Benefits Of Wasabi

The island country of East Asia, Japan, does not only have technological advancements and economical growth strategies to give to the world, it also has many healthy eating habits for the world to adapt and learn from. Wasabi is one such vegetable that promotes the healthy eating habits of the country. Wasabi is a root vegetable which is often grounded into a paste and served as a sauce in various sushi restaurants across Japan. It is a vegetable from the same family of broccoli and cabbage and therefore contains many health enhancing properties like them. This article provides you with various nutritional value and nutritional benefits of consuming wasabi.

Nutritional Value Of Wasabi (per 100g)

Nutrients	Amount
Basic Components
Protein	4.8 g
Water	69.1 g
Ash	1.9 g
Calories
Total Calories	109 (456 kJ)
Calories From Carbohydrate	90.4 (378 kJ)
Calories From Fat	5.3 (22.2kJ)
Carbohydrates
Total Carbohydrate	23.5 g
Fats & Fatty Acids
Total Fat	0.6 g
Saturated Fat	~
Monounsaturated Fat	~
Polyunsaturated Fat	~
Vitamins
Vitamin A	35.0 IU
Vitamin C	41.9 mg
Niacin	0.7 mg
Vitamin B6	0.3 mg
Folate	18.0 mcg
Pantothenic Acid	0.2 mg
Minerals
Calcium	128 mg
Iron	1.0 mg
Magnesium	69.0 mg
Phosphorus	80.0 mg
Potassium	568 mg
Sodium	17.0 mg
Zinc	1.6 mg
Copper	0.2 mg
Manganese	0.4
Selenium	~

Health Benefits Of Eating Wasabi

Wasabi comes from the same family of cabbage and broccoli and therefore contains the same chemical which these two contain, named as ‘isothiocyanates’. This chemical isothiocyanates activates enzymes in the liver which further helps in detoxifying cancer causing substances before they can do damage to the body. This particular chemical provided by wasabi also seems to interfere with the pathological process of the cancer causing cells and destroys these cells without damaging other normal cells.
The same chemical isothiocyanates that provide cancer fighting property to wasabi also helps in reducing inflammation by preventing platelet application. There has been continuous research on wasabi to judge its credibility against diseases like arthritis, asthma and other allergic reactions. The isothiocyanates in wasabi blocks the inflammatory pathway thereby bringing relief to the achy joints of arthritis.
Wasabi helps in curbing down the platelet aggression in our body. This can help in reducing the risk of heart attack, strokes and other heart related diseases by preventing abnormal clot formation. It will help in proper flow of the blood thereby reducing any risk related to heart.
Consuming wasabi not only prevents inflammation, tumor growth and abnormal platelet clumping, but also posses anti-bacterial properties. Regular consumption of wasabi will stop the growth of certain strains of bacteria that causes food poisoning. This property of wasabi has made it useful for producing hand wash to fight germs and bacteria.
Streptococcus Mutans is the bacteria present in your mouth that is solely responsible for all the annoying cavities forcing you to visit a dentist. According to several studies wasabi helps in curbing the growth of these bacteria. The chemical present in wasabi prevents the sugar from sticking to the teeth, thus reducing any cavity formation.

Culinary Uses

A staple condiment in Japan, wasabi is served with sushi, sashimi, soba noodles and many other traditional Japanese dishes.
The leaves of wasabi can be consumed fresh as a green salad or can be used to flavor different dishes or can be pickled fresh in sake brine or soy sauce.
Wasabi has a flavor of its own and is used to enhance dips, meats and other foods. Its unique flavor and heat is recognized in fusion styles of cooking.

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