LoCarbo Boom in Sushi, Noodles, etc.

Here's a new jargon LoCarbo coined to mean low carbohydrate and a movement to promote foods of low carbohydrate content. There even is an incorporated association named Shoku Raku Health Association, literally meaning Food Comfort Health Association headed by Director of the Diabetes Center of Hitazato Unversity Research Institute.

Sushi to kick off this episode. Most of you know, of course, the delicacy of Sushi as you pick up a Nigiri with a slice of tuna for topping. The mildly vinegar-flavored rice ball is a must to make a perfect Nigiri Zushi.

Now, suppose LoCarbo gets rid of the rice ball and puts sliced rash in its place, how would you react? Curious, you might try the wild combination and end up liking it after all. Or you will likely pick up the topping and get rid of the sliced radish. Whichever might your reaction be,  the fact is that the very combination of sliced radish with tuna atop has emerged in the menu of a conveyor belt sushi house.

An Osaka conveyor sushi chain Kura Zushi started to offer Nigiri sushi with no rice ball nationwide, effective from August 31. They offer vinegar-pickled sliced radish to top tuna on or to wrap around with nori (seaweed) sheet. The idea behind all this is LoCarbo - the philosophy of reducing carbohydrates. The house says the new menu helps cut down on carbohydrate content by 60% to 80% as compared with the ordinary Nigiri sushi.

Vice President Shin Tanaka of Kura Zushi says it had taken them 2 years to work out the combination and that he thought it necessary to cater for public needs for foods of low carbohydrate content.

The concept of LoCarbo has also encouraged noodle houses to work out their versions of fewer carbohydrates: one, a bowl of strings of boiled pork meat and, two, a bowl of fake noodles made of konnyaku (arum root) and rice.

An amusing case of good taste succumbing to good shape, don't you think? (Nathan Shiga) 

Source: NHK