Anyone who has ever eaten sushi knows the green paste that comes with it the wasabi. You probably also remember the first time you tasted it without knowing how spicy it was, and maybe today you cannot eat your sushi without it whether on the sushi itself or mixed with soy sauce. What you have tasted until now in restaurants was actually fake wasabi, but more and more places have begun to include real wasabi in their dishes. This plant has many health benefits worth knowing, and you may want to look for a sushi bar or restaurant that really serves it, or even buy a wasabi root for home use.
What is wasabi?
The wasabi you know and tasted is a mixture of horseradish, mustard, and a bit of food coloring, and many restaurants use it because real wasabi has a long growing time two years and a short shelf life one month. The real wasabi is a plant from the cruciferous family, and the addition that comes with sushi is made from the root of the plant. It has a much more plant like flavor, and although it is spicy, it does not have the strong spiciness of the fake paste. That spiciness comes from isothiocyanate molecules that form at the moment it is grated, so it must be used fresh and grated right before eating. Although the plant grows in clear and shallow rivers or in mountains in Japan, it has recently begun to be grown in other places as well.
How do you identify real wasabi in restaurants?
Even in Japan it is hard to find the original paste, because the spiciness of wasabi lasts only 15 minutes from the moment it is grated, and even the grating method affects the level of heat it has to be grated very finely, and in Japan they do it with sharkskin, which has a texture similar to sandpaper. To make sure you are being served real wasabi, you should research first and check whether the restaurant serves it you will usually find it only in upscale chef restaurants. Its taste is nothing like what you know, and it highlights the flavor of the fish instead of overpowering it like the fake wasabi does. Its spiciness is also more delicate it will not burn your mouth or rush into your head.
The health benefits of wasabi
- Kills harmful bacteria in food and the digestive system
One of the main reasons wasabi is served with sushi is to protect the body from fish poisoning, thanks to its ability to kill bacteria. A study from 2016 showed that wasabi can eliminate bacteria responsible for digestive infections and even those that can cause stomach cancer, and it helps remove toxic substances from the intestines and prevent them from causing complications of diverticulitis. - Prevents tooth decay and mouth infections
Wasabi releases isothiocyanate vapors, the molecules responsible for its spiciness, which are also found in horseradish. These vapors prevent the development of candida and bacteria in the mouth, and a study from 2000 showed that they can prevent tooth decay by killing the bacteria that cause it. Therefore, if you want to keep your mouth healthy, it is recommended to add wasabi or horseradish to other dishes you eat and not only to sushi. - Prevents the development of cancerous cells
The isothiocyanate that causes spiciness in wasabi is also a substance with anti cancer qualities, a trait that wasabi shares with horseradish. A study published in 2007 found that it can prevent cancer in the lungs and esophagus and reduce the chances of developing other types of cancer, such as colon cancer. - Reduces pain caused by inflammation
The compounds in wasabi helped scientists develop treatments for pain. A study published in 2019 showed that the isothiocyanate in wasabi can reduce the response of pain receptors to inflammation, making it a natural pain reliever. Horseradish shares this ability since it also contains isothiocyanate.
Is it worth paying more for real wasabi?
All the health benefits that wasabi has also exist in horseradish, which is a major part of the ingredients in the fake paste. So the question is whether it is worth investing money or effort in finding the original paste. If you want to taste the original flavor meant to accompany your sushi, it is worth trying real wasabi at least once in your life, but that does not mean you should avoid the fake one. It is just as healthy, and some people even prefer its stronger spiciness the kind that goes straight to the head and cannot be ignored. Either way the important thing is that your body benefits from the health advantages of wasabi.