Source: USDA FoodData Central · Salmon Nigiri · Data verified by CaloriesCalc
* % Daily Value based on a 2,000 kcal diet.
| Nutrient | Amount | % Daily Value | Bar |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sodium | 356mg | 15% | |
| Selenium | 12µg | 22% | |
| Phosphorus | 80mg | 6% | |
| Potassium | 103mg | 2% | |
| Magnesium | 16mg | 4% | |
| Iron | 0.6mg | 3% | |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.07mg | 4% | |
| Niacin | 1.8mg | 11% | |
| Folate | 14µg | 4% | |
| Vitamin C | 0.5mg | 1% |
| Weight | Calories | Protein | Net Carbs | Fat |
|---|
Salmon nigiri/basic maki (USDA). Dragon roll: ~420 kcal/6pc. Tempura roll: ~500 kcal/6pc. Sashimi (fish only): ~130-175 kcal/6pc. Soy sauce: 900mg sodium per tbsp. California roll: ~255 kcal/6pc. GI ~45 — moderate (sushi rice is seasoned with vinegar which lowers GI).
Sushi is genuinely one of the most nutritionally efficient restaurant foods available. At 150 kcal/100g with 5.8g protein, omega-3 fatty acids from fish, iodine from nori, and complex carbs from rice, it provides substantial nutrition per calorie. A 6-piece salmon nigiri order provides ~240 kcal with ~15g protein and ~1g of EPA+DHA omega-3 — an excellent calorie-to-nutrient ratio compared to most restaurant options.
A single tablespoon of soy sauce contains approximately 900-1,000mg of sodium — 39-43% of the daily recommended maximum. Sushi diners who liberally dip each piece in soy sauce can easily consume 3,000-5,000mg of sodium from the soy sauce alone in a restaurant meal. Low-sodium (reduced-salt) soy sauce contains ~500mg per tablespoon — still significant. Using soy sauce sparingly and not soaking each piece is the most important sodium management strategy.
The seaweed (nori) wrapping sushi rolls is a significant source of iodine (~35µg per sheet — 23% of daily requirement), a mineral essential for thyroid function that is often deficient in inland populations. Nori also contains vitamin K, folate, magnesium, and iron — making it a genuine nutritional contributor, not just a wrapper.
The calorie gap between traditional and specialty sushi is enormous. Salmon nigiri (6 pieces): 240 kcal. Tempura shrimp roll (6 pieces): 500 kcal. Dragon roll with avocado and eel sauce (8 pieces): 430 kcal. The additions that make specialty rolls calorically dense are: tempura batter (adds ~150 kcal), cream cheese (~100 kcal), mayonnaise-based sauces (~100 kcal), and sweet eel sauce (~80 kcal). Traditional nigiri and simple maki rolls are consistently the best choices for nutrition.
Nutrition values from USDA FoodData Central. Not medical advice.