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 ingredients. 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. While working as a digestive stimulant for your body.
Health Benefit for Sore Throat
How does wasabi help with sore throat?
Firstly, wasabi plants have strong antibacterial abilities that are loaded with antioxidants. Which helps 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.
