Overall sushi is considered a nutritious, healthy and rich in omega-3 fatty acids.
However, there are also some concerns about the components in it.
This article is a detailed view of sushi and health effects.
Besides, the article will also provide simple tips on how to maximize health benefits when eating sushi.
What is sushi?
Sushi is a popular dish originating from Japan.
This dish includes rice and vinegar roll with raw or cooked fish and seaweed or nori.
Usually served with soy sauce, a spicy green spice called wasabi and pickled ginger.
In the 7th century, sushi began to become popular in Japan as a way to preserve fish.
Washed fish are pressed between rice and salt and fermented for several weeks until it is edible (1).
Around the middle of the 17th century, people began to add vinegar on rice to reduce fermentation time and create delicious flavor.
Recently, fermentation has been omitted since the 19th century, and fresh fish began to be used instead of fermented fish. This created the first version of ready-made sushi that we still eat today .
Conclude: Sushi originated from Japan. This dish includes rice mixed with seaweed roll vinegar and raw fish and vegetables.
Popular types of sushi
These are the most popular types of sushi :
- Hosomaki: Seaweed rolls with rice of the same kind - for example avocado or cucumber .
- Futomaki: Larger rice rolls with many kinds of kernels inside .
- Uramaki : Roll rice with lots of ingredients, with seaweed inside and rice outside .
- Temaki: The cone rice roll contains the inner core .
- Nigiri: Grilled rice with a layer of raw fish surrounded .
is thin fish. In nature, this is not sushi, but sashimi is often eaten with sushi.
Conclude: Sushi has many different types. The five most popular types are hosomaki, futomaki, uramaki, temaki and nigiri.
Nutritious ingredients
Sushi is often considered a healthy food, mainly because it contains the following nutrient-rich ingredients.
Fish
Fish contains a lot the protein , iodine as well as some vitamins and minerals.
Plus, this is one handful of food contains natural vitamin D .
Fish Contains omega-3 fats necessary for the brain and body to operate optimally.
These substances help prevent certain diseases such as heart disease and stroke .
Eating fish may also reduce the risk of autoimmune diseases, depression, memory loss and vision loss in the elderly .
Wasabi
Dough Usually eaten with sushi. It tastes very spicy, so it can only be eaten in very small amounts.
This dish is made from the trunk of the tree Eutrema japonicum , with them with cabbage, horseradish and mustard.
Wasabi contains a lot of beta-carotene, glucosinolate and isothiocyanate. Research shows that these compounds can fight bacteria, fight inflammation and fight cancer .
However, because the wasabi tree became increasingly devoid, many restaurants used simulated pastes made of mixed horseradish, mustard powder and blue dyes, which had completely different wasabi nutrients.
Seaweed
is a seaweed used to roll sushi.
It contains many nutrients, including calcium, magnesium , phosphorus, iron, sodium, iodine, thiamine as well as vitamins A, C and E (15).
Moreover, 44% of the dry weight of nori is protein, equivalent to high protein content soy bean .
However, a sushi roll contains very little seaweed so nutrients in nori only account for a very small part of the body's daily nutritional needs.
Studies show that nori may contain compounds that are resistant to viruses, inflammation and even cancer .
Some people believe that nori is also capable of cleaning heavy metals in the human body.
However, research has shown that this ability is only available in brown seaweed types like those used in wakame salad .
Ginger soaked
Sweet pickled ginger, also known as gari, is often used to clean the palate between sushi meals.
Ginger provides potassium, magnesium, copper and manganese .
In addition, it may have some anti-microbial, viral and even cancerous properties .
Studies show ginger can help improve memory and reduce nausea, muscle pain, joint pain, menstrual cramps and even LDL cholesterol levels .
Conclude: Sushi contains many healthy nutritious ingredients like fish, wasabi, seaweed and pickled ginger.
Refined carb and low fiber content
The main ingredient of sushi is white rice, which has been refined and removed most of the fiber, vitamins and minerals.
Some studies show that high levels of refined carb can do increase inflammation and increased risk of diabetes and cardiovascular disease .
Moreover, sushi rice is often prepared with Street . Sugar additives and low fiber content can make carb decomposition quickly in the digestive system.
This may lead to an increase blood sugar and insulin , and has been proven by many studies to contribute to overeating .
However, studies also show that sushi rice vinegar can help reduce blood sugar, blood pressure and blood fat .
Eating sushi made from brown rice instead of white rice can increase fiber content, nutritional value and reduce blood sugar.
