Will sushi fit into my diet? [Keto/ Paleo/ Candida/ Low-Carb Explained]
Sushi can be very healthy if you eat the right ones and stay away from the calorie-packed ones.
But still, it needs to fit into the requirements of your personal diet.
So let’s look at the different diets and how sushi can fit into those.
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Different diet types and sushi
What sushi can I eat on the keto diet?
No, you can’t have sushi rolls on the keto diet, but you can have sashimi instead. The keto diet entails eating a low-carb and high-fat diet. Instead of consuming carbs, you’re replacing them with fats.
The problem with sushi is that it contains rice and if you’re on the keto diet, then you can’t have rice because it’s a whole grain. So the only keto-friendly food you can have from the sushi menu is sashimi. It’s basically a piece of raw fish and there’s no rice, so you can enjoy it without any guilt.
If you still want to enjoy sushi rolls though, you can make cauliflower rice sushi at home. You can use seaweed because it’s keto-friendly.
Then, you can substitute the rice with cauliflower rice, and add salmon, avocado, and cucumber.
Can you eat sushi on the paleo diet?
No, but you can eat sashimi without soy sauce.
The paleo diet focuses on eating foods that our ancestors used to hunt and gather. So it’s all about eating meat, fish, vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds. Rice, other grains, and dairy are not paleo-friendly, so sushi is off the table.
When you eat sushi while on the paleo diet, you need to be careful about avoiding soy sauce, as it’s not paleo-friendly. Instead, ask for coconut aminos or bring your own (it’s the safest bet).
As well, you must avoid rice at all costs, so you’re limited to sashimi. If you want to make paleo-friendly sushi at home, you need to make the rolls without using rice.
So, you can still use nori sheets and fill them with salmon, avocado, pepper, cucumber, and scallions. Instead of soy sauce, coconut aminos give a similar flavor to your sushi rolls.
Can you eat sushi on the Candida diet?
Yes, if you replace rice with quinoa. The Candida diet is especially vital for people who suffer from Candida overgrowth in the body.
With the candida diet, you can’t eat gluten, sugar, alcohol, and the majority of dairy products. Fish is allowed, but rice, sugar, and sauces aren’t good for this diet.
Since sushi rolls contain sugar and rice, they aren’t recommended if you’re on the Candida diet. Luckily, this doesn’t mean you have to deprive yourself of this tasty dish.
Instead, you should make sushi with quinoa. The only challenge is making quinoa stick like sticky rice. For this, you need to add psyllium husk powder that holds the quinoa grains together.
Instead of sugar, use a bit of stevia in your sushi “rice” mix. A nori exterior and avocado, cucumber, and carrots are great Candida-friendly filings!
Can you eat sushi on a low-carb diet?
The low-carb diet is all about removing carbs and sugary foods from your diet. Instead, you eat whole and unprocessed foods.
So because sushi isn’t low carb due to the rice, you can’t eat sushi. But you can use cream cheese as a filling. And iff you like raw fish, then you can enjoy sashimi at your local sushi restaurant.
The good news is that you can also make a “sushi” dupe at home with some of the delicious ingredients that make up authentic sushi rolls.
Instead of rice, make nori rolls filled with cream cheese, salmon, salmon, and cucumber. You’ll feel as if you’re eating a Philadelphia sushi roll, but it’s low-carb, diet-friendly, and yummy too!
Can you eat sushi on the Mediterranean Diet?
Yes, you can have brown rice sushi rolls! The Mediterranean diet is all about eating healthy, balanced meals with lots of fish, seafood, and vegetables.
So you’d think sushi is a great option, right?
Well, first of all, the Mediterranean diet doesn’t encourage the consumption of white rice. So choose sushi with brown rice.
You’ll also want to avoid sushi rolls that are loaded with calories. So low-calorie options like avocado and salmon rolls are good options. Ask your sushi chef to make them with brown rice so that they’re Mediterranean diet-friendly.
Quinoa sushi rolls are another great choice!
Your rolls can contain seafood but avoid those calorie-laden sauces.
Is sushi bad for a diet?
Many people associate sushi with weight-loss food. The truth is that sushi is healthy if you choose the right rolls. Don’t eat anything that contains fried tempura, mayonnaise, or high-calorie sauces.
Choose the sushi rolls with a small amount of fish and vegetables and try to find brown rice varieties when you can.
The good news is that many sushi rolls don’t have extra added fats, so they’re diet-friendly. However, if you want to lose weight, it’s all about portion control.
Never eat more than 6-8 pieces per meal. Sushi topped with a bit of seafood like a fish fillet only contains about 40-65 calories per piece, so it’s a portion of good low-calorie food. So if you eat a whole roll, you can feel full and avoid packing in too many calories!
Of course, you should skip crispy tempura rolls, dragon rolls, and most “Western” style sushi rolls with tons of sauces and toppings.
Avoid soy sauce too, because it’s full of sodium and sugar.
The bottom line? Sushi is a good food to have if you’re on a diet, as long as you eat the varieties with fresh fish and vegetables.
What is a sushi-only diet?
Have you heard of the sushi-only diet? If you’re a big sushi fan, it might be something you’d like, although you must be careful with eating too much sushi.
With the sushi diet, you’re eating it 5 days a week. It’s best to combine the sushi with lots of vegetable side dishes like edamame.
When you’re on a sushi-only diet, the advantage is that you eat lots of raw fish and other seafood products. These are high in omegas, especially omega 3 fish oils.
These can reduce cholesterol, help the cardiovascular system function optimally, and reduce blood pressure.
The danger though is that if you eat too much raw fish, you can get tapeworm and parasitic infestations in your digestive system. As well, many types of fish are toxic because they contain traces of mercury. So it’s best to have a balanced diet.
Also, keep in mind that pregnant and breastfeeding women are not allowed to follow a sushi diet because raw fish is not healthy or safe during pregnancy.
Conclusion
Sushi can be a great option for many diets, but not all. There are however always things you can order at a sushi restaurant because of the variety and healthy ingredients.
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Joost Nusselder, the founder of Bite My Bun is a content marketer, dad and loves trying out new food with Japanese food at the heart of his passion, and together with his team he's been creating in-depth blog articles since 2016 to help loyal readers with recipes and cooking tips.
