Sansai: Wild Vegetables

Akita is a treasure house for wild vegetables. In the snow-ridden northern prefectures of Japan, sansai, or wild vegetables, were a vital source of vitamins and minerals. Sansai are part of Akita’s traditional cuisine and are typically used in home-cooked meals such as tempura. Owing their bitter taste to polyphenols, which are rich in antioxidants, sansai also contain nutrients that help improve metabolism, explaining their reputation as a superfood in Japan. It is recommended to eat small portions of many kinds of sansai instead of a large volume of only one kind.

April 30, 2016