Saturday, September 21, 2013

How to Eat Healthy at a Japanese Restaurant


As you join other Americans in the growing trend of switching to healthier food choices, you will discover a wide range of dishes to choose from, including popular Japanese cuisine. Japanese food has similarities to Chinese and other Asian cuisine, but also has differences such as with its preparation. Japanese dishes served in restaurants can have added salt and calories, and be prepared in ways that may interfere with your weight loss goals. When you know what foods to order and which to avoid at a Japanese restaurant, it will benefit your overall health as well as enhance your dining experience.
Avoid ordering too many fried foods, such as tempura which can be vegetables, seafood or other pieces of food dipped in batter and deep fried. Tonkatsu, a breaded deep fried pork cutlet, also adds more calories to your meal.
Use soy sauce sparingly in your food while dining at Japanese restaurants, since soy sauce contains huge amounts of sodium. Using just a little soy sauce on your food will go a long way with flavor. For example, put a drop of soy sauce on just the fish section of your sushi, which will not only provide much flavor, but will keep the sushi from falling apart from putting sauce on the rice section.
Order grilled meats, such as Yakitori, a dish made up of small pieces of boneless, marinated chicken skewered and grilled. Grilling melts away most of the fat during cooking, making the meat healthier for your body.
Limit the amount of sushi you eat when dining at Japanese restaurants, because sushi contains salt, vinegar and a large quantity of sugar. Sushi represents the name for the special rice used in this cuisine, although because of the popularity of sushi in the United States, it has come to mean the fish also. The health benefits of sushi come mainly from the eating of fish in sushi, consisting usually of salmon, tuna, and flounder. These fish varieties contain omega-3 fatty acids which promote the health of your heart, especially when you eat this fish twice weekly.
Avoid eating sushi containing shellfish, such as shrimp and clams, which can cause food related illnesses from parasites. The fish used in sushi is flash-frozen to destroy all parasites it contains, making the fish safe when eaten raw in sushi.
Order steamed food, such as steamed rice and vegetables, which retains more of its vitamins, compared to other cooking processes, such as frying or boiling.
Eat more vegetables than meats when dining at Japanese restaurants or replace meats with vegetables for better health. Order sea vegetables, also known as seaweed, such as nori, kombu and hijiki, which may be served with other vegetables or in your salads. Sea vegetables provide everything your body needs for health, including minerals, vitamins, protein, omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids and more.Read more.....




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