Nutritional benefits of sushi is a subject that has long been debated and one that is often in the minds of sushi lovers. It is also something that is contemplated by the sushi they consider as an alternative food source to incorporate into their diet for better health or perhaps to offset the adverse effects of a normal western diet is often high in unhealthy fats (trans and saturated), meat red, processed foods and calories.
But the sushi is the better choice? Is it really healthy for you?
Perhaps the best way to make a determination that takes the materials most commonly used in making sushi and dissect them one by one. Tear them apart and try to find out whether or not they are actually healthy for you.
Let's start with the most obvious dominant material in this arena; and one of the very definition of sushi ... Sushi Rice.
Sushi Rice
Rice is a good source of protein (1 cup provides 25% of RDA) and carbohydrates and digests slowly, gradually releasing energy. It is also gluten free (making it an excellent choice for those with wheat allergies), very low in saturated fat, have no cholesterol or sodium, and high in thiamin (vitamin B1).
Thiamine is a co-enzyme that helps the body convert carbohydrates into energy (glucose) causing it to be burned rather than stored.
This partly explains why people in Japan, where rice is eaten at almost every meal, has only a 3.2% obesity rate is about 10 times LESS than here in the United States.
Rice Vinegar
Rice vinegar has long been accepted as having many health benefits of drugs in Japan for over 2,000 years. And all of vinegar in general have been used in almost every country in the world for things ranging from spices and preserving rice, for skin conditioner for use in preventing cancer due to the nature of its anti-cancer properties. Vinegar was even praised by Babylon, Hippocrates, and Muhammad.
Rice vinegar contains 20 kinds of amino acids which 9 are very important because they can not be made of other compounds in the human body.
Rice Vinegar recognized several health benefits including:
Boosts the immune system
Lowering Cholesterol
Increases the body's ability to absorb nutrients
Lowering blood glucose levels
Kill bacteria on contact such as salmonella and streptococcus
Maintaining food
Reducing blood pressure
Aids in digestion
Is gluten free
Helping upper urinary tract infections clear
Reduce high blood sugar
Aids in the relief of pain and symptoms of sunburn, jellyfish stings, insect bites, and headache
Helps neutralize free radicals that damage the cells that cause aging and degeneration
Reducing the formation of cholesterol by neutralizing some of the harmful oxidized LDL cholesterol
With vinegar list seems to go on and on and there seems no end to the positive benefits on health.
Nori
Nori is very rich in vitamins and minerals. Especially iodine --- but also contains A, B1, B2, B6, niacin, and C. And compared with terrestrial plants, marine algae have as many as 10-20 times more of this important vitamin.
Nori is also known to help curb the formation of cholesterol deposits in blood vessels and high protein (up to 50% of the dry weight).
It is also a good source of glutamic acid, amino acids and neuro transmitter, which is important for learning and memory.
Ginger
It has long been believed that ginger gives a lot of advantage of the lucrative drug helps digestion, prevent skin cancer, to relieve nausea.
As a matter of fact, determined Chinese ginger as a remedy for digestive problems more than 3,000 years ago. And for centuries, Ayurvedic tradition in Tibet and India used ginger to treat inflammatory joint diseases including arthritis and rheumatism.
Ginger has been used to treat ailments for thousands of years by cultures around the world. It is one of the few foods that has withstood the test of time and one that is still used today to treat the same disease it is used to treat centuries and sometimes thousands of years ago.
The difference between then and now, is that right now science and medicine began to support what some cultures have known for hundreds or even thousands of years --- ginger That is, because the drugs are all super close to the roots that we can ever find.
Wasabi
Wasabi is known to have antibacterial properties and are also rich in vitamin C, B6, protein, fiber and minerals calcium, potassium, manganese and magnesium.
It also stimulates saliva production and help digestion.
Wasabi also contains compounds called glucosinolates are converted by enzymes into ITC (isothiocyanates) if water is present when it is torn by chewing or into the ground.
There is current research is beginning to show that wasabi may be useful in controlling seasonal allergies and asthma and also can inhibit platelet aggregation (blood clotting) that could have applications in the treatment of heart attack due to the ITC.
There is also the basis of evidence that the ITC may work against cancer cells.
Sushi grade Fish
Most people have heard about the benefits of eating fish than other types of meat, especially red meat.
Only a fraction of the supply of fish to one half of the protein that we need every day. It is also low in calories.
White fish such as sea bass and red snapper has less than 100 calories per 3 1/2 ounces. Mackerel, eel and tuna has less than 200 calories.
Oily fish such as tuna, salmon, trout, herring, and sardines rich in Omega-3 fatty acids that can be effective in preventing heart disease, stroke and arthritis.
According to the Mayo Clinic, eating just two servings of fish a week (about the size of a deck of playing cards per serving) can reduce the risk of death from heart attack. Especially if the fish is one of the high Omega-3.
In Japan, fish is eaten almost every day. No wonder heart disease and stroke are almost non-existent in Japan compared with the United States in Japan, the death of heart disease about 30 in 100,000. By contrast, in the US it is 106 per 100,000. More than 3 times higher.
Without a doubt, the fish has become one of the strongest materials contribute to the health benefits of eating sushi.
Vegetables
All types of vegetables used in making sushi.
Vegetables contain vitamins, minerals and fiber. In populations where good quantity of fruits and vegetables consumed, there is a lower incidence of cancer.
Plants also contain phytochemicals that help protect the body from disease.
And one of the best things about the vegetables used in sushi is that most of the time they are used in their natural raw state.
Cucumber, avocado and carrots are usually sliced and used raw. If they are cooked at all, usually they just pale. Spinach if used, are usually pale.
All of this means that the vegetables used in sushi retain as many vitamins and minerals may be because they are not cooked to death before use.
Green tea
Although not officially materials used in the manufacture of sushi, is usually present at the table almost every meal sushi I have ever served in sushi restaurants.
For thousands of years and in almost every country in the world known, Green Tea has long been praised for its ability to be recognized for improving health.
Of combat bacterial and viral infections is simple to control or cure degenerative conditions such as stroke, cancer, heart disease, and osteoporosis claim many and some hard to believe.
As a matter of fact, the evidence is so strong that the chemo-prevention branch of the National Cancer Institute to develop a plan for making tea compounds for use as a cancer chemopreventive agent in human trials.
Evidence should be strong enough if the National Cancer Institute are working on plans for human trials.
Summary
Overall the sushi looks to be a very healthy food as long as you stay away from sushi fusion that combines deep frying, you use a low sodium soy sauce, you avoid or limit seafood high cholesterol, and you avoid condiments like mayonnaise.
Using or ordering brown rice instead of white rice is a healthy choice too though white rice is still a healthy choice, just not quite as far up the ladder of health brown rice.
In closing let's just put it this way. If every American in the United States will replace sushi meals for every fast food meal that they should be able to obtain, our health care costs may be decreased, our life expectancy may be inflated and the quality of our lives may be drastically increases.
