The question: I love sushi but I am trying to lose weight. Are there some types of sushi I should avoid?The answer: When it comes to lower-calorie cuisine, it’s hard to beat Japanese – especially sushi. It’s not deep-fried or smothered in sauce, and most types of sushi have no added fat. It can also be a good source of omega-3 fatty acids from the fish it’s made with. The most common type is nigiri sushi, fingers of sticky rice topped with a small filet of fish or seafood. Depending on the type of fish, one piece of nigiri sushi ranges from 40 calories (squid, scallop) to 50 (salmon, yellowtail) or 65 calories (eel, sea urchin).Maki sushi is a roll made with sticky rice, fish and nori, a dried seaweed. Most maki places the nori on the outside, but California rolls place the rice on the outside. On average, one piece of a maki roll has 45 calories. A typical order of six pieces delivers 250 to 375 calories, depending on the type of fish and whether it’s made with avocado.

(While avocado is high in fat, remember that it’s a heart-healthy monounsaturated fat.)Some rolls are higher in calories than others. Tempura-shrimp rolls, for example, have about 500 calories per six pieces because the shrimp has been deep-fried. Spider rolls are made with battered, deep-fried soft shell crab and mayonnaise, so they also will be a little higher in fat and calories than California rolls, spicy tuna rolls and salmon rolls.Sashimi is simply raw fish served sliced without rice. Most types of sashimi deliver 30 to 40 calories per one-ounce slice.If you’ re concerned about calories, your most important strategy is portion size. It’s easy to overeat sushi, in part, because people tend to eat it quickly – there’s no knife in fork involved and very little chewing. Since it takes roughly 20 minutes for your brain to register you’ve had enough food, eating quickly can cause you to consume too much before you’re fully aware of how much you’ve actually had.If you are trying to lose weight, I advise women to stick to six pieces of nigiri or maki and men to eat nine pieces, along with miso soup or edamame and a salad.

To feel satisfied, eat slowly and savour your sushi.If you’re prone to fluid retention or you have high blood pressure, go easy on the soy sauce. One tablespoon of regular soy sauce has 900 to 1,225 milligrams of sodium – close to an entire day’s worth (adults need 1,200 to 1,500 mg of sodium per day). Sodium-reduced soy sauce has roughly 600 mg per tablespoon.One final word on sushi for women who could become pregnant or are nursing: Avoid high-mercury fish such as tuna, king mackerel, swordfish, shark, tilefish, and orange roughy. sushezi sushi maker 4pc gift setYou won’t find all of these types of fish on a sushi menu, but tuna and mackerel are common.jiro dreams of sushi gemistThe concern is that too much mercury may damage a baby’s developing brain and nervous system. sushi conveyor belt stonebriar

Women who are pregnant should avoid sushi made with raw fish to reduce the risk of parasitic infection. Although the chances of getting sick from sushi are slim, the consequences are severe enough that it’s best to play it safe and avoid raw fish.Leslie Beck, a registered dietitian, is the national director of nutrition at BodyScience Medical. Click here to submit your questions. sushi maker tupperware kopenOur Health Experts will answer select questions, which could appear in The Globe and Mail and/or on The Globe and Mail web site. sushi grade salmon sainsburysYour name will not be published if your question is chosen.jiro dreams of sushi vuduThe content provided in The Globe and Mail’s Ask a Health Expert centre is for information purposes only and is neither intended to be relied upon nor to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.

When it comes to the consumption of raw fish in Tokyo, you’re spoiled for choice. There are plenty of cheap places where you can get your sushi fix. We’re guessing you’re after the “real” experience—sushi that comes rolling by on a conveyor belt, or rocks up on a cute little bullet train or some such thing. Over the years, we’ve compiled a list of favorite (read: best budget) sushi restaurants in Tokyo that check these boxes. Arguably the tastiest and cheapest “kaiten” or conveyor belt sushi chain is Ganso Zushi. The shops have no frills, but will give you an authentic experience where you can see everyday Japanese cheapos popping in for a quick sushi dinner. Plates start at 108 yen, tax included. The branches are located all over Tokyo, so learn to recognize the four Japanese characters of their name – 元祖寿司 (for the curious this translates to something like “original sushi”, or “first sushi”). And be sure to ask for their English menu—all shops should have one, but we’ve seen them being a bit shy about handing it out.

