Healthy Benefits And Hazards of Sushi

Wasabi

The first time trying sushi wasabi is always memorable, especially the 
feeling of the spiciness that reaches all the way to your head.  

Furthermore, it prompts to know more about this special Japanese 

condiment and what’s special about it besides adding a burning flavor 
to your food. 
How Much Wasabi Should You Eat? 

 
First of all, is there a healthy dosage that should be incorporated into 
sushi?  

But food should not be subject to such strict rules. Since there are 
many ways to eat sushi including using ketchup, the basis is that 
there’s no inherent right or wrong option. 

Wasabi Use In Japan 

However, in traditional Japanese restaurants where the Itamae(sushi 
chef) serves the sushi rolls. It is actually an uncustomary to add more 
salting or extra wasabi to the food. Since the Itamae had already 
delicately designed the flavor to perfect the sushi rolls. 

Contrastingly, I agree that adding a little soy sauce to some rolls can 
really enhance the pure flavor of certain sushi rolls. Therefore, in 
Europe similar to America, condiments such as wasabi, ginger, or soy 
sauce is for the diner to choose. 

Hence, there’s this gap between how food is really enjoyed all over the 
world and where culture comes in. Because in Japan, the focus is 
more on using the purest quality of the ingredients.  

Due to the cultural tradition, wasabi and soy sauce is only slightly 
doused on the rolls. But never so much that it renders the loss of the 
taste of the fish and other flavors. 

Wasabi Usage 

Besides the many extremes in etiquette for using wasabi, it also 

depends on the type of wasabi. Because usually in sushi restaurants 
then serve with powder wasabi that is actually more fiery than fresh 
wasabi. 

Nonetheless, real wasabi is only for lucrative eating, because for 2.2 
pounds of wasabi already costs $160. The high price for wasabi 
plants is a direct result of the very specific temperature, shade, soil, 
and environment that is needed for the wasabi to grow. 

Beyond just adding wasabi to the food itself, there’s also a popular 
option of mixing it with soy sauce. So it can give the soy sauce a bit of 
spiciness and to the sushi a little more variety.  

Additionally, wasabi is commonly used for fish sushi. And for adding 
wasabi to the sushi, you take your chopsticks and put a few dips of 
wasabi on top of the sushi fish.  

Wasabi Weight Loss Health Benefits 

  
Besides simply the way to best use wasabi, I also found through some 
research that wasabi can actually contribute to weight loss benefit. 

Furthermore, ​research has shown​ that wasabi can actually inhabit the 
growth and formation of fat cells. Due to a compound called 5-HFA 
ester in Wasabi leaves by turning off a gene involving fat cells like a 
switch. 
Aside from its ability to inhibit formation of fat cells, it also can work 
in aiding your digestion. Because the wasabi is low in calories and can 
add a punch of flavors to your diet, which works as a digestive 
stimulant.  

Health Benefit for Sore Throat 

How does wasabi help with sore throat? 

Firstly, wasabi plants have strong antibacterial abilities that are loaded 
with antioxidants to fight against bacterias, hence boosting your 
immune system. Some known uses for their antibacterial ability are 
sinus infections, cough, or a cold. 

Moreover, this is due to an organic compound in wasabi called allyl 

isothiocyanate that creates the strong taste of wasabi. Similarly this 
spiciness can work against bacteria flu pathogens, and sore throat by 
calming your respiratory inflammations 

Wasabi Effects on Your Brain 

Also research has shown in an experiment with mice that there are 
naturally anti-inflammatory effects of wasabi. Caused by the 
activation of certain areas in your brain associated with inflammation. 
Which also points to ​decreasing cell death​. 
Subsequently, these studies present that wasabi can actually slow 
down the degenerative process of certain neurons in individuals with 
Parkinson’s disease. 

Wasabi Overdose Hazard  

While all these benefits of sushi wasabi seems really great, still 
something prompts me to wonder what would happen if someone 
eats a lot of this. And if there are any problems with overconsumption.  
Firstly, although wasabi has high antibacterial effects, this irritant in 
high dosage can not only cause strong vomiting but also diarrhea. 

Because wasabi pain not only in your mouth, it also follows with the 
nasal passage and onto severe heartburn. Furthermore, the compound 
allyl isothiocyanate will damage your cells at high dosage.  

Hence, known side effects of wasabi begin to show at 100mg, and at 
4 kilograms there are serious probability of fatality from sushi wasabi. 
However, anything even chocolate towards overconsumption is 
dangerous, so there’s never been such incidences. 

Conclusion 
Despite all these wonderful benefits and hazards that can arise from a 
simple condiment, what's more important is enjoying the flavor that 
adds to the food should you choose to. 

Because the purpose of wasabi is always to add more flavor to your 

food. So never forget that goal while enjoying the natural spiciness of 
sushi wasabi.