Important info for sushi lovers

Generally, sushi is considered healthy. It contains high-quality protein and omega-3 fatty acids from fish, plus a great combination of vitamins and minerals. White rice provides carbs for energy, and won’t raise your blood sugar too high because it’s combined with fat and protein.

Sushi is originated in Japan and consists of rice, raw or cooked fish, vegetables, and seaweed. Seaweed contains many nutrients, including calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, iron, sodium, iodine, thiamine, and vitamins A, C, and E). However, one roll of sushi provides very little seaweed, which makes it unlikely to contribute much to your daily nutrient needs.

However, this popular Japanese dish often contains raw fish. What’s more, it’s regularly eaten with high-salt soy sauce. Thus, you may be concerned about some of its ingredients. Let’s take a closer look at sushi and its health effects.

Sushi: healthy or unhealthy?

Refined carbs and low fiber content

The main component of sushi is white rice, which has been refined and stripped of almost all fiber, vitamins, and minerals. Some studies suggest that a high intake of refined carbs and the associated rise in blood sugar levels may promote inflammation and increase your risk of diabetes and heart disease

Low protein and high fat content

Sushi is often regarded as a weight-loss-friendly meal. Yet, many types of sushi are made with high-fat sauces and fried tempura batter, which significantly increases their calorie content. Additionally, a single piece of sushi generally contains very small amounts of fish or vegetables. This makes it a low-protein, low-fiber meal and thus not very effective at reducing hunger and appetite. To make your next sushi meal more filling, try accompanying it with miso soup, edamame, sashimi, or wakame salad.

High salt content

A sushi meal generally contains a large amount of salt. First, the rice used to make it is often cooked with salt. In addition, the smoked fish and pickled veggies also harbor salt. Finally, it’s usually served with soy sauce, which is very high in salt. Too much salt in your diet may increase your risk of stomach cancer. It may also promote high blood pressure in people who are sensitive to this ingredient.

Heavy metals in sushi

Some of the most common and most toxic heavy metals include mercury, cadmium, lead, and arsenic (actually, arsenic is not a heavy metal, it’s a metalloid). Over time, these elements gradually accumulate in a living organism.

Animals and plants absorb heavy metals from the water, air, and soil as they grow. Some foods, like fish, seafood, brown rice, and leafy greens, are higher in heavy metals than others.

Arsenic and cadmium in rice

Rice is the world’s most popular food. Like for almost half of the world’s population, rice is a staple food in Japan. However, rice absorbs more arsenic and cadmium from the soil than wheat or barley. According to latest studies, rice accounts for 40–65% of the total dietary consumption of these toxic elements.

Arsenic, cadmium, and lead are among the toxic metals that pose serious health effects in humans. Exposure to these metals through a diet is of concern, especially among rice consumers.

The chronic intake of heavy metals through rice consumption can cause serious irretrievable damage to human health. People who consume arsenic- and cadmium-contaminated rice are at a great risk since their excessive consumption is linked to cancer and conditions like Itai-itai disease.

Brown rice contains up to 80% more arsenic than white rice.

Arsenic is recognized as a class 1 human carcinogen. Brown rice contains up to 80% more arsenic than white rice. Rice takes up arsenic from soil and water more readily than other grains. Arsenic is concentrated in the thin outer layer that gives brown rice its color.

Researchers have found that cooking rice by repeatedly flushing it through with fresh hot water could lessen levels of the toxic substances in it.

Mercury in tuna

Sushi is a Japanese cuisine staple. Japanese people love sushi, and tuna is their most favorite topping – about 46% of all toppings.

Like any other large ocean fish, tuna contains higher-than-average amounts of highly toxic heavy metals such as mercury and cadmium, which can accumulate in your body and cause severe health effects.

The most eaten seafood in Japan is Pacific Bluefin tuna, the largest of the tuna species! According to the Organization for the Promotion of Responsible Tuna Fisheries (a Tokyo-based industry group), Japanese people consume about 450,000 tons of tuna a year — more than anywhere else in the world.

Japanese people eat about 100gr of fish daily, while typical Americans eat fish perhaps twice a week.

Maximum permissible level of mercury in retail fish

The American and Canadian health authorities have set a maximum permissible level of mercury in retail fish and seafood of 0.5ppm (parts per million). In Japan, the rules ban many types of seafood if the concentration of mercury exceeds 0.4ppm. However, a few studies have shown that the concentration of mercury in tuna sold on the Japanese markets was 1.11ppm, clearly higher than the permissible level.

Limit sushi intake warn scientists

From the start of the 21st century, the popularity and consumption of sushi all over the world has increased significantly. The number of restaurants offering sushi is growing very fast.