Is sushi the healthy option you think it is?

Recent research into supermarket sushi shows that the average take away lunch can contain just as many calories, and even more sugar, than a standard meal of French Fries and a Big Mac from McDonalds.

Dietician Rachel Beller told the UK's Daily Mail, "A typical sushi roll contains 290 to 350 calories and has the carbohydrate equivalent of two-and-a-half to four slices of bread, so a California roll equals two sandwiches filled with crab sticks, a sliver of avocado, and a tiny bit of veg."

Where do all the calories come from?

The average piece of sushi contains up to 75 per cent white rice, seasoned with sugar, salt and vinegar. So while you are getting small servings of healthy fish and vegetables, you are consuming mainly carbohydrates and sugars.

And vegetable sushi does not fare any better. A typical serving of avocado and cucumber sushi roll has 400 calories and 11 grams of sugar - more than a Premium Bacon Ranch Salad with Crispy Chicken from McDonalds (390 calories, 7 grams of sugar).

If you include soy sauce the numbers look even worse - you can add around 1,000 milligrams of sodium, which is the equivalent contained in five bacon rashers.

It's not all bad news for sushi lovers. In terms of fat content it comes out on top, with the average serving containing just 10 grams of fat, compared to 29 grams found in a Big Mac.

Health experts advise sticking to sushi that does not contain ingredients high in fat, such as cream cheese, mayonnaise, avocado and tempura. An even better option is to order sashimi, have your rice on the side and avoid high sodium levels by steering clear of smoked fish and cutting back on the soy sauce.

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