Japanese cuisine has a reputation for being super healthy, with its incorporation of nutrition-packed fish and seasonal vegetables. True, the diet of many Japanese today is not at all ideal, but your more traditional Japanese meal still has bragging rights for its healthfulness, and vegetables are still eaten in abundance.
The Ministry of Health, Labor, and Welfare recently released the results of a survey revealing a ranking of the most eaten vegetables in Japan, but what claimed the number one spot? A vegetable you might not even be able to find in your own country!
The ministry released the results of their survey on August 31, detailing a list of 20 vegetables ranked in order of the amount eaten. The results are as follows:
20. Bok choy
19. Lotus root
18. Turnip
17. Mizuna (a type of mustard leaf)
16. Eggplant/aubergine
15. Burdock root
14. Green pepper
13. Broccoli
12. Leek
11. Bean sprouts
10. Lettuce
9. Kabocha squash
8. Cucumber
7. Tomato
6. Spinach
5. Carrot
4. Napa cabbage
3. Cabbage
2. Onion
And at number one, with 1,087,793 grams consumed by 16,307 people (an average of 33.8 grams per person) is…
1. Daikon radish
A type of radish with a notably mild flavor, daikon is commonly found in Japanese cuisine but is rather difficult to find outside of specialty stores in western countries.
There has been some skepticism towards the survey, as the data reflects only a single day in November, as opposed to a number of days spread over a period of time. In November, as the weather chills, a lot of people like to warm up by eating oden, a dish made by soaking a number of different fried fish cakes, tofu, eggs, and most importantly daikon, in a delicious broth. This may have swayed the result in the daikon’s favor. Nabe, or hot-pot, is another popular cold-weather dish, in which onions, cabbage, and Napa cabbage often make appearances.
The Ministry of Health also revealed a list of vegetables ranked by the number of people who consumed them. Carrots took the number one spot, being consumed by 24,898 people.
Have you ever tried daikon? Which vegetable is your favorite?
Source: Neto Labo
Top image: FreeDigitalPhotos/Vichaya Kiatying-Angsulee