Wherever you go for the famous and delicious Japanese food,you must find a dish called ‘Sushi’ as a frontliner in the menu. This mouthwatering Sushi, known to all as a Japanese dish, but does it really have a Japanese origin?What do you think?
Well, the answer is NO, then how and when it made its way to Japan becoming this much popular?Let's find out the answer.
Sushi was basically born in China by coastal residents as a long time fish preserving form. But the surprising thing is how they preserved the fishes back then as no modern preserving process and refrigerator were available out there.In Spite of these problems, they found out an effective way for preserving fish and that is the fermentation process.
Though the term ‘ fermentation’ is well known to us,the preserving process is a bit interesting here.In this case Fermentation represents the dropping of pH ('potential of hydrogen' or 'power of hydrogen') of fish muscles. By dropping pH level (below 4.5) of the fish, on muscle the bacteria (micro or macro) are prevented from multiplying resulting in a good preservation. They basically used rice and salt for this process .
By that time it was known as ‘ ZUSHI’ and this piece of information is verified by a Written document dated back to the Nara Era . As time flew, ‘Zushi’ has also turned into today’s ‘Sushi’ .
The first step for sushi was Narezushi . To make it tastier , cereal was used instead of rice in the fermentation process .And the interesting fact is,Nare-Zushi became a favorite food for all high ranked then Chinese for having a unique taste.
Haya-zushi marks the use of vinegar in sushi . Vinegar started its journey in this field to reduce the time of fermentation and make it tastier.
Ingredients of Sushi:
RICE : As vinegar helps us with Antiseptic Properties , Liver Tonic, Beats Fatigue, Improves Immunity ,Improves Heart Health ,Keeps Weight In Check, Gives You Radiant Skin, Natural Facial Toner . That is why vinegar is used in hot sushi rice and then set it aside to cool down .
FISH : The sea contains about 3% of salt and less than 1 % dissolved mineral is absorbed by sea creatures . To maintain the fluid balance , Trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO) is produced . When the fish is dead the bacteria and fish enzymes turn the TMAO into TMA ( trimethylamine ) , which is the reason behind the fishy smell . A chemical reaction for TMAO to TMA
(CH3)3NO ( bacteria and fish enzymes ) → N(CH3)3
To not get a fishy smell from sushi , chefs strictly recommend “no blood on flesh “ while cutting a fresh pink colored gill fish .
SEAWEED : Seaweed is found in coastal areas . Nora is used in sushi . as sushi is the best source of iodine, which helps support your thyroid gland. It also contains other vitamins and minerals, such as vitamin K, B vitamins, zinc and iron, along with antioxidants that help protect your cells from damage. Raw food is more nutritious than cooked .
Vegetables :
Cucumber : Contains Antioxidants, promotes Hydration, lowers blood Sugar , loses weight.
Avocado slices : A great source of vitamins C, E, K, and B-6, as well as riboflavin, niacin, folate, pantothenic acid, magnesium, and potassium. They also provide lutein, beta-carotene, and omega-3 fatty acids
Shiitake mushroom : Fight against cancer, boost immunity, and support heart health
Carrot : Contains beta carotene , fiber , vitamin K1 , potassium and antioxidants . , weight loss friendly food and very helpful to lower the cholesterol levels and improve eye health .
Asparagus : Full of fiber, folate and vitamins A, C and K . Very good for weight loss, improved digestion, healthy pregnancy outcomes and lower blood pressure .
Daikon radish : Abounded in Vitamin C, potassium, and phosphorus . It also contains beneficial enzymes like : phytonutrients that fight against the cancer
Shiso leaves : Rich in Calcium and Iron .
Sushi in health
1. Heart normality: Fish contains omega 3 fatty acids. This acid is not produced in the human body, so fish is the only source of this acid for us. Omega 3 fatty acids reduce the amount of high cholesterol. It also plays a role in controlling heart rate and high blood pressure.
2. Frequent intake of food: Diet and diet: - Doing this makes many people's lives miserable. You know what? Eating sushi frequently eliminates the tendency to overeat and is also a good option for weight loss. To maintain the balance of glucose in the blood and the energy of the body, there is no question of having a dish like sushi in the diet chart.
3. Brain Food: Find the title weird,right?Yeah,seems weird though.The reason behind it is,fish meat regenerates brain cells as well as provides nutrition so that we can concentrate.
4. To keep the mood cool: In some serious diseases like psychosis and bipolar disorder - fish oil. Moreover, fish contains vitamin B-12. Vitamin B-12 helps to keep the brain happy and relieves depression and anxiety.
5. To keep it fresh: Sushi is full of antioxidants. And antioxidants prevent cell loss as well as keep the body fresh. . In bone preservation: Sushi contains calcium and primary minerals which prevent bone regeneration and bone breakdown.
So,it's of no use to discuss more about the nutrition density as well as the nutrition value of sushi.Sushi represents the type of healthy foods in Japan that are the reason of being Japanese children the healthiest in the world.Sushi also illustrates a nice combination of chemical process as well as reaction that stimulate our interest in chemistry even if in our daily meal(Food chemistry).
Debabrata Roy
Mawlana Bhashani Science and technology University
Great work.
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