Really Shouldn’t Eat (and 10 You Should)The cuts of fish in rolls are worseNo respectable sushi chef is skimping on the quality of their product, but the reality is that not all cuts of a fish are created equal. Just like a butcher isn’t likely to grind up beef tenderloin for a burger, a sushi chef isn’t using the prime cuts of tuna belly for a roll.What’s used for individual pieces of sushi – be they slices of sashimi (just plain fish) or nigiri (a slice of fish on top of rice) – will be a better cut of fish than what’s ground up and mixed with Sriracha in a spicy roll.

Pro tip: chefs save the very best fish for customers who sit at the bar.More: The 9 Most Popular Sushi Rolls, Ranked by CaloriesYou can’t taste the fishTo continue the steakhouse analogy, you wouldn’t want to take a prime piece of beef and coat it in a mixture of A.1., cream cheese, and caviar. The kitchen sink of ingredients in an Americanized roll run together such that the competing fatty flavors will overshadow the integrity of the fish.More: 10 Costly Mistakes You’re Making at the Grocery StoreThe texture is lostGreat sushi is all about the balance between the fish and the rice. Much of that is temperature, but the contrasting textures of smooth flesh and expertly prepared rice are also crucial. This simple balance that makes a nigiri bite of uni or saba so special goes out the window when a roll is stuffed with fake crab, topped with an aquarium’s worth of different fish, and soaked in a heavy sauce.Credit: Dan Gentile/ThrillistRolls don’t take as much skill to makeAnyone working at a respectable sushi restaurant has a serious approach to the craft, but the chef making the rolls is typically the low man on the sushi-bar totem poll.

It doesn’t take as much finesse, and most diners would probably be upset to know that their dinner is likely being made by the least-experienced cook on the line.Credit: Dan Gentile/ThrillistAmericanized sushi rolls aren’t healthySure, a fast-food burger will eclipse any calorie count on a sushi roll, but that doesn’t mean it’s right to remix one of the healthiest meals around into a caloric rice bomb.sushi yoshi delivery menuCredit: Dan Gentile/ThrillistRolls just aren’t as authentic as nigiri or sashimiFlashback to your hazy memories of Jiro Dreams of Sushi and try to remember if he was making rolls. sushi san francisco bourdainSpoiler alert: he wasn’t. jiro dreams of sushi son

That’s not to say rolls don’t exist in Japan, but most of what you see on an American specialty-roll menu wouldn’t even be considered sushi to that affable 85-year-old Japanese legend.Credit: Dan Gentile/ThrillistSo, how do you quit your roll addiction?The first step towards a better sushi experience is to avoid specialty rolls altogether. samurai sushi menu brooklynThese have goofy names and long lists of ingredients. sushi delivery london swInstead, start weaning yourself off with simple one- or two-ingredient rolls, or cone-shaped hand rolls. jiro dreams of sushi forumThese still offer the same satisfaction and the familiar flavors of seaweed, but allow the chef to better showcase the fish.sushi to go acapulco menu

Once you’ve cleared years’ worth of mayonnaise out of your arteries, try letting your server or chef guide you through ordering nigiri. The Japanese names of the fish can be intimidating even to experts, so don’t try to fake your way through it. Servers at sushi restaurants are happy to help customers make informed decisions about the menu. Instead of ordering an entire meal at once, start with a few pieces, then tell the server which you liked best. They’ll take note of your preference and be able to guide you toward new types of fish that suit your palate. Then, if you’re still hungry after working your way through the nigiri menu, order that spicy rainbow dragon roll for dessert. More from Thrillist:9 Alarmingly Caloric Foods You Never Would’ve ExpectedChefs Tell Us 2015 Food Trends That Need to Be Retired12 Myths About Wine Busted by a SommelierIt’s the weekend and it is time for us to get out of the dining halls and finally get our Mirakuya fix. Sushi may seem like a low-cal alternative, but if you aren’t careful, your order could contain more calories than a Big Mac.

The key to nutritious sushi is maximizing on the health benefits of the fish and minimizing the carbs and fats. There are many alternatives to your normal California Roll, you just need to know what to ask for. Don’t be afraid to order half the amount of rice in your sushi roll, ask for extra veggies, and keep it simple. In order to keep that meal light and healthy, follow these six easy switches that make your sushi tasty and nutritious. For starters, opt for the brown rice. It is tastier than white rice and it also has a lot of good nutrients – most importantly fiber, and you can never get enough fiber. Sushi is typically a low-calorie dining out option… but which fish pack the most nutrients into each bite? When ordering, go for salmon or tuna, both have a ton of Omega-3s, which are healthy unsaturated fats. Not to mention they have protein, which keeps you full and satisfied. Remember to use low-sodium soy sauce. Did you know that even just a small tablespoon of the low-sodium stuff still has 25% of your daily sodium intake?

Be careful before drowning that sushi into a pool of soy sauce. I’m the first to admit that the fun part of the menu is the special rolls, but if you are trying to stay as low-cal as possible, I would avoid the Dinosaur Roll or the Volcano Roll. Special rolls usually are delicious, but they also have those high-calorie ingredients like crunchy fried tempura, cream cheese, and usually a mayo sauce. You know the pink and green sides that always just seem to appear on your sushi plate? Turns out they have a ton of health benefits like antioxidants that have anti-cancer benefits. Also ginger helps boost your immune system – so eat up those garnishes. Add more veggies to your roll to up the health benefits. The more veggies, the more vitamins, and the less space in the roll for fattening alternatives like cream cheese or fried tempura. Those are the six easy steps to stray away from the unhealthy side of sushi and make your next sushi experience as healthy as possible.