by Darai Park, General Manager, Kani House Japanese Sushi and Steak, 4/01/08

What is American cuisine? Some will mention foods like hamburgers and fries, hot-dogs, pancakes, pizza, and chili. Truth be told, there isn’t a real definition for American cuisine. Most of what we consider to be American cuisine is actually reiterations of other cultures’ cuisine.
What we do know is our food is causing a lot of health problems here in the U.S. Heart attacks are the country’s leading killer amongst Caucasians, Hispanics, and African-Americans.

A change in diet would be an effective prevention method and a good place to start would be to try different kinds of foods. Put down that cheeseburger and pick up some chopsticks! Try some Japanese!
Japanese cuisine has been around for ages but has only recently been gaining major popularity here in the U.S. This is because more people are learning exactly what is or isn’t healthy and Japanese food is healthy.

Some common ingredients found in Japanese cuisine are: Miso, Seaweed, Natto, Mushrooms, and Sashimi (raw fish).

Miso is a fermented soybean paste high in trace minerals like manganese, zinc, and copper which all help boost your immune system, protect your bones and blood vessels, and provide added strength. It has also been found to reduce the risk of breast cancer in women.
Seaweed contains the broadest range of minerals of any food today. It can be found in many Japanese dishes from Sushi, Donburi (rice bowls) to soup.

Natto is a popular Japanese breakfast item. It is also made of fermented soybeans, like Miso. This is the only similarity between Miso and Natto. Natto soybeans are intact and have a sticky texture accented by a strong scent. This food has been found to reduce the risk of blood clots and can also reduce your risk of heart attack and stroke.

Many different mushrooms are used in Japanese cuisine. You may have heard of Shitake or Enoki mushrooms. They are rich in protein, fiber, vitamins, minerals, and calcium, boost your immune system, reduce cholesterol, fight viruses, bacteria, fungi, blood clots, and allergies. Mushrooms also protect your heart, lower the risk of cancer, help balance blood sugar levels, and support the body’s detoxification mechanisms.

Sashimi, or thinly sliced raw fish, is another big part of Japanese cuisine. Sashimi has all the health benefits of fresh fish. They are a great source of omega-3 fats, protein, selenium, vitamin B12, B6, phosphorous, magnesium, and niacin. Because you are consuming raw meat, there are no harmful carcinogens left to sit in your colon undigested.

Top all this off with a cup of Green Tea, which is high in EGCG (a powerful antioxidant), and you’ve got yourself a good start to an effective plan for managing your health and preventing many diseases such as heart attacks.

Darai Park is the General Manager of Kani House Japanese Steak and Sushi which offers several Hibachi Grill Chefs that prepare fresh cut meats, vegetables, and fried rice daily right before your eyes, and a Sushi Bar with an array of authentic Japanese dishes. Their staff is always ready to help answer any questions you may have so give them a call at 770-495-7989.