---
description: You now have the blessing of five health experts to eat sushi—but there are some things you should know before ordering. “Sushi is a nice...
title: Should I Eat Sushi?
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---
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## Health
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## Diet & Nutrition
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# Should I Eat Sushi?
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[Mandy Oaklander](/author/mandy-oaklander/)
## Mandy Oaklander
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Oaklander is a senior editor at TIME.
Updated: Dec 13, 2023 6:46 AM CUTPublished: Jun 25, 2015 4:04 PM CUT
Traditional Japanese sushi
Traditional Japanese sushiGetty Images
by
[Mandy Oaklander](/author/mandy-oaklander/)
## Mandy Oaklander
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Oaklander is a senior editor at TIME.
Updated: Dec 13, 2023 6:46 AM CUTPublished: Jun 25, 2015 4:04 PM CUT
You now have the blessing of five health experts to eat sushi—but there are some things you should know before ordering.
“Sushi is a nice and healthy meal if you make the right choices,” says **Sunniva Hoel**, a PhD candidate at Sør-Trøndelag University College in Norway. It comes with all the health benefits you’d expect from fish, like omega-3 fatty acids and lean protein, but the problem is often what it’s wrapped in. “_Maki_ and _nigiri_ sushi mainly consist of rice, which is just fast carbohydrates,” she says. Eating sashimi, slices of raw fish accessorized with vegetables, is the better way to order.
It should be noted, too, that sushi is raw, so people with immune deficiency, like the elderly or chronically ill, and pregnant women should take care when eating foods that haven’t been heat-treated, she says. “Raw fish can transmit infectious diseases,” adds **Dr. David** **Katz**, director of the Yale University Prevention Research Center, “so you need to choose a very well-run establishment.”
Store-bought sushi might face even more of a quality challenge than the kind you eat at a restaurant, since its longer shelf life gives bacteria more of an opportunity to flourish, Hoel says. A [study](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25951393 "undefined") by Hoel and her colleagues found that almost half of the 58 samples of supermarket sushi they sampled had unsatisfactory levels of bacteria. “The main concern is to maintain an unbroken cold chain during production, distribution, and display in stores and all the way to the consumer’s tables,” she says.
Needless to say, rolls that are deep-fried and smothered with mayo are less healthy choices, says **Kristin Kirkpatrick**, RD, manager of wellness nutrition services at Cleveland Clinic Wellness Institute. She tells her patients to focus on lean sources of fresh fatty fish, get plenty of sea vegetables and wrap it in brown rice, or no wrap at all. “If that’s how you approach a night at the sushi bar, then a portioned controlled thumbs up to you,” she says.
Mercury is still a concern with sushi, says **Roxanne Karimi**, PhD, School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences at Stony Brook University . Her [research](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24780236 "undefined") on mercury found that blood mercury levels were positively associated with eating a weekly tuna steak or sushi. But small-bodied fish lower on the food chain have less of it, she says.
Those lesser-known fish lower on the food chain are often the best ones to pick for sustainability, too, says **Tim Fitzgerald**, director of impact in the oceans program at the Environmental Defense Fund. “The sushi market in general is much more opaque than the larger seafood market,” he says. Unfortunately, three of the most popular items—tuna, salmon and shrimp—aren’t often fished or farmed sustainably, he says.
Opt instead for things with two shells, like scallops, clams and oysters. Roe—fish eggs—are a good choice too and have some of the highest omega-3 levels of any food per volume, Fitzgerald says. Other sustainable options are mackerel and arctic char, which is produced in a much more sustainable way than farmed salmon sushi, he says. (For more on the best fish to order, check out the [Environmental Defense Fund Seafood Selector](http://seafood.edf.org/ "undefined")—complete with a sushi guide.)
Some restaurants, too, are raising the bar: Fitzgerald points to [Bamboo Sushi](http://bamboosushi.com/ "undefined") in Portland, OR, [Miya’s Sushi](http://miyassushi.com/ "undefined") in New Haven, CT, and [Tataki](http://www.tatakisushibar.com/ "undefined") in San Francisco, CA as pioneers in sushi sustainability.
“You don’t have to give up sushi,” Fitzgerald reiterates. “It’s still good for you: just have a cheat sheet when you go in.”
[_Read next: Should I Eat Tilapia?_](http://time.com/3895811/tilapia-health-benefits/ "undefined")
### QUIZ: Should You Eat This or That?
Which is better for you: Half cup of ice cream or 3 scoops of sorbet? Getty Images (4)
Answer: A half cup of ice cream If you eat what you’re craving, you’re more likely to feel satisfied and eat less. And scoop for scoop sorbet contains twice the sugar with none of the filling dairy protein and fat. Getty Images (5); Gif by Mia Tramz for TIME
Which is better for you: Real butter or spray on fake butter? Getty Images; Tara Johnson for TIME
Answer: Butter Serving size for spray butters (even low-calorie ones) are around a 1/3 second spray. What on earth does that mean? You're better off using a small amount of real butter as opposed to guessing how much you're using of the mystery melange of up to 20 ingredients. Getty Images (1); Gif by Mia Tramz for TIME
Which is better for you: A turkey burger or a sirloin burger? Getty Images (2)
Answer: Sirloin burger Restaurant turkey burgers are often made with dark meat and the skin, so they’re not necessarily better for you (and for the record, they aren't low-fat). You can get a sirloin burger that’s 95% lean meat and gives you 20 g of protein. Just be careful with the toppings. Getty Images (1); Gif by Mia Tramz for TIME
Which is better for you: Almonds or pretzels? Getty Images (2)
Answer: Almonds Almonds are high in protein, fiber and fat and will keep you feeling fuller longer. Give high-sodium pretzels about an hour and you'll feel hungry again thanks to the high-carb no-fat or protein content. Getty Images (1); Gif by Mia Tramz for TIME
Which is better for you: Special K or eggs? AP; Getty Images
Answer: Eggs In the morning, you want a meal that will fill you up. Eggs offer protein and fat for satiety, but Special K cereal really only offers carbs and, well, air. If you want carbs to kick off the day, you're better off pairing eggs with a slice of 100% whole grain toast. Getty Images (1); Gif by Mia Tramz for TIME
Which is better for you: Fat free salad dressing or regular salad dressing? Tara Johnson for TIME
Answer: Regular salad dressingTo absorb fat soluble vitamins like Vitamins E and K in vegetables you need to consume them with a fat to aid nutrient absorption. Fat-free dressing, meanwhile, is low-calorie but gets its flavor from added sugar and salt. Tara Johnson for TIME (5); Gif by Mia Tramz for TIME
Which is better for you: A low fat cookie or dark chocolate? Getty Images (2)
Answer: Dark chocolate “People believe fat free is calorie free,” says Keri Gans, a registered dietitian in New York City. “Go for the real thing.” Fat free cookies tend to be high in carbs, sugar and fake sugar. Try a nice piece of antioxidant-rich dark chocolate instead. Getty Images (2); Gif by Mia Tramz for TIME
Which is better for you: Low fat Greek yogurt or 100 calorie Yoplait yogurt? Tara Johnson for TIME
Answer: 2% Greek YogurtA little fat is good in the morning to keep you full—plus it has upwards of 17g of protein per container. Fat-free "fruit" yogurt is high in sugar—7 to 10 g per serving—and lower in protein. Tara Johnson for TIME (2); Gif by Mia Tramz for TIME
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