How many calories in an onigiri
One onigiri has about 180 kcal, mostly from the rice.
Portion
To burn it off
Onigiri are Japanese rice balls, usually triangles wrapped in seaweed, with a filling like salmon, tuna mayo or pickled plum. The 7 Eleven staple of every Japan trip.
One is about 180 kcal, with 4 g of protein, 38 g of carbs and 1 g of fat. Light on fat, mostly rice.
They're on the shelves at Japan Centre and more and more UK supermarkets. Two with a miso soup is a light, quick lunch.
Tips
- 1Pick salmon or plum over tuna mayo for less fat.
- 2Pair one with a miso soup or edamame for some protein.
- 3Have one instead of a sandwich when you just need something small.
Where it comes from
People in Japan have pressed cooked rice into shapes since the Yayoi period, about 2,000 years ago, and lumps of charred rice from that time have been dug up. An 8th century text mentions nigiri ii, pressed rice, and The Tale of Genji has tonjiki, small hand formed bundles of rice eaten on the move. The name grew from nigiri ii to nigiri meshi, and then onigiri with a polite o in front.
Where does our food come from? · Source: Nippon.com, Onigiri: The Evolving Face of Japan's Beloved Rice Ball
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salmon onigiri
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Questions
How many calories in two onigiri?
About 360 kcal.
Is tuna mayo onigiri higher?
Usually a bit, because of the mayo. Salmon or plum are lighter.
Is onigiri a good snack?
It's a light one at 180 kcal, though low in protein on its own.
Do I count the seaweed on an onigiri?
You can, but it's barely anything. The strip of nori around one rice ball is a couple of kcal at most.
How many calories in an onigiri with miso soup?
About 220 kcal. A bowl of miso soup adds roughly 40 kcal to the 180 of the rice ball.
