The health benefits of Japanese food
For a healthy heart, we should aim to eat two portions of oily fish per week. It is the Omega 3 fats found in oily fish that are thought to benefit the heart. Japanese men were studied and compared to Western men, and those Japanese that had moved country and consumed a Western diet. The Japanese men still living in Japan still had 45% more Omega 3 in the bloodstream than those who had adopted a Western way of life. study also showed that while in the west we are urged to eat two portions of oily fish per week, the Japanese typically eat around 3oz of oily fish daily.
That other staple sushi ingredient, seaweed including nori, wakame and konbu) are all high in minerals, vitamins A C and B12 and protein. Ginger, the highly aromatic root used to add heat to soups, stir fries and sushi, is also believed to work health wonders, lowering cholesterol, preventing arthritis and is beneficial to those at risk of blood clots as it is thought to contain a compound which stops platelets sticking together.
Tofu and mushrooms are also a large part of the Japanese diet. Tofu is high in protein and low in fat, and shitake mushrooms are believed to enhance the body’s immune system to help control infections.
The Japanese brew of choice, green tea, can help combat cholesterol, and may help prevent cancer cells forming. A National Cancer Institute published a study that found that Chinese men (and fellow green tea drinkers) were 60% less likely to contract oesophageal cancer than those in the west. Green tea and black tea are derived from the same plant “Camellia Sinsensis” but for black tea the leaves are fermented, which is thought to destroy important compounds.In contrast, Japanese cooking came to emphasize the frequent use of deep-frying (i.e., tempura, etc.) using vegetable oil or conversely, raw foods (i.e., sushi and sashimi). In Korea, much of the tradition cuisine is centred on grilling or Sautéing and the use of hot chili spices (i.e., kim chi, etc.
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