Scientists in Japan have found that sushi could protect smokers against lung cancer
Sushi, as the popular concept has it, does not mean ‘raw fish’. It actually refers to the flavouring of the plain rice vinegar. Surprisingly, a vegetarian sushi dish can be made without adding any fish or meat at all.
Although the Japanese get full credit for what we call sushi today, the inspiration for sushi is thought to have started in Southeast Asia. Nare-zushi, fermented fish wrapped in sour rice, originated somewhere around the Mekong River before spreading into China and ultimately Japan.
Sushi dates back to at least the second century AD, beginning as a method of preserving fish in China. The concept of modern-day sushi was invented in Japan by Hanaya Yohei sometime around the end of the Edo period.
Sushi and particularly the cooking of sushi rice are considered an art in Japan, as chefs believe one eats with all senses. Traditionally a sushi or itamae chef requires 10 years of training before serving food in a restaurant.
Japanese food is as much about the preparation and presentation as the food itself. A great deal of thought goes into every item served. While we think of only four annual seasons, Japanese chefs consider dozens of seasons and carefully select ingredients that are in their prime with flavours that represent a specific period. The food is carefully plated and the final look of the dish is no less than art.
On average, the Japanese diet — raw fish, vegetables and rice — contains only 30 per cent fat, most of it the healthier polyunsaturated variety. As a result, their rates of heart disease are among the lowest in the world.
Recently, scientists in Japan found that sushi dishes — flavoured parcels of rice with raw fish and vegetables — could even protect smokers against lung cancer.