3 Wasabi Health Benefits

If you enjoy a pinch of wasabi with every bite of sushi, we have good and bad news. The good news: Wasabi can benefit your health. This green root has small amounts of nutrients, like vitamin C, calcium and potassium. Its antioxidants may help protect you against inflammation. And special compounds may help enhance memory and protect against cancer.

Now, the bad news: The bright green spicy goodness perched in the corner of your sushi box is not actually wasabi — it’s typically a blend of horseradish, mustard powder and green coloring. Real wasabi (Wasabia japonica), or “Japanese horseradish,” is hard to find in the United States.

What is wasabi?

Wasabi is a cruciferous (leafy) vegetable in the Brassicaceae family, which includes radishes, horseradish and mustard plants. It’s native to Japan and grows along streams and rivers there. But it can also be grown in shady and humid parts of Korea, China, New Zealand and North America — though it’s not an easy crop to grow.

“Wasabi is difficult to grow and has a short shelf life,” says registered dietitian Amber Sommer, RD, LD. “As a result, true wasabi is expensive and hard to find outside of Asia.”

To eat wasabi, the root of the plant is grated and then formed into a paste. It’s also sold as a powder.

Is wasabi good for you?

When it comes to authentic wasabi, the usual nutrients aren’t the real stars of the show. While wasabi contains fiber and potassium, it only has small amounts of vitamins and minerals. The reason wasabi is good for you is because of compounds called isothiocyanates (ITCs), which have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.

Potential health benefits of wasabi (and the ITCs it contains) include:

1. Keeps you from getting food poisoning

Wasabi’s ITCs and vitamin C can boost your immune system. But wasabi may also protect you from the two bacteria that most commonly cause food poisoning:

• E. coli
• Staphylococcus aureus

Research shows that wasabi, as an extract and powder, has antibacterial properties and can offer protection from foodborne pathogens. One ITC in particular — allyl isothiocyanate (AITC) — is largely responsible for these protective benefits.

“Wasabi may offer some protection to keep you from getting sick when it’s eaten with certain raw foods, like sushi,” says Sommer. “But the research is limited, so you should always still properly clean and prepare your food.”

2. Enhances short- and long-term memory

A recent Japanese study focused on the effects of wasabi supplements on brain function. It showed that adults between ages 60 and 80 who took wasabi supplements had significant memory increases compared with participants who didn’t use supplements. These improvements included working (short-term) and episodic (long-term) memory performance.

“While the research didn’t show much improvement with executive function or focus, the results were very promising,” notes Sommer. “Wasabi may one day be part of an effective approach to treating age-related memory loss. But talk to your healthcare provider before starting any kind of supplement.”

3. Protects against cancer

Experts agree that eating cruciferous vegetables, including wasabi and horseradish, may decrease your risk of several types of cancer. But research shows that the ITCs in wasabi roots and leaves may have specific anti-cancer benefits.

A chemical called acrylamide (AA) can form in starchy foods cooked with high-temperature processes like frying or grilling. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and some other organizations believe AA may be a human carcinogen — meaning it causes cancer.

“More research is needed, but so far, research suggests that the ITCs in wasabi may prevent formation and inhibit the effects of AA exposure in the body,” explains Sommer.

How to tell the difference between real wasabi and fake wasabi

Both types are bright green and taste similar, but there are a few ways to tell the difference:

• Taste: Both types have a bite, but fake wasabi has a harsher and spicier heat. The taste is also more bitter than real wasabi and tends to linger longer in your mouth.
• Texture: Authentic wasabi is gritty from being freshly grated — like grated ginger. If your wasabi is thick, pasty and smooth, it’s likely pureed horseradish, not the real thing.

Bottom line? While real wasabi may be hard to find in the U.S., researchers are working to uncover its potential health benefits.