[DVBC] Bob Leon was ahead of his time: on Sushi (I still call it bait).

[Debbie Chaga]

*Drew,*
*Thanks for the info.  Makes me want to head out to Hibachi.*
*Deb*



On 5/8/08, Drew Knox <agknox at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> *Carmichael Training Systems newsletter*
> **
> *Sports Nutrition *
> *Sushi: The Miracle Recovery Food?*
> By Alicia Kendig, RD, CSSD
>
>
> I hear from a lot of athletes who love visiting their local sushi
> restaurant following a hard day of training or racing. The benefits of sushi
> seem reasonably obvious: fish is a great source of protein, many types used
> in sushi are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, and a typical sushi dinner also
> provides plenty of zinc and iodine.
>
> Beyond the nutrients, many athletes gravitate toward sushi because they
> perceive it to be a "clean" meal, meaning the ingredients are largely
> unchanged by cooking or laden with heavy sauces. The simplicity of sushi
> seems to be appealing because some athletes like to take a minimalist
> approach to nutrition; they want fresh, unadulterated, pure sources of
> carbohydrate, protein, and fat without the extra calories that are often
> added to foods in the process of making them into a finished dish.
>
> After talking with a lot of sushi-craving athletes, I also believe the soy
> sauce plays a role in the attraction. Soy sauce contains so much sodium it
> could almost be considered liquid salt, and sodium-depleted athletes are
> known to crave salty foods following - and even during - workouts and
> competitions. One tablespoon of soy sauce has about 900mg of sodium, and
> while sushi itself is often a low-sodium food choice, the soy sauce/wasabi
> mixture most people dip it into provides the sodium that tired athletes are
> craving.
>
> Yet, while athletes often seek sushi after hard workouts or competitions,
> how does it stack up as a recovery food? The latest research on glycogen
> (energy) replenishment, has led the American College of Sports Medicine to
> recommend an intake of 1.5g of carbohydrate per kilogram body weight within
> 2 hours following endurance activity. For a 150-pound person, this means 102
> g of carbohydrate in the snack and meal following a workout or competition.
> Although the exact nutrition information on sushi varies from chef to chef,
> a roll (maki) usually contains half a cup of rice (roughly 24 grams of
> carbohydrate), and each piece of nigiri (fish on top of a bit of rice)
> contains about 1-2 tablespoons (5-6 grams of carbohydrate) of rice.
> Depending on the fish and vegetables included in the items you choose, 2
> full rolls of maki sushi will provide all the carbohydrate and protein you
> need for great post-workout recovery.
>
> On the downside, however, sushi can pack a huge number of calories into a
> relatively small package. Two rolls of sushi can easily top 1,000 calories,
> especially when you choose items that contain avocado, cream cheese, or
> tempura (battered and fried fish or vegetables). For instance, a
> Philadelphia Roll (salmon, cream cheese, rice) contains up to 40 grams of
> fat. Yes, some of this fat is omega-3 from the salmon, but a lot is
> saturated fat from the cream. There are better choices. Sashimi (raw fish
> served by itself) with a bowl of rice, or nigiri (fish served on a small
> serving of white rice, are better options to maximize the positive
> nutritional impact of sushi while minimizing excess fat and calories.
>
> The Verdict:
> Sushi can be a great recovery meal if you make good choices, but there
> doesn't appear to be anything that makes it stand out from other
> recovery-oriented post-workout meals. In other words, if you like and crave
> sushi, go for it. If you don't, you're not hindering your recovery by
> choosing cooked fish or other lean proteins. The biggest thing athletes
> should add to a sushi meal is a bowl of rice, preferably brown, to increase
> your carbohydrate intake without having to order a ton more rolls or nigiri.
> I also recommend trying a seaweed salad. Though they typically contain some
> added sugar, they're also really tasty and seaweed is a good source of many
> trace minerals.
>
> Did you know: Traditionally, sushi is eaten by the Japanese at a time of
> ritual or celebration, and is not consumed as a staple of the Japanese
> culture. Japanese cuisine centers around either rice or noodles as the
> staple foods, and then adds okazu (dishes) of meat, fish, tofu and
> vegetables to add flavor to the staple foods. Now that's a good idea for a
> recovery meal!
>
> Top 3 Sushi Choices for Athletes:
>
>    1. Sashimi/Nigiri: It's really hard to go wrong with a piece of
>    fish, either by itself (sashimi) or on top of a bit of rice (nigiri). Fish
>    is a great protein source, with varying amounts of heart healthy fats. Among
>    the best are salmon and tuna due to their high Omega-3 content.
>    2. Rainbow Roll: This roll is made from rice, tuna, yellowtail,
>    shrimp, salmon, and avocado, meaning it provides a rich variety of seafood
>    on top of carbohydrate from the rice and heart healthy fats from the
>    avocado.
>    3. Seaweed Salad: Wakame is the seaweed used in most traditional
>    salads. Wakame is loaded with calcium, magnesium, thiamin, and niacin. The
>    first two aid in muscle contraction and nerve stimulation, and the latter to
>    aid in energy metabolism. The only downside to seaweed salads is that they
>    often contain some added sugar, but the serving size is pretty small (about
>    2 ounces), so it's not too much of a problem.
>
> Bottom 3 Choices for Athletes at Sushi Restaurants:
>
>    1. "Cream Rolls"- Not all sushi rolls are created equal, especially
>    ones held together by cream cheese. California Rolls and Philadelphia rolls
>    have salmon and crab meat (sometimes imitation), but also have high amounts
>    of saturated fat from the cream cheese. Better to choose rolls that have
>    more fish or vegetables.
>    2. Tempura: The Japanese version of fried vegetables, fish, and
>    seaweed. Although argued as a "light batter", it's still deep-fried and
>    that's usually the kiss of death - nutritionally - for a food.
>    3. Miso Soup: Miso soup is actually not bad, it's just not useful.
>    It has virtually no calories and it's low in nutrients, but it can be
>    filling and high in sodium. With the nutrient- and calorie-dense foods
>    coming later from your meal, it may be a good idea to skip this starter.
>
>
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