Dr John Briffa 

What’s in your bento box?

Dr John Briffa sizes up sushi.
  
  


Sushi has a healthy reputation although I'm a little dubious about its supposed merits due to the fact that its primary constituent - white rice - is generally unnutritious. In addition, refined rice tends to release its sugar quite quickly into the bloodstream which can stimulate, among other things, fat accumulation in the body.

On the plus side, individuals eating sushi will tend not to eat mounds of rice, as they may do with other rice-based dishes such as risotto or curry. And rice seems to trigger unwanted food reactions less commonly than other grains such as wheat.

Rice's relatively lowly nutritional offering is, to a degree, made up for by the presence of other sushi constituents such as fish, some of which (eg salmon) will help supply the body with disease-protective omega-3 fats. Sushi will also often contain something in the way of nutritious plant matter including seaweed (which is rich in iodine and may help maintain the health of the thyroid gland), beetroot and sesame seeds. Ginger, a traditional accompaniment to sushi, has effects in the body which suggest it might help protect against heart disease. All in all, I see sushi as reasonably balanced and healthy fare.

 

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