What Is Real Wasabi & Why Don’t Sushi Places Use It?

I weighed in on this piece for Eat This, Not That! about the green paste you swirl into soy sauce (which is not real wasabi … that stuff is super rare!). So what are sushi restaurants actually serving you?

“Both real wasabi and real horseradish have some functional properties, including antioxidant and antimicrobial capabilities. It’s worth noting that they come from the same family, Brassicaceae [which also includes kale, broccoli, cauliflower, and Brussels sprouts, among others]—think of them as cousins,” Feller tells us. “Also, the health benefits are seen when they are consumed in their whole and minimally processed forms.” In fact, a study in the journal BioFactors found that both wasabi and horseradish prevent the growth of food poisoning bacteria and fungi and can even deactivate a well-known carcinogen in broiled fish and meat—making both choices excellent sides to your raw fish dinner.