Wasabi - Eat This, Beat
Cancer
Article contributed by:
Vivianna Wou, Principal
Nutritionist
Food Advisory Group
Supper Plant
Wasabi is a root
vegetable that’s ground
and made into a paste
for use in cuisine (most
commonly with sushi and
sashimi), and quite
possibly one of the
healthiest greens
around.
For starters, it possess
anti-bacterial
properties that can help
inhibit the nasties that
cause tooth decay and
dental plaque, and even
has anti-parasitic
properties that can help
prevent food poisoning,
says
Vivianna Wou, a
nutritionist from the
Food Advisory Group.
|
Horsing Around
It’s interesting to note
too, that wasabi is
often mixed with
horseradish and mustard
seed, as growing wasabi
is expensive, says Wou.
It’s by no means an
inferior blend, though:
Horseradish also
contains sulphur
compounds that have been
identified as cancer
killers, says scientist
and study author
Muraleedharan Nair, PhD
from Michigan State
University. When
extracts from wasabi and
horseradish root were
added to several
cancers, cell growth
declined by as much as
70 per cent. |
 |
Breathe Easy
The vapours from a hefty
wasabi dip may give you
the impression that it
clears your sinuses, but
in actual fact, it
doesn’t.
Researchers from the
Kaiser Permanente
Medical Center gave 22
subjects with congestion
problems servings of
wasabi, and found that
their stuffiness
worsened.
“The hot, pungent taste
of wasabi is derived
from the breakdown of
sulphur-rich chemicals
stored in the cells of
the plant,” says Wou.
“Through the grating of
wasabi, volatile
compounds are released,
giving it its
characteristic flavour.”
All in the Family
The wasabi plant is
related to cabbages,
Brussels sprouts,
broccoli, watercress and
kale, among many other
healthy vegetables,
reveals Wou,
Apparently, chemical
compounds present in
wasabi and other
crucifers possess
anti-inflammatory
properties, which can
make them useful for
conditions like
arthritis, asthma,
allergies and even
inflammatory bowel
disease.
Don’t skip this super
dip next time you’re at
the sushi joint.
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Article contributed by:
Vivianna Wou, Principal
Nutritionist
Food Advisory Group
Dated: September 2013
|
Food
Advisory
Group
addresses
the needs to
improving
health
conditions
through
specific
supplements
and wellness
programs
through
dietary
nutritional
planning,
health
screening
and finding
the most
suitable and
effective
nutrition
programs all
under one
roof. |
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