How often do you see a fat Japanese woman? While I’m sure they exist, in general the population has much smaller waistlines than… say… Mississippi. And it’s no wonder considering the traditional Japanese diet consisting of uber-healthy cuisine such as soy, yams,  seaweed, and raw, stir-fried or boiled fish. Traditional nigiri sushi, in fact—fingers of rice topped with small fish filets—contains between 40 and 65 calories. Likewise, sashimi—the fish minus the rice—can be eaten for just 30 to 40 calories per slice.

But as is the case with many other international cuisines, Americans have adapted traditional sushi recipes to their own tastes, and dramatically increased their caloric contents simultaneously. The popular rolls—known as maki—that can now be found everywhere from sushi bars to supermarket delis typically contain 45 calories per piece. A full six-piece roll, therefore contains between 250 and 375 calories—if it’s made strictly from rice, fish and avocado. But tempura rolls with deep-fried ingredients, as well as rolls with mayonnaise-based sauces, can easily exceed more than 1,000 calories—surpassing the calorie-content of a Big Mac. And it’s not uncommon for sushi-bar patrons to consume two or three full-sized rolls in one meal.

What’s more, there’s a common misconception eating sushi rolls is a tasty way to consume a healthy amount of fish. But what people fail to realize is a typical California roll contains, at most, 5 grams of fish. Therefore, to eat a beneficial quantity, a person would need to eat 28 pieces. Ouch. Hard to count that as any benefit since 28 pieces would likely—at best—contain about 1,232 calories.

Healthy varieties of sushi are available, however. If you stick to sashimi, you’ll get a boost in protein, omega-3s, vitamins and minerals. Plus, you can practically eat all you want without worrying about your caloric intake. To reach the same amount of calories in a super-fattening spider roll—about 1,100—you can actually eat  37 pieces of sashimi. Sure, it might be an acquired taste for a lot of people—you’ll typically be eating raw tuna or salmon—but it’s one the healthiest foods you can buy. Don’t take that literally, though. Any tuna is still likely to contain trace amounts of mercury, and 37 pieces is probably overdoing it.

Think you’ll still be hungry after eating six pieces of sashimi? Try starting your meal off with a bowl of miso soup. You’ve probably tried it before. The traditional Japanese broth is made from soybean paste and tofu, and can also include kelp, dried fish and vegetables. One cup of the soup usually includes about 70 calories. The great part about the soup is, if eaten before your meal, it will curb your appetite, causing you to eat less.

No matter how much you like it, avoid the soy sauce. Everyone’s favorite Asian condiment is a heart attack waiting to happen. Literally, the stuff is like pouring liquid salt onto your food as one tablespoon contains between 900 and 1,200 milligrams of sodium—almost an entire day’s recommended serving for an adult. If it is your absolute favorite condiment that you can’t do without, at least buy the low-sodium variety, which has about 600 milligrams per tablespoon.