Japanese food at its core promotes simple method of cooking and healthy eating. At the heart of Japanese cuisine is sashimi, thinly sliced raw fish. Some popular sashimi include salmon, squid, tuna, and mackerel. However, raw eating has sparked many debates about its health risks, compared to its benefits.
The Risk | Eating anything raw in general poses a risk of ingesting parasites, heavy metals, and bacteria. This risk increases especially when the fish is not too fresh or not frozen properly. Symptoms of infection include fever, allergic reaction, and stomach pain. Consult your physician immediately and inform that you just recently had eaten sashimi.
The Benefit | The benefit of eating sashimi depends on a lot of factors, including the type of fish and the way you eat it. In general, fish is considered a healthy protein that packs a lot of “good fat”, Omega-3. It is also beneficial when you eat your sashimi with wasabi—it has antimicrobial properties—and ginger, which can help to relieve sinus congestion, digestive problems, and inflammation. In conclusion, always be on the lookout when planning to eat sashimi. Dine at a respectable Japanese restaurant to ensure that what you consume has been prepared by qualified chefs in the safest way possible. Eat your sashimi with wasabi, as it naturally helps to kill parasites.
Text by Alexandra Karman
Stock photos from bigstockphoto.com
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