How would you react if someone offered you sushi right after an intense workout session? While some of us might not take too kindly to such a prospect, it might be a dream come true moment for sushi lovers.
Many people rush to restaurants once a week, sometimes even multiple times every day, just to get their sushi fix. They wait in long queues or reserve their tables days or weeks in advance, only for an opportunity to enjoy this unique Japanese delicacy. But is this raw fish and vinegared rice combination worth the pain? Is regular consumption of sushi good for your body?
Potential Health Risks
When it comes to sushi’s seemingly harmless and healthy appearance, looks can be deceiving, for it comes bearing many health problems. As per reports via SFGate, a man who ate sushi daily was found infected with pests and was thus rushed to a hospital for treatment.
Similarly, in 2017, CDC warned about sushi being the culprit behind people going down with Diphyllobothriasis (a fish tapeworm infection). And that’s not it! As per a study reported by Vice, 1.6% of salmonella and 1.2% of listeria bacteria were found in 250 tested samples of sushi.
Though all these reports don’t necessarily mean eating sushi will definitely cause you harm, eating them daily is definitely not a healthy prospect for your body.
Raw Fish on Sushi Can Be Toxic
You might have heard many fish suppliers claim their fish is absolutely safe for consumption. But before you take their word for it and fill your shopping cart with the delicacy, know that doing so could cause severe damage to your nervous system.
Roxanne Karimi, a research scientist at Stony Brook University, told Vice that fish like tuna, swordfish, king mackerel, tilefish, and many others contain high amounts of mercury that can be dangerous to the nervous system.
A Common Sushi Myth
It’s a pretty common misconception that the Japanese consume sushi daily. On the contrary, Yoshiko Takeuchi, an Australian-Japanese nutrition coach, and chef, says that people in Australia actually eat more sushi than the Japanese.
On top of that, the way they prepare and eat sushi differs greatly from the native traditions of Japan. He also mentioned that the rice used in sushi has high amounts of sugar and, if consumed daily, can be bad for health.
Bottom Line
Eating sushi occasionally is fine. But consuming large amounts of it regularly can lead to severe health problems. If you want to live a healthy life, try avoiding this dish as much as you can or at least limit its intake as much as possible.