As well as choosing things off the conveyor belt, you can also bark your order at the chef in the middle. New Video: Tokyo's Yokocho Learn about these hidden gems, grubby and delicious - drinking and eating like a local in Tokyo We love Genki Sushi. Don’t let the frowny face fool you, this kaiten sushi restaurant leaves customers with a smile on their face—you can binge on delicious sushi for ultra cheap! We’ve been to this restaurant in the heart of Shibuya and the suburbs of Ibaraki, and each time we’ve been happy with the quality and price. The salmon is always soft, the rice is the right blend of savory and salty, and their egg omelettes are (in our opinion) some of the best in Japan. Most of the plates cost 108 yen. Some of the locations have the conveyor belt; The places that don’t have a network of lines instead, where they send orders directly to the customers. The plate stops in front of you, you grab your food, and press a button to send the plates back to the kitchen.

Other locations have the sushi chefs in the middle, so you can just call out your order. Recommended Bars, Cafes and Restaurants You can also find this sushi chain in some other countries. Ever seen one outside of Japan? With a large store in the heart of Omotesando and others scattered around Tokyo, this sushi joint is famous for serving mixed plates and eye-popping combinations. Instead of the standard 108 yen, most of the sushi at this restaurant is in the region of 130 yen. There are also plates in the 200-, 300- and 500-yen range. Don’t worry about making a mistake—they have a very easy-to-understand, color-coded system with sample plates mounted on the wall. Heiroku’s specialty is mixed plates, with three to four different types of sushi on a single plate. We recommend their 4-piece tuna plate, so you can taste all the different textures and flavors that make Japanese tuna famous. Sushi-Ro is one of the most beloved budget sushi chains in Tokyo, popular among college students and families with young children.

With branches all throughout Japan (even in Hokkaido), Sushi-Ro has gotten the practice of getting you in, fed, billed, and out again down to an art. You can either choose your items from the conveyor belt or order from the screen in front of you. They have English, Chinese, and Korean language settings. Most plates cost 108 yen for two pieces of nigiri sushi. They have a couple of “specialty” items that run for a bit more and a delicious assortment of desserts. Basically, Sushi-Ro is a good, “safe”, cheap, and delicious dining option. Unlike many of the sushi spots in this article, Katsura is a stand-alone restaurant. It is located right in Tsukiji Fish Market—so you already know that you’re about to get some quality stuff. It’s a contender for the much coveted (and imaginary) Best Budget Sushi Tokyo award. A fair word of warning, though, don’t go here for dinner. Your meal will easily be over 5,000 yen! Instead, take advantage of their weekday lunch menu. An ‘ichininmae’ (1 person) set of 9 pieces of nigiri sushi and one maki roll sushi is 950 yen.

The 1.5 person set is 1,050 yen. Both are absolutely delicious. The only downside is that the restaurant is a little bit difficult to find, and there is no English menu. If you don’t speak Japanese, try to go with a friend who can, or just remember the 950 yen or 1,050 yen prices and point to them on the menu. This place punts itself as the “No. 1 conveyor belt sushi restaurant in Japan” and it’s definitely one of our top choices. There is often a queue snaking right outside the restaurant—but the wait is well worth it. It’s got a reputation for being one of the better quality budget sushi establishments. Most plates will set you back between 100-200 yen, and that includes not only your standard sushi dishes, but fried chicken, tempura, soups and more. You order on an iPad (don’t worry, there’s an English menu) and the food comes to you in a matter of minutes. Look no further than Zanmai Sushi for quality and convenience. This sushi bar (sorry, no conveyor belts here!) chain offers fresh, high-quality sushi sets at over 40 branches throughout Tokyo.