Sushi is a type of food that contains rice that's been seasoned with rice wine vinegar. Some sushi contains raw fish, while other types contain cooked fish or vegetables. There are many different kinds of sushi, including nigiri sushi or finger roll sushi. This type of sushi is made with mounds of rice that have been pressed by hand. A piece of raw shellfish, fish or other ingredients are added, in addition to a bit of wasabi. There's also maki sushi, which are rolls of sushi wrapped in seaweed. Mixed sushi is a type that includes shiitake mushrooms, seaweed or raw fish spread over a dish of seasoned rice. Vegetarian sushi is made much like these other types, but instead of raw fish, different vegetables such as carrots and cucumbers are used.
History
Deemed a source of protein, sushi's roots have been traced back to Southeast Asia, in the fourth century B.C. Sushi began as fermented rice and salted fish. The fish were gutted, cleaned and kept in rice so the fish was preserved by the natural fermentation process. After fermenting for about two months, the rice was discarded and the fish was eaten.
Function
Though it is an acquired taste, sushi offers many different types of fish to choose from. In addition, it is a low-calorie alternative to red meat and fatty foods. Sushi used to only be served in specialty restaurants, but since it became popular, it can now be found in restaurants all across the United States and especially in Japan.
Significance
Different types of sushi have different nutritional information. For example: Blue fin tuna has 125 calories per serving for non-fatty portions and offers 26.4 g of protein, 1.4 grams of lipid fats, 0.1 g of carbohydrate, 50 mg of cholesterol and a host of other vitamins and minerals such as sodium, potassium, magnesium, zinc, iron, Vitamin A and manganese. Yellowtail has 168 calories per serving and 17.2 g of protein, 72 mg of cholesterol, 17.6 g of lipids and 5 g of calcium.
A vegetarian sushi roll has 3 g of fat, no saturated fat or cholesterol, 870 mg of sodium, 60 g of carbohydrates, 2 g of dietary fiber, 6 g of protein and 15 g of sugar. The nutritional information for vegetarian sushi is dependent on what sorts of vegetables are used.
Benefits
Almost all raw fish, shellfish and seafood have the same vitamins and minerals, however, the levels of these vitamins and minerals vary depending on the type of fish. Some of the nutritional benefits include: Protein, water, lipid, carbohydrate, ash, sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, phosphorous, iron, zinc, manganese, vitamin A (retinol), vitamin A (carotene), cholesterol and fatty acid. Vegetarian sushi can also contain Vitamins A and C, as well as calcium and Iron.
Considerations
Though sushi is a healthy way to get all your vitamins and minerals, it's not for everyone. Sushi is raw fish and some people have a problem with accepting that fact. It's also an acquired taste and not everyone enjoys the taste of sushi. In addition, raw fish, shellfish and seafood does contain some fats, such as monounsaturated and saturated fats. The levels of fats are relatively low, however. For example, blue fin tuna contain 0.29 mg of monounsaturated fat and 0.25 mg of saturated fat.
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