Wasabia japonica
Wasabi can add several health benefits to your daily dietary intake. This superfood in a form of a wasabi rhizomes can prevent food poisoning and can behave as a natural antiparasitic. It is also good for your circulation system and can help with hypertension including alleviating respiratory disorders. Other studies have shown the Wasabia japonica may help with arthritis, contains anticancer properties and helps to lower the risk of catching a common cold and detoxifies the body.
Medical uses of Wasabia japonica
Wasabi is correctly known as Wasabia japonica and has been central to Japanese cuisine and traditional medicine for over a thousand years. Today, wasabi is becoming more accessible outside Japan owing to a small number of wasabi farms throughout Europe and North America.
An important fact is that Wasabia japonica is not horseradish and is a member of the Brassica family, which includes cabbage and mustards. Wasabia is very rare outside Japan and most people have not tried it. The wasabi products sold in supermarkets are either fake or contain a minuscule amount of Wasabia japonica.
The main ingredients of these products are a horseradish, mustards and bright green dye. This fake wasabi is bitter and has a burning sensation compared to the real wasabi which is zingy and delicate.
Real wasabi is superfood
Today, people are thinking more about their health needs and as a consequence enriching their diet and lifestyle requirements. Consequently, wasabi will be in a typical portion of about 28 grams of grated wasabi it will contain about 30 calories and 0.2 grams of fat. Freshly grated wasabi contains 1.3 grams of protein per 28 g portion of wasabi including dietary fibre to maintain a healthy gut and heart function.
A cup of 130 g of raw wasabi paste contains a broad range of essential minerals such as calcium (166 mg), iron 1.3 mg), magnesium (89.7 mg), manganese (0.5 mg), phosphorus (104 mg), potassium (738 mg) and zinc (2.1 mg). All these minerals are necessary for a healthy balanced diet.
However, wasabi is also charged up with several important vitamins including A, B1, B2, B3, B6, C and folate in addition a high level of allyl isothiocyanate which is an antioxidant with associated health benefits.
Allow Wasabia japonica to be part of your regular diet and benefits from its nutritional properties.
The active ingredient associated with wasabi is the allyl isothiocyanate (AITC) which is enjoyed with sushi and sashimi. This ingredient does not exist on its one in wasabi but is produced in the fine grating process of the rhizome otherwise known as wasabi root. During the mechanical action of grating the rhizome, the glucosinolates (sinigrin) present reacts with the enzyme myrosinase to produce AITC, via a chemical rearrangement.
The medical database PubMed contains over 100 research articles on the application of wasabia japonica including its anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antiplatelet, anticancer and antioxidant properties.