No, Wasabi is not a good source of vitamins. The most commonly eaten form of wasabi is made from the leaves and root parts of the Wasabia Japonica plant native to Japan. This type of wasabi is primarily composed of the flavorful volatile compounds that give it its trademark spicy kick, but these do not contribute significantly to its nutritional value. There are traces of vitamins A, B-complex, C, E, K and other minerals in wasabi, but the amounts are very small and wouldn't be enough for delivering daily recommended intake levels of any of these nutrients. Therefore, Wasabi does not serve as an adequate source of vitamins and should not be used in place of nutrient-rich food sources such as fresh fruits and vegetables.
Wasabi—also known as Japanese horseradish—is a common food condiment that is most commonly used to add flavor and spice to sushi dishes. While the strong taste of wasabi often takes center stage, it packs more in than just flavor – this knobby green root provides an assortment of healthful vitamins, minerals, and other beneficial phytonutrients. In-depth research into the components of wasabi indicates the presence of several key vitamins, which include thiamin (vitamin B?), riboflavin (vitamin B?), niacin (vitamin B?), pantothenic acid (vitamin B?), pyridoxine (vitamin B?), folic acid (vitamin B?) and beta-carotene convertable to vitamin A.
Thiamin (B?) assists with metabolizing carbohydrates, producing energy, and helping the body transport electrolytes in and out of cells. However, clinical deficiency of this vitamin has become rare due to its addition to many processed foods and adoption of fortified grains. Wasabi contains trace amounts of this vitamin, providing only marginal benefit.
Riboflavin (B?) helps the body utilize fats and proteins, produces red blood cells, and creates hormones for growth and reproduction. Riboflavin plays a particularly important role in assisting other vitamins like folate work together effectively in the body. As with nearly all culinary herbs and spices, wasabi does contain very small amounts of riboflavin; however, further study of concentrations is necessary for proper assessment of its dietary value.
Niacin (B?) supports the nervous system, upset stomachs, headaches and skin inflammation. It also mobilizes fat from fat cells and is essential for healthy digestion. Additionally, supplemental niacin may reduce LDL cholesterol levels while moderately raising levels of HDL cholesterol. Including reliable sources of niacin in a diet can assist in overall wellbeing and heart health. Though ni cotinic acid can be found in at low concentrations in some varieties of wasabi plants, there is yet no evidence to suggest meaningful contribution towards significant supplementation of absence related symptoms.
Pantothenic acid (B?) contributes to a wide range of bodily processes including healing wounds, responding to stress, breaking down carbs and lipids, synthesizing protein and red blood cells, converting nutrients into useable forms, modulating gene expression and even battling environmental agents disturbances Hereditary variations in absorption rates makes it difficult to adequately monitor individual needs Pantothenic acid is present in numerous foods, such as fish, eggs, avocados and broccoli, or its precursor form PPA pantoythenamyline readily available as an oral supplement, obviating any real need to source it from wasabi beyond anecdotal evidence of its administration.
Pyridoxine (B?) helps with synthesis of amino acids, component of enzymes in carbohydrate metabolism, hemoglobin production and conversion of tryptophan to niacin. This essential nutrient is implicated in numerous biochemical pathwaysand its deficiency could lead tonerve damage, weakness, mental confusion and muscle tenderness. Despite their ubiquity in vast number of natural meat, dairy, nut and seed products, vegan diets tend to lack adequate consumptions of this essential factor, leading to increased potential for neurological dysfunction. Fortunately, Wasabi is seen to possess measurable quantities of Vitamin B6 sufficiently to counteract this circumstance.
Folate (B ?,) to play several essential roles in human nutrition. Clinical deficiencies result in varied neuropsychiatric problems caused when nucleoproteins aren’t replicated faithfully leading to impaired atrophy formation. Adequate intake in prenatal women is paramount to preventing neural tube defects since defective intrauterine neural structure developing during embryonic stages are unequivocally linked to unfavorable developmental outcome. Consequently receiving appropriate dosage levels of Folate through offspring provided various health benefits, though the exact mechanism bywhich this occurs still requires extensive analysis. Wasabi, therefore, proves valuable here in delivering moderate portions of Folic Acid within acceptable proportions.
Finally, Beta carotene convertable to Vitamin A serves as primary ingredients in vision and immune response maintenance. Its consumption increases protection against ultraviolet radiations decreasing risk of cataracts and age related macular degeneration and perform wide array of physiological actions, both extrinsically and endogenously. As shown through large scale case studies, increased doses of Beta-Carotenes were observed for their antioxidation effects on cardiovascular diseases. Despite the fact Beta Carotene themselves usually expose intolerance among certain populaces, Wasabi extracts appear to provide high concentration of provitamin A content such as alpha-carotene, gamma-carotene , lutein & zeaxanthin suggesting high level activity within these areas too.
In conclusion, although wasabi has long been recognized for its pungent flavor, its nutritional value continues to grow in importance. Study findings have shown the root to contain a variety of vitamins spanning multiple categories of the B-vitamin family, along with larger constitutions of provitam A precursors. With that being said, creating balance consumer awareness should help millions of people consume better quality foods and incorporate wasabi into the mix for optimal wellness.
Vitamin A | 0.002 mg | |
Beta-Carotene | 0.021 mg | |
Vitamin C | 0.0419 grams | |
Vitamin B1 | 0.13 mg | |
Vitamin B2 | 0.11 mg | |
Vitamin B3 | 0.74 mg | |
Vitamin B5 | 0.2 mg | |
Vitamin B6 | 0.27 mg | |
Vitamin B9 | 0.018 mg |