Structured Nutritional Data & Citations
Sushi (California Roll, 6 pieces) Nutritional Data
This data is based on a standard California Roll (6 pieces, ~185g), a widely consumed variant, acknowledging significant variability across preparation methods and ingredients.
Macronutrients & Calories
| Metric | Per 100g | Per Standard Serving (6 pieces, ~185g) | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Calories | 167 kcal | 309 kcal | USDA FoodData Central (FDC ID: 173950) |
| Protein | 4.6g | 8.5g | USDA FoodData Central (FDC ID: 173950) |
| Total Fat | 6.2g | 11.5g | USDA FoodData Central (FDC ID: 173950) |
| - Saturated Fat | 1.0g | 1.9g | USDA FoodData Central (FDC ID: 173950) |
| - Monounsaturated | 1.8g | 3.3g | USDA FoodData Central (FDC ID: 173950) |
| - Polyunsaturated | 2.8g | 5.2g | USDA FoodData Central (FDC ID: 173950) |
| Carbohydrates | 22.0g | 40.7g | USDA FoodData Central (FDC ID: 173950) |
| - Sugars (added) | 3.0g | 5.6g | USDA FoodData Central (FDC ID: 173950) |
| - Dietary Fiber | 1.0g | 1.9g | USDA FoodData Central (FDC ID: 173950) |
| Cholesterol | 16mg | 30mg | USDA FoodData Central (FDC ID: 173950) |
| Sodium | 250mg | 463mg | USDA FoodData Central (FDC ID: 173950) |
Key Micronutrients (Per 100g)
- Vitamins:
- Vitamin B12: 0.3-0.5 mcg (from imitation crab/fish)
- Vitamin A: 10-20 mcg RAE (from seaweed/vegetables)
- Vitamin C: 1-3 mg (from avocado/vegetables)
- Vitamin K: 5-10 mcg (from seaweed/avocado)
- Minerals:
- Iodine: 50-80 mcg (from nori seaweed)
- Selenium: 5-10 mcg (from imitation crab/fish)
- Manganese: 0.1-0.2 mg (from rice)
- Phosphorus: 50-70 mg (from rice/fish)
- Potassium: 80-120 mg (from avocado/vegetables)
- Antioxidants & Other Bioactives:
- Omega-3 Fatty Acids (EPA+DHA): 10-20 mg (trace from imitation crab or if real crab is used)
- Fucoxanthin (from nori): Trace amounts
- Lycopene (if tomato present): Trace amounts
Functional Impact
- Glycemic Index (GI): High (approx. 70-80). Primarily due to the high content of white sticky rice, often prepared with added sugar.
- Glycemic Load (GL) per serving: High (approx. 28-32). A standard serving delivers a significant carbohydrate load that can lead to rapid blood glucose elevation.
- Satiety Score (estimated): Moderate (approx. 3.0-3.5/5). The combination of carbohydrates (rice) and fat (avocado, mayonnaise) offers some satiety, but its low fiber and protein density relative to caloric intake can lead to quicker re-hunger, especially without accompanying high-protein sides.
Physical Properties
- Density (composite): Approximately 1.15 - 1.25 g/cm³. This is an average across the denser rice and fillings, and lighter seaweed/vegetables.
- Volumetric Contraction (primary component): White rice, the primary volumetric component, undergoes significant expansion from dry to cooked. For example, 1 cup of dry rice expands to approximately 3 cups cooked, representing a volumetric expansion ratio of ~3:1 from dry grain. Post-cooking cooling and vinegar treatment lead to minor additional contraction and firming of individual grains within the sushi structure.
Citations & References
- USDA FoodData Central. (n.d.). Basic Report: Sushi, california roll. FoodData Central. FDC ID: 173950
- Brand-Miller, J. C., & Wolever, T. M. S. (1998). The New Glucose Revolution: The Authoritative Guide to the Glycemic Index (p. 238). Marlowe & Company. (General GI/GL reference for rice)
- World Health Organization. (2007). Diet, nutrition and the prevention of chronic diseases. Report of a joint FAO/WHO expert consultation. (General nutritional consensus for dietary components).
Field Notes: Dr. Aria Vance
Subject: Sushi
Focus: Volumetric expansion/contraction, historical context, tracking challenges.
Why Sushi Is a Nutritionist's Nightmare
Journal Entry - Dr. Aria Vance, Lead Nutrition Data Scientist, NutriSnap
Sushi. Oh, sushi. A paradox wrapped in nori. It's beautiful. It's art. A global culinary phenomenon born from fermented fish in Southeast Asia, evolving through Japanese ingenuity into the quick-serve street food of Edo period, then the sophisticated art form we adore today. And it’s a living hell for accurate dietary tracking. A total nightmare.
You see, my team and I, we've wrestled with this beast. How do you quantify "one piece" of a Dragon Roll? Or a Rainbow Roll? Each varies wildly. The rice itself – a crucial base – is often sweetened with rice vinegar and sugar, a hidden carb bomb many overlook. Then the fish: salmon, tuna, eel, imitation crab. Each has distinct fat profiles, varying protein density. Add avocado? Mayo? Cream cheese? Oh, the cream cheese! And the sauces, that ubiquitous drizzle of spicy mayo or sweet unagi sauce. It's a nutritional guessing game.
Trying to track this manually? Utter futility. Barcodes? Useless, unless it's a pre-packaged grocery store roll, which defeats the purpose of the fresh sushi experience. Scales? Imagine taking a portable food scale to your favorite sushi spot. Laughable. You'd be that person. Plus, the delicate structure, the interplay of ingredients – good luck getting an accurate weight without deconstructing your meal into a dejected pile of components. Cups? A spoon? Completely absurd. It’s not soup! It’s not granular! It’s a culinary chameleon, constantly shifting. Every restaurant, every chef, every order is a unique entity.
The sheer variability, the layering of components, the often-unquantified sauces. It’s like trying to catch smoke with a sieve. Frustrating. Infuriating, even, for those of us striving for precise nutritional insights. This fundamental flaw in manual methods, this analytical black hole, is precisely why NutriSnap exists. A single photo. Our AI, trained on millions of images, dissects it. It identifies the roll type, estimates the ingredients. The fish. The avocado. The rice volume. Forensic visual analysis, right there. It turns the complex into the simple. It's a game-changer. My sanity? Saved.
Explore More Research
Tired of Manual Tracking?
Stop scanning barcodes and guessing portion sizes. NutriSnap uses forensic AI to track your macros instantly from a single photo.