115 years of the same song can get old – unless it’s Happy Birthday! Which is the case for the world’s oldest woman, Misao Okawa who celebrates her 115th birthday today! As a sidenote, this just so happens to be the day before mine!
And what did she celebrate with on her birthday but her favorite food, of course – Sushi! So as a birthday tribute, I figured we could take a second to highlight some of the benefits of sushi.
- Fish: can be filled with all sorts of different protein options, usually some sort of fish, crab, eel, or other ocean dweller. That tuna roll you’re eating is a wonderful protein option, filled with omega-3 fatty acids, which are beneficial for your heart and reduce inflammation. Just a word to the wise: Take caution with fish options. Tuna and swordfish are high in mercury and sushi options should be limited to ensure too much mercury is consumed.
- Vegetables: indulge here! You’ll find all sorts of options from carrots, avocado, celery, cucumber, soybeans, radish, the list goes on…
- Rice: My personal favorite is to switch out the white rice for brown. Not only does it pack an extra fiber-rich punch, but it also helps with satiety and gives the meal a different texture – which let’s face it, can be the make or break point for many people when it comes to sushi in general! Give brown a chance!
- Seaweed: yum. Nori is typically the seaweed you’ll find in your sushi dinner. Seaweed is especially high in fiber and protein. It is what is known as a lignin, which is a phytoestrogen compound. This means it acts as both estrogen and an antioxidant in the body and is linked as a cancer-fighting agent. But that’s not all! Seaweed is also a great source of magnesium, calcium and vitamins A, B, C, E and K! That’s quite a string of alphabet nutrition!
Just remember, when eating sushi that there are lots of tricks that can throw that protein packed, low-fat snack overboard though. Most spicy rolls have a very high fat and mayonnaise based sauce that should be eaten in moderation, tempura is just a fancy version of fried food and soy sauce is a blood pressure monitor’s worst nightmare. Making sure to pay attention to all the details of your meal will help keep you on track with your goals.
And as a sign-off, Happy Birthday Ms. Misao Okawa and I wish you many more days of sushi snacks!
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