You can also order sushi that contains less rice and more vegetables to add nutrients as well as create a feeling of fullness
Conclude: Sushi contains a large amount of refined carb. This will make you more likely to eat too much and may increase your risk of inflammation, type 2 diabetes and heart disease.
Low protein content and high fat
Sushi is often considered a meal help lose weight, But it may not be as beneficial as you think.
The reason is because many types of sushi are made from high-fat sauces with tempura frying, significantly increasing the amount of calories absorbed into the body.
Moreover, a piece of sushi usually contains less fish or vegetables, thereby making the meal less fiber and protein, so it is not effective in reduce hunger and appetite .
This is why after eating a piece of sushi most people still feel hungry.
For a full sushi meal, try eating with miso soup, a little edamame soybean, a part of sashimi or wakame salad.
Conclude: Sushi often contains sauces and the top is rich in fat, but contains relatively little vegetables or fish. This makes it a calorie-rich meal but doesn't make you full.
High salt content
A sushi meal usually contains an amount salt great.
First, sushi rice is often cooked with a little salt. In addition, smoked fish and pickled vegetables in some types of sushi also contain salt.
Finally, this dish is usually eaten with soy sauce, this sauce contains a lot of salt.
Too much salt in the diet will increase the risk of stomach cancer, as well as increase blood pressure in people who are sensitive to sodium .
If you want to reduce the amount of salt, you should limit or avoid eating soy sauce, as well as sushi prepared with smoked fish like mackerel or salmon.
Although may help prevent overeating, but it also contains a lot of salt. If you are monitoring salt intake, you should also avoid miso soup.
Conclude: Sushi can contain a large amount of salt, which can increase the risk of stomach cancer and lead to hypertension in some people.
Bacterial and parasitic infections
Eating sushi with raw fish can make you more susceptible to various types of bacteria and parasites .
Some of the most common species are Salmonella , types of bacteria Vibrio as Anisakis and parasites Diphyllobothrium .
It is important to note that the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not currently manage the "Sushi Fish" label. Therefore, these products are not guaranteed to be safe.
The only rule now is that some fish must be frozen to kill the parasite before being eaten raw.
A recent study of raw fish used in 23 Portuguese restaurants found that 64% of fish samples were contaminated with harmful microorganisms .
However, proper handling and processing of food can reduce the risk of contamination .
If you want to minimize the risk of contamination, eat sushi at reputable restaurants. These places are likely to follow more standard food safety regulations. Selection of vegetarian rolls or dishes with cooked fish may also be better.
Some people need to avoid eating sushi made from raw fish including pregnant women, young children, the elderly and people with weak immune systems.
Conclude: Improper processing and handling of food combined with the use of live fish and seafood increases the risk of various types of bacteria and parasites.
Mercury and other poisons
Due to marine pollution, fish can also contain some toxins.
The most known poison is mercury.
The predatory fish seems to have the highest amount of mercury.
These fish include tuna, swordfish, mackerel, flagfish and sharks. Seafoods with low mercury content include salmon, eel, sea urchins, salmon, crab and octopus .
Some other toxins in fish can cause ciguatera (seafood poisoning) or poisoning scombroid .
Eel, grouper and snapper are often able to cause ciguatera poisoning, while poisoning scombroid is the result of consumption of tuna, mackerel and pig scad .
You can reduce the risk of enlightenment simply by avoiding eating fish that are most likely to be poisoned.
Conclude: Some types of fish are likely to be contaminated with many toxins. These include mercury and substances that can lead to ciguatera or scombroid poisoning.
How to maximize the health benefits of sushi
- Increase the amount of nutrients absorbed into the body. Choose sushi made with brown rice instead of white rice.
- Eat lots of conical rice rolls. Please choose the temaki from the menu. This type contains less rice than other traditional rice rolls.
- Increased protein and fiber content during meals. Serve with sushi with a part of edamame soybean, wakame salad, miso soup or sashimi.
- Avoid eating rice rolls made from cream cheese, sauce or tempura. If you like crisp flavors without wanting to eat these unhealthy ingredients, ask for more vegetables.
- Limit eating soy sauce. If you are sensitive to salt, avoid soy sauce or just dab.
- Avoid eating some fish. Do not call the type of sushi made of salty smoked fish or fish species with high risk of poisoning.
- Eat sushi from reputable restaurants. These places seem to comply with food safety regulations.
Conclude: There are many different ways to enhance health benefits while minimizing the negative effects of sushi.
In short, is sushi good for health?
Sushi is a food rich in vitamins, minerals and health-enhancing compounds.
However, not all types of sushi are good and nutritious. Some types contain many refined carb and other ingredients that cause health problems
However, if you follow these tips, eating sushi will definitely be good.
