Yes, authentic wasabi has health benefits. But the version you're eating probably doesn't.

Though wasabi is most commonly served alongside Japanese dishes like sushi and sashimi, the paste is also a popular garnish or ingredient in some unexpected foods. 

Along with apple cider vinegar, wasabi is sometimes included in spicy vinaigrettes or to enhance the flavor of creamy salad dressings. It's used to improve the taste of condiments like mayonnaise as a sandwich spread, and it can be added to mashed potatoes or soups to give them a little kick. Wasabi is also sometimes substituted for horseradish to make cocktail sauce extra spicy.

In addition to being useful as a unique and heated flavor enhancer these ways, wasabi's Eastern form has many known health benefits - though the variety of wasabi that most Americans are eating does not. 

Is wasabi good for you?

The first thing to understand is that authentic wasabi is the version farmed and cultivated in Eastern countries while imitation wasabi is mass produced in the West. This version, sometimes called "fake" wasabi, usually consists of nothing more than grated horseradish, mustard powder and green food coloring. Nearly all of the wasabi used and consumed in the United States is the imitation version of the product. 

Since both versions of wasabi come from different sources, each has varied health benefits. Authentic wasabi, for instance, "has antimicrobial benefits and contains isothiocyanates that may protect against harmful bacteria such as E.coli and staphylococcus aureus - both of which can cause food poisoning," says Leslie Bonci, MPH, RDN, a sports dietitian for the Kansas City Chiefs and founder of Active Eating Advice. She points to recent research out of Japan that shows that these active compounds may also improve cognition in older adults. Isothiocyanates have also been associated with lowering one's cancer risk. 

Genuine wasabi can support a healthy immune system as well and "contains a lot of vitamin C, which is an antioxidant that protects your cells from free radical damage," says Audra Wilson, MS, bariatric dietitian at Northwestern Medicine Delnor Hospital. Authentic wasabi also has compounds that research shows contain anti-inflammatory properties, which may reduce pain and inflammation in the body. 

As encouraging as such benefits are, it's important to note that they are associated with authentic wasabi only. "There is very little nutritional benefit for most wasabi used outside of Japan," says Julia Zumpano, a registered dietitian at Cleveland Clinic’s Center for Human Nutrition.

Is wasabi good for weight loss?

This information also clears up some confusion surrounding wasabi being good for weight loss. While one study that's often cited shows that wasabi can affect one's metabolism and reduce obesity, Zumpano explains that the supportive research was conducted on rats - not humans - and that only authentic wasabi was tested. "There are no human studies that provide proven clinical benefits associated with wasabi and weight loss," she says. 

Wilson says the same applies to other studies that suggest that wasabi can help with healthy weight management by impacting fat cell growth and formation.

What happens if I eat too much wasabi? 

But even when one is consuming genuine wasabi, it's not all good news. Zumpano cautions that consuming large amounts of wasabi can irritate one's nose, stomach, or mouth, and increase risk of bleeding or bruising. Therefore, she says one shouldn't eat wasabi if taking blood thinners or within two weeks of any surgery. 

When eating either imitation wasabi or authentic wasabi, "anyone with acid reflux may find it to be an irritant," explains Bonci. Eating too much wasabi can also cause side effects like nausea, upset stomach or diarrhea - problems often exacerbated "in people with digestive issues," says Zumpano. Because of this, she advises to "moderate wasabi consumption for those with stomach ulcers, inflammatory bowel disease, or other inflammatory conditions of the digestive system."

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