Properties and Medical Research
There is an increasing amount of research being done on the anticarcinogenic activity of organic isothiocyanates (ITC’s), which are found in wasabi.
Tests have been done with stomach tumors in rats. It was found that some ITC’s have a protective role against breast, stomach and colon cancers.
(L.W.Wattenberg, 1977 & 1981)
It was also found that human stomach cancer cells underwent morphological alterations and many died when cultured in media containing a concentration of an aqueous extract from wasabi.
( J.A.Depree, T.M.Howard and G.P.Savage 2000)
Y Zhang and P Talalay, (Dept. of Pharmacology, John Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore) report that organic ITC’s block the production of tumors induced in rodents by diverse carcinogens. Protection is afforded against tumor development in liver, lung, mammary gland, fore-stomach and oesophagus. Since ITC’s block carcinogenesis (cancer) by dual mechanisms and are already present in varying quantities these agents are ideal candidates for the development of effective chemoprotection of humans against cancer.
In a joint study between the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Centre, Vanderbilt University Texas, The American Health Foundation Cancer Center New York and the Shanghai Cancer Center (Jay.H.Fowke, Fung Lung Chung, Fan Jin, Cliff Conaway) on the effects of brassica vegetable consummation on breast cancer, it was shown that Asian populations consuming larger amounts of brassica (providing organic ITC’s) have a lower breast cancer incidence compared with western populations. They concluded that greater brassica consumption, as measured by the urinary ITC biomarker, was associated with significantly reduced breast cancer among Chinese woman.
In a study titled “Comparison of Inhibitory Effect of Sawa-Wasabi (water/hydroponic grown wasabi) on the Growth of Helicobacter Pylori”, by Nashide Kinae and others at the Graduate School of Nutritional and Environmental Sciences University of Shizuoka, Japan, showed a strong killing effect on food poisoning bacteria such as salmonella enteritidis and streptococcus aureus. They also found the sawa-wasabi root (Rhizome) inhibits the growth of H.pylori which causes gastrointestinal diseases including gastric ulcer and cancer.
Depree, Howard and Savage (1999) also report on the testing done on the ITC’s found in wasabi on the inhibition of platelet aggregation and for de-aggregation. It was found that in the case of a heart attack, where aspirin is commonly prescribed, the ITC’s had an immediate effect as opposed to the thirty minutes for aspirin. This anti-inflammatory effect could potentially be used to counter conditions such as asthma or even anaphylaxis.
In 2000 Hideki Masuda, Ph.D, reported that chemical compounds (ITC’s) found in wasabi inhibited the bacteria that cause dental cavities during test tube studies.
Research continues with an increasing awareness of the medicinal uses of Wasabi.
Filed under: food
Japanese food has now entered the mainstream. The use of healthy foods together with the increasing demand for authentic flavours has seen the demand for real Wasabia japonica increase. It is in this growing market that the Namida(r) 100% Pure Wasabia japonica powder is now becoming recognised as the world leader. See http://www.wasabi.co.nz/recipes.html for more recipes using Namida(r) products. Because Namida(r) is grown in water using only certified organic inputs, we are able to ensure that the end product that you use is the purest you can get. Unlike competitors, there are no additives or preservatives of any kind added to the Namida(r) range of products. This is whole food goodness that contains all the minerals, vitamins, trace elements, antioxidants and antifungal elements that nature intended you to eat. It is recognised that although the Japanese are heavy smokers, they have a low incident rate of cancer compared to the Western world. This has been put down to diet. A major part of that diet is Wasabi. It is eaten at least once a day either in the house or as a snack. Now it has been shown that Wasabia japonica contains 3 unique compounds, not found in other foods that are at least 40 times more powerful than other plant compounds at assisting the liver in protecting the human body. To this end an extract which assists the liver in protecting the body has been obtained from Namida(r) Wasabia japonica, and is now being sold under the Sawa(R) brand in the US and Europe as a Liver Detox. Both of these products can be obtained from http://www.wasabi.co.nz/order.html. Unique compounds within Sawa(R) Wasabia japonica induce Phase I and Phase II detoxification systems in the liver. These compounds have been found to be 40 times more effective than other similar compounds. Toxins acted upon by these systems are converted to more water-soluble forms, which the body eliminates through urine and stool. A healthy liver is important to enjoy a healthy lifestyle. Wasabia japonica also exhibits antioxidant and free radical scavenging activities. Coupled with a healthy liver you have the best means of enabling the natural defences of the body to combat the toxins and other stresses imposed by today’s lifestyle. Now that we have the scientific support for the benefits of using Wasabia japonica in combating a number of human problems, we will be releasing a number of different Sawa(R) Nutritional products in the near future.
Filed under: food
The demand for authentic ethnic food continues to increase. This is especially true of Japanese products. However, most “authentic” Japanese foods are no longer authentic, but has been “Westernised”. By this I mean that the production methods and ingredients are no longer natural, but tend to rely on chemical laboratories and industrialised food production methods.
Most wasabi powder, for example, is made from European horseradish, mustard powder, chilli (sometimes), food colouring, together with a host of fillers and additives to make it look and taste similar to the natural product. We are proud to offer Namida®100% Pure Wasabi™ Powder that is exactly what it says – 100% Pure – nothing added.
Following on from this philosophy we are proud to release two new products – these are our Namida® Real Wasabi™ pastes. These are supplied in either a hot or mild version. The hot version is made with all Wasabia japonica rhizomes, and the mild uses some of the other parts of the plant to cool down the rhizome.
The hot paste is really hot, and is for the person who really enjoys the sinus jolt, and the pooling of tears in the eyes afterwards. Our market research in the US has labelled this hot paste “The WOW paste™”. This makes other wasabi pastes pale into insignificance.
The mild version is designed for those who like the flavour of True Wasabi™ without the mind-wrenching jolt of the hot wasabi.
As a reader of this blog we are offering you a special opportunity to try these new Real Wasabi™ pastes and our other products at a special price.
This offer can be found at http://www.wasabi.co.nz/order2.html.
Filed under: food
Bureaucracy gone mad. A goverment dept – the Australian and New Zealand Food Safety Authority (ANZFSA) has determined that apples are bad for you as they contain too much sugar. In a discussion paper they suggest that apple consumption by children will need to be regulated in order to save their teeth. The ANZFSA has been set up to ensure that all products in the Food chain are suitable for consumption. This will be determined by a committee and will be written into a white list. Foods on the white list can be sold or given away, and for food not on the list it will be illegal to sell or give away.
This is another method of reducing our natural products to those controlled by large corporations and drive the small speciality grower out of business. Also it will ensure that production methods are "standardised" and foods are processed to the same degree of indigestable junk.
Is it no wonder that the worlds' health is deteriorating so fast, when bureacrats find ways of ensuring that natural foods will no longer be available in the decades to come. This is the thin edge of the wedge!!
Filed under: food
Have you noticed lately that the big thing we are being bombarded with is Functional Foods.
As far as I can determine that means putting back into the food the goodness that they took out in the first place!
That surely must be a wonderful marketing opportunity to double the price by double processing the food instead of the old system of just refining it. So does this make it better?
Surely eating food without processing it would be the better option, but then again I suppose that means that we will no longer need food factories, the FDA or any of the other bureaucrats who thinks they know better than us what our bodies need.
