Sushi [ 2/3 ]

Is sushi healthy food ?

Few days ago my girlfriend asked me „Do you think sushi is healthy food”. These are arguments i found during my book and internet research:

The Pros

Many of the main ingredients found in sushi are in fact very healthy and are beneficial to your health. Fish, the main ingredient in rolls and sashimi, is full of protein and calcium. If you want the greatest amount of protein try yellowtail and tuna fish. Another great benefit in the oily fish like salmon are the omega-3 fatty acids. These are known to improve many aspects of your health such as blood circulation and the heart.
The roasted seaweed used to wrap sushi rolls is another great source of protein and calcium. In addition they offer many different vitamins including Vitamin A, C, and ten types of Vitamin B, and the wrap is also known to be a great digestive aid. The Wasabi is more powerful than ultraviolet radiation in killing bacteria. It is also rich in Vitamin C.
It has also been suggested that sushi can help you if you're “exhausted, achy, or moody,” as a result of hypothyroidism. As Iodine is present in sushi, seafood, and kelp, eating these foods will aid in maintaining healthy thyroid hormone levels.

The Cons

Unfortunately sushi does have a few flaws. One of the most talked-about problems with eating any fish or seafood is the level of mercury present. The FDA has suggested that people should limit the amount of fish they consume to no more than 12 ounces per week and pregnant women are encouraged not to eat fish at all as the mercury can cause birth defects.
The calories in little rolls can really add up. This is mainly thanks to the rice which is full of complex carbohydrates; a quarter cup of white rice has 160 calories.
There is one more notable drawback to sushi: as most sushi is composed of raw fish there is a lot of opportunity for parasites to populate the raw meat. This occurs more when the fish are cleaned and gutted out at sea as there is more opportunity for infestation.
Anisakiasis is a parasitic disease contracted from infected seafood which is eaten raw or marinated. This is a type of round worm which can be picked up from eating sashimi, sushi, and ceviche.

Calories in sushi:
http://www.buzzle.com/articles/sushi-calories-in-sushi.html

At the end of my research i found very nice pack of „Sushi Healthy ordering tips”. They are listed below:

• Steer clear of fried or battered foods, such as dumplings, tempura and spider rolls. There’s no sense in making fish unhealthy. When ordering at a Japanese restaurant, look for broiled, grilled or steamed items. Typically, soup and sashimi are low in calories.
• Avoid new-wave sushi. Be especially careful when it comes to rolls with duck, cheese or other high-fat ingredients. Also stay away from eel, which is high in calories and fat.
• Keep sodium down. Use less soy sauce or request the low-sodium kind. Also note that miso is quite high in sodium. 
• Limit the extras. Mayonnaise, cream cheese and even a creamy Japanese dressing on the green salad can add significant calories to what you’re eating.
• Avoid the feeding frenzy. Yes, there are many good sushi choices, but try to stick to one or two lower-calorie rolls. Order steamed veggies, hijiki (cooked seaweed) or oshitashi (boiled spinach with soy sauce) to fill you up.
• Keep your food safe. Any raw fish or shellfish can contain parasites, their eggs and other disease-causing microorganisms. Moreover, fish accumulate mercury, which at high enough levels can damage the nervous system.

Second part of my post is about “Sushi tools and stuff”
Dishes and utensils :

HANDAI

 

UCHIWA

SHAMOJI

SUDARĒ , MAKIS

OSŪ

 

HASHI

HASHI OKI

YANAGI BA

DEBA

OSHIBORI

Electric pot for cooking rice

Using this pot we can create 3 types of rice:

Gohan – cooked rice ( eaten with sticks )

Raisu – loose cooked rice (eaten with a fork )

Shari – sushi rice

Sushi knifes:

Traditionally, a sushi knife would be made of an incredibly high-quality carbon steel, the same type used in the forging of katana, traditional Japanese swords.

Difference between a sushi knife and the average Western knife is the way in which it is sharpened. While nearly all Western knives are sharpened on both edges of the blade, a professional sushi knife is sharpened on only one edge, a style known as kataba. For right-handed knives, this is the right edge, and for the rarer knives made for left-handed cooks, the left edge is sharpened instead. Having only one edge of the knife sharpened allows for cleaner cuts and more precision, but learning to use only one edge is more difficult and takes many beginners some time to master.

There are many different types of knives used in creating sushi. Each of these knives are designed in a way which allows them to excel at a specific type of cutting, with some particular fish species having knives designed exclusively to cut them.

The three main sashimi (fish) knives are: yanagi ba, fugu hiki and tako hiki. The yanagi ba looks similar to a Western paring knife, and is used for most fish. The fugu hiki is specifically designed to fillet the puffer fish, or fugu. Yanagi ba are longer, thin blades, used for octopus or squid. For fish beyond a manageable size, such as large tuna, special blades exist which may be in excess of six feet (2m).

Questions

• What is your opinion ? Do You think that sushi is healthy food ?
• How often do you eat sushi
• Do you know some good sushi restaurants in Warsaw ? 
• Fork and knife/hands/sticks – How do you eat sushi ? ;]