Ethnic Restaurants Quick Guide: Japanese

Japanese restaurants offer a variety of healthful and diet-friendly menu items. Japanese cuisine features plenty of vegetables and includes a moderate amount of carbohydrates. Very few dishes feature high-fat meat or dairy. Print this simple guide and take it with you so you can make healthy choices at Japanese restaurants.

Good Choices:

• broth-based or miso soups
• ebisu (a shrimp-based appetizer)
• yakitori (broiled chicken skewers)
• salads
• teriyaki chicken, beef, or salmon (broiled)
• sukiyaki (simmered chicken or beef with vegetables and tofu)
• most varieties of sushi
• sashimi
• steamed rice
• vinegar, teriyaki and soy sauces

Less Preferable Choices:

• donburi (breaded and deep-fried pork
• fried bean curd
• tempura-udon soup
• dishes described as katsu, or pan-fried
• tempura dishes (battered and fried shrimp or vegetables with sauce)
• yo kan (a type of cake)
• Philadelphia rolls (Americanized sushi with cream cheese)
• tempura rolls
• mayonnaise-based sauces
• high-fat dressings for salads

To find the calorie content for many types of restaurant foods -- including ethnic eateries, fast food restaurants, and casual dining establishments -- visit About.com's Calorie Count, where you can browse by category or search for a food or restaurant name.

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