Learn how Japanese people eat fish safely

Japanese people often use wasabi (used to make mustard) when eating raw fish to remove toxins and bacteria...

Parasites, bacteria, toxins or heavy metals from fish can cause acute poisoning or long-term accumulation in the body. They create a constant burden on the liver, causing rapid damage to this organ and seriously affecting health.

What nutrients does fish have?

Fish contains a lot of unsaturated fatty acids (Omega 3), protein, vitamins A, D, phosphorus, magnesium, zinc, iodine... which are very good for cardiovascular health, bones, joints, brain... The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommends that each person should eat 227-340 grams of fish of all kinds (divided into 2-3 meals a week) per week, which will be beneficial for health.

However, fish can easily become a double-edged sword when eaten incorrectly or if contaminated or toxic. The World Health Organization (WHO) warns that eating raw or undercooked fish poses a high risk of infection with parasites and bacteria. Fish can also contain many symbiotic microorganisms that, when eaten raw, can enter the body and cause poisoning.

In addition, fish can also be poisoned by polluted water or soaked in preservatives or chemicals that help keep fish fresh or keep them from spoiling beyond regulations. The risk of contamination or containing heavy metals such as lead, chromium, mercury, etc. in this food is also very high. Statistics from the Biodiversity Research Institute (USA) show that up to 84% of fish in the world contain an amount of mercury that is harmful to human health. In particular, large fish that live in the deep sea such as mackerel, tuna, shark, swordfish, etc. always have higher levels of mercury and other heavy metals than small species.

In addition to causing acute poisoning such as abdominal pain, diarrhea, vomiting, etc., bacteria, parasites or heavy metals from fish entering the body will cause many long-term consequences for health, especially the liver. Accordingly, toxins will directly activate Kupffer - a type of immune cell located in the liver sinusoid, to over-activate. They cause these cells to release inflammatory substances such as TNF-α, TGF-β, Interleukin, etc., causing damage and destruction of liver cells.

On the other hand, toxins also make the liver work continuously when performing the detoxification role, producing intermediate products that continue to over-activate Kupffer cells. This once again causes more serious liver cell damage, making this organ weaker and damaged faster. When the detoxification role and many other important roles of the liver are weakened, it will lead to many serious consequences for the whole body.

Wasabia extract helps control Kupffer cell activity, actively fights toxins, protects the liver, and helps prevent and improve liver diseases.

Japanese secret to eating raw fish

Famous for its love of fish dishes, it is estimated that Japan consumes nearly 10% of the world's fish production. On average, each Japanese person eats 5 times more fish than other countries. In particular, sushi and shamisi (raw fish salad) are two traditional Japanese dishes, often using tuna, one of the types with the highest content of heavy metals such as mercury. To limit the toxicity in sea fish, Japanese people have the habit of using wasabi when eating sushi, sashimi as well as many other raw fish dishes. This is a medicinal herb with high detoxifying properties.

The active ingredient Isothiocyanates in wasabia helps activate the transcription factor Nrf2, thereby increasing the synthesis of protein molecules that promote the detoxification process in the liver. At the same time, wasabia enhances the ability to resist bacteria and external toxins, inhibits and reduces the accumulation of bacteria and heavy metals. This helps Kupffer cells not to be over-activated, thereby actively detoxifying, protecting and regenerating damaged liver cells. Research also shows that using medicinal herbs helps increase Nrf2 by more than 3 times after only 6 hours.

In addition, sashimi is also eaten with dipping sauces such as soy sauce, soy sauce, ginger and some vegetables such as perilla, mint and shredded white radish or seaweed. In addition to increasing the flavor, they also help kill harmful bacteria and parasites commonly found in fresh seafood.

Sashimi means "cut raw meat to eat". The literal origin of this name may come from the traditional harvesting method. Sashimi-quality fish are caught with separate fishing lines. Immediately after catching the fish, people use sharp nails to pierce their brains, killing them instantly, and then put them in crushed ice. This process is called Ike jime. Because the fish die so quickly, the meat contains only a very small amount of lactic acid. Therefore, frozen fish meat will stay fresh for about 10 days without spoiling. On the contrary, if the fish dies slowly, the quality will decrease.

Japanese people often choose seafood caught in coastal areas, because the fish here is delicious and rich in nutrients. When processing, to keep the dish pure and delicious, chefs often use wooden utensils because the acid in rice when mixed with vinegar will react if used with metal.

According to VNE