Sushi is the perfect lunch at the office, with a store promised to be on most city corners. Although the meal is thought to be healthy already, changing your order to brown rice has many added benefits, and it still tastes just as delicious.
Brown rice sushi has grown by a staggering 2400 per cent since 2009, according to sales figures from leading Japanese retailer Sushi Sushi.
Sushi Sushi cofounder and CEO Anna Kasman said the remarkable growth coincided with the clean eating trend and general focus on the importance of health and nutrition, even in the convenience food category.
“We introduced brown rice sushi eight years ago as a niche product aimed at health conscious consumers and sold just over 100,000 hand rolls at the time,” Ms Kasman said.
“In 2016, we sold a little over two and a half million brown rice hand rolls across our Sushi Sushi restaurants nationwide – that’s a significant increase, and we expect that figure will only rise to meet the growing demand.”
So why we are we all making the move? The beige grain is widely understood as the healthier choice but many are left wondering exactly how much better the easy swap has on your health.
We spoke to Sushi Sushi spokesperson and leading nutritionist, Kathleen Alleaume on the benefits of brown rice sushi and why everyone should get on board and join the movement.
“Brown rice in sushi brings a plethora of benefits – compared to white rice, it generally has more fibre and magnesium – a vital nutrient for energy production, healthy bones, hormonal balance and helps maintain our nervous system and cardiovascular health”.
“Naturally being the healthier fast-food option anyway, going one step further and making the simple decision to opt for the brown rice sushi options over the white will have you feeling healthier in no time.”
Why brown rice sushi is the healthier, more nutritious choice for you:
It reduces the risk of diabetes:
Brown rice is a wholegrain food and a source of fibre, which helps control your blood sugar levels. Substituting the refined blanc for the beige is an easy swap and studies from Harvard University have shown that it significantly decreases the chances of developing Type 2 Diabetes[1].
It’s a great way to maintain a healthy weight:
Unlike white rice, which is stripped of its bran during processing, brown rice restores that outer layer to retain more nutrients, including fibre. Because of this, its calorie content is reduced so for those trying to shed a few kilograms, brown rice is a great alternative. The retention of fibre also lowers your glycemic rating, helping stabilise insulin spikes and making it easier to burn body fat.
It packs a nutrient punch:
Being a wholegrain, brown rice delivers a unique nutritional combination of magnesium, potassium, iron, zinc and protective phytonutrients for optimal health[2]. Diets high in wholegrains are proven to reduce the risk of chronic disease, such as diabetes, some cancers and even obesity, making the beige grain an affordable, nutritious and delicious option that reaps in the rewards!
It protects you against heart disease:
Brown rice contains phenolic acids – a group of plant compounds that helps protect your heart health via their antioxidant activity. Reducing inflammation in the arteries are just some of the advantages of phenolic acids.
It improves your digestion:
The fibre in wholegrain foods like brown rice helps keep your digestion working well. This helps stop you feeling sluggish and gives you the energy to enjoy regular exercise, which is another key to weight loss.
Brown Rice Tuna And Avocado Sushi Recipe
Looking for a simple way to make sushi in the comfort of your own home? Try this healthy and super easy brown rice tuna and avocado recipe, prepared by Sushi Sushi co-founder and CEO Anna Kasman.
Serves: 2 (4 hand rolls)
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 25-30 minutes
Ingredients:
1 tin of tuna (95g), drained
½ avocado, sliced
2 nori seaweed papers
1 teaspoon of sesame seeds
1 cup of brown rice, rinsed
1 2/3 cups of water
½ teaspoon of sea salt
3 tablespoons of rice wine vinegar
For serving (optional):
Soy sauce .
Pickled ginger
Wasabi
Japanese-style mayonnaise
Equipment:
1 bamboo rolling mat
Method:
1. In a medium-sized saucepan, bring water to the boil before adding rice and lowering the heat until the water has completely absorbed. This should take about 20 minutes but feel free to taste test as brown rice generally takes a little longer to cook than white rice!
2. While the rice is cooking, combine the salt and vinegar into a small saucepan and stir often until all ingredients are dissolved, before taking off the heat and placing in the fridge until the rice is cooked.
3. Once the rice is cooked, stir the vinegar mixture in with the rice with a fork until dry and stuck together.
4. Place one nori strip over the bamboo mat and scoop half the rice mixture onto the seaweed.
5. Lightly sprinkle rice with ½ teaspoon of sesame seeds.
6. Place ½ tin of tuna onto the top half of the rice sheet lengthways, leaving about 3cm of the seaweed sheet clear of tuna, before placing ¼ of sliced avocado underneath the tuna.
7. Carefully pick up the bamboo mat closest to you and start rolling away from your body, keeping the sushi roll as intact as possible. It’s important to make sure there is 1-2cm at the very end without any rice or filling because that’s what keeps it all together!
8. Once rolled, cut into two even hand rolls or into bite-sized pieces with a sharp knife, and repeat steps 1-4.
9. To serve, have some dipping saucers of soy sauce and mayonnaise to add to the delicious flavour!
[1] https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamainternalmedicine/fullarticle/416025
[2] https://www.glnc.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/GLNC_Rice-factsheet_WEB1.pdf
