Fine Contemporary Fusion Japanese Cuisine

Enjoy ginger with various Maki dishes

Ginger has been used by ancient Asian cultures for thousands of years as a digestive aid for upset stomach, nausea and as an anti-inflammatory agent.  Ginger may help with reducing inflammation associated with osteoarthritis and reducing pain in joints, according to a 2001 study in Arthritis and Rheumatism.  Ginger is also being researched as a potential aid in lowering cholesterol and preventing heart disease.

Enjoy these health benefits of ginger at Maki by eating ginger with sushi, sashimi or maki rolls.  In addition, eat a few pieces of ginger when you are done eating for a potential digestive benefit.  For more information on ginger, check the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine website and the University of Maryland Medical Center’s overview of ginger health benefits.

Green tea has many health benefits, and it has been used since ancient times for medicinal purposes. Green tea is very high in anti-oxidants, which is needed to reverse damage to the body’s tissues from harmful substances called free radicals. Because of green tea’s high antioxidant capacity, it has been extensively researched as potentially playing a role in lowering the risk for certain cancers and cardiovascular diseases. Roasted green tea may provide potential further health benefits. Roasted tea may act a digestive aid, interfere with the absorption of harmful bacteria and help detoxify the body.

Roasted green tea is exclusively available at any Maki location for our guests. Take advantage of roasted green tea health benefits and order this tea during or after your meal.

Enjoy roasted green tea from Maki

This post we are focusing on the health benefits of olive oil.  Olive