Sushi is sometimes associated with just being raw fish. While this part is true, there are many other elements that go into creating the wide varieties of sushi that are available. The ingredients are part of what determines whether sushi is healthy or not.

Sushi is a classic Japanese meal that is one of the most popular items on the menus of Japanese restaurants. There are three types of sushi including nigiri, sashimi and maki, said Dan Nguyen, one of the sushi chefs at Kofusion. Nigiri is used in making tofu, sashimi is a dish of raw fish and maki are sushi rolls.

Kofusion, located in downtown Champaign, serves 25 different rolls of sushi, Nguyen said.

“Sushi rolls are generally our most popular item and (we) sell more (sushi) than anything else.”

Kofusion sells rolls that are more traditional, such as rolls with salmon and tuna, coconut shrimp or a spicy tuna mix, Nguyen said.

Other rolls that are more popular among students are the more Americanized rolls like Big Rolls. These include cream cheese, crab stick, and mushrooms, which are not really traditionally Japanese because they do not use milk.

Justine Karduck, one of the University’s registered dieticians, said that as far as sushi’s health benefits go, it is high in protein from the fish.

The salmon and tuna in rolls include omega-3 fatty acids which help lower blood pressure and cholesterol.

There are also benefits in eating sushi with wasabi sauce because it is found to help with fighting cancer, she said.

“Pieces of sushi that are fried are higher in fat and are not as good of a choice if eating sushi frequently,” Karduck said.

Generally, the Big Roll at Kofusion is most popular among students because it is deep fried, Nguyen said. The California roll is also a popular item because it has crab stick, cucumber and avocado.

“The California roll is standard, and every sushi place does it because it is simple, which is why it is popular with Americans,” Nguyen said. “A lot of Americans are scared to eat raw fish, so they turn to rolls that don’t have raw fish, or are deep fried.”

The EPA recommends that healthy adults can eat up to 14 ounces of fish per week, Karduck said. For children and pregnant women, this serving is less because of the mercury content in fish.

“It depends on the size of the sushi and the ounce of fish per roll, but generally eating 10 to 14 rolls per week would be okay,” Karduck said. “It is an overall very healthy, low-calorie food if eaten in the correct proportions.”

California rolls are also healthy, but avocado is high in fat, she said.

One should not exceed six rolls per order because of the mercury content in fish.

Karduck suggests eating sushi with chopsticks because it allows one to eat slower and not over consume.

Jordan Hawker, senior in engineering, goes to eat sushi about once a month.

“There are too many interesting types of fish and combinations to try, and no matter what I order, the food is always delicious,” he said.

He likes getting the chef’s special maki, which is whatever the chef feels like making, and then orders a roll on the side because it adds to the experience, he said.

Many sushi restaurants are located in the Champaign-Urbana area, including Kofusion, Sushi Rock, Sushi San and Sarku Japan, have become fairly popular on campus.