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Health & Wellness | Eating Healthy
Health
&
Wellness
Health
Benefits
of Sushi
• If you are looking for
a fast-food meal that is
healthy – or you just enjoy
the flavors and art form
of sushi – you are sure to
benefit from a visit to your
local sushi bar. Popular for
centuries in Japan, sushi
has become immensely
fashionable in the Western
world. Although sushi’s
history goes back to the 7th
century, the trendy form that
is served in modern sushi
bars came into popularity in
1820, Tokyo. Variations of
the lengthy pickling process
that was the original variety
of sushi were made so that
sushi could be enjoyed
freshly made from a portable
stall.
Sushi is a very healthy meal
made mostly with rice,
fish and vegetables. What
are the health benefits of
sushi? High content of fish
9
oil is the main health factor
which promotes a healthy
cardiovascular system. The
hikarimono, or shiny fish
(mackerel, Spanish mackerel,
sardine, Pacific Saury), contain
the highest amounts of
EPA and DHA omega3 fats.
Ironically they are the least
expensive fish. These fish
are also high in vitamin E
which is a powerful antioxidant.
Nori, the thin, toasted seaweed
sheets used in rolled
(maki) sushi, contains a great
source of minerals found
in the ocean and is high in
Vitamin A, B-complex, Niacin
and Vitamin C. It is also
good for digestion. Vinegar
acts as an important factor
in promoting cell metabolism;
people who use rice
vinegar frequently (dress salads,
blend with soy sauce, or
drink in small amounts, have
lower percentages of body
fat. The rice used in making
sushi, while not as healthy as
brown rice, is low in fat and
sodium free while also being
a complex carbohydrate
which is needed as fuel for
your body.
Pictured above: Sushi at Firefly
Even sushi condiments have health benefits.
Soya, the main ingredient in soy sauce, has been linked to lower breast cancer and fewer
menopausal symptoms in Asian cultures. Soya is a source of high quality protein, low in
saturated fats and is cholesterol free. Ginger, called gari, is often served alongside sushi and
helps with digestion while also fighting bacteria. This is especially of interest to those concerned
with the bacteria found in uncooked meat. Wasabi, Japanese horseradish, can also
kill bacteria found in raw fish and is often provided alongside sushi servings as a garnish or
is included as in nigiri sushi.
Did you know...
• Japanese and Korean
cultures have known of the
powerful health benefits
of sea vegetation for centuries.
These cultures have
historically shown fewer
instances of obesity, diabetes,
Alzheimer’s disease and
other degenerative diseases.
Additionally, studies of large
groups of people who eat
seaweed and algae regularly
tend to have a smaller
chance of breast cancer than
those who eat more meats.
• Sea vegetables pack a
double punch against heart
disease. In addition to their
folic acid, sea vegetables are
also a very good source of
magnesium, which has been
shown to reduce high blood
pressure and prevent heart
attack.
• Seaweed supplies not
only magnesium, but pantothenic
acid and riboflavin,
two B-vitamins necessary for
energy production. Pantothenic
acid is important
for the health of the adrenal
glands which play a critical
role in resistance to stress;
low supplies of it can result
in chronic fatigue, reduced
resistance to allergies and
infection, and a feeling of being
overwhelmed or overly
anxious.
• Any way you slice it,
edamame is a star legume.
A half-cup serving of shelled
edamame gives you nine
grams of fiber, about the
same amount you’ll find
in four slices of wholewheat
bread or four cups
of steamed zucchini. It has
almost as much protein as
it does carbohydrates, and
contains around 10% of
the daily value for two key
antioxidants: vitamins C
and A. For a plant food it’s
quite high in iron, containing
as much as a four-ounce
roasted chicken breast.
20 THE CIRCUIT September/October 2012