Sushi lovers may now have another reason to gobble up more of their favorite Japanese dishes.
A new study from Tohoku University in Sendai, Miyagi, Japan, has shown that an incredibly spicy green sushi topping can improve your short- and long-term memory.
The spicy sauce – Wasabi – is a fresh green paste used in many store-bought or restaurant sushi dishes.
And according to the study published on October 30, the topping has anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory properties, and also helps improve your memory.
Sushi is served with a popular topping called wasabi, which research suggests may improve health in both the short and long term
The study was published on October 30 and conducted by Rui Nouchi, Natasha YS Kawata, Toshiki Saito, Haruka Nouchi and Ryuta Kawashima.
Rui Nouchi is an associate professor at the Institute of Development, Aging and Cancer of Tohoku University in Sendai, Miyagi, Japan
Associate Professor Rui Nouchi of Tohoku University's Institute of Development, Aging, and Cancer believes that the memory improvement of adults who participated in the study was “really substantial.”
The other researchers recognized for the completed research were Natasha YS Kawata, Toshiki Saito, Haruka Nouchi and Ryuta Kawashima.
Each researcher observed 72 healthy adults over the age of 60. Some received a placebo, others a supplement containing 6-MSITC.
The bioactive compound 6-MSITIC found in wasabi contains anti-inflammatory and antioxidant ingredients – which may also contribute to better memory.
“These functions are important for increasing cognitive function in older adults,” the study authors wrote.
The study conducted by Nouchi and the other researchers included 72 adult participants who were in good health
The study published in the scientific journal Nutrient measured executive function, episodic memory, working memory and attention, and processing speed before and after the experiment.
The entire experiment lasted twelve weeks.
The 6-MSITC supplement consumed by the participants improved their episodic memories, which involved learning, storing and retrieving information about personal experiences.
The bioactive compound increased participants' episode memories by as much as 18 percent — and they scored 14 percent higher than participants who got the placebo instead.
The 100 mg wasabi extract supplement given to participants was fresh from the roots of the Wasabia japonica plant in Japan.
All researchers believe that the extract reduced levels of oxidants and inflammation in the hippocampus, which play an important role in learning and memory.
The extract may have benefited participants because the ingredients help the area of the brain that plays a role in learning and memory
Although wasabi is the memory-boosting sushi topping, foodies who aren't fans of spicy sauces can enjoy other treats that might work just as well.
According to the New York PostOther foods that can boost your memory include red wine, tea, dark chocolate, bananas, cherries and blackberries.
The foods and drinks mentioned above contain flavanols – a substance linked to better short-term memory and found in cocoa, grapes and tea.
Researchers discovered that flavanols contribute to short-term memory after conducting a study with more than 3,500 participants in May.
They observed the memories of all participants who consumed a placebo or 500 mg flavanol supplement daily for three years.
The subjects who barely ate food containing flavanols before the experiment had an incredible memory improvement within a year.
The flavanol study was led by Scott Small MD, professor of neurology at Columbia University, published by Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences via the University of Reading and is not connected to the research in Japan.