Is the ginger next to Sushi really to Kill the parasites?

Question

The pickled ginger served with sushi is supposedly eating to kill the parasites common in sushi....I've also heard its to "cleanse the palatte"..whatever that means.

Answer 1

Cleansing the pallet means to clear your taste buds of flavors that may be lingering of flavors still in your mouth. I'd never heard of ginger ridding the body of parasites though.

Answer 2

It originally was used (as was wasabi) to kill possible toxins in "not so fresh" sushi...because back in the day you can imagine not all was so fresh, now its mainly used to cleanse the palate (clear the flavor of one type of fish from you're mouth, so that you can experience the full flavor of the next) much as a light fruit sorbet, or a light drink like a bellini is used in Italian cuisine.  However Both Wasabi and Ginger are concidered a "gastric antiseptic" aka kill germs in the digestive tract (Try ginger tea next time you have a belly ache, same reason people drink gingerale when sick)  But personally I perfer to take a hunk of then ginger and stab at it a little in the soy sauce wasabi mix and let it relase some flavor into the liquid before i dip my sushi YUMS!!!

Answer 3

Ginger is for digestion.

The fish used in sushi is generally frozen first to kill parasites. I don't know if any survive. That will have to be something you research.

Raw garlic would be what you would eat to help kill off parasites.

Answer 4

its for after the wasbi...because wasabi is soooo hot

Answer 5

I've always heard it's to cleanse the palatte- to get the taste from the previous piece of sushi out of your mouth before having another.  I don't really care about cleansing my palatte, but the ginger is yummy!

According to Dr. Oz, there's not danger of parasites from sushi.  http://www.oprah.com/health/oz/oz_200705...

Answer 6

I don't know what the real reason for it, I just love the taste of ginger. I use it in my cooking all the time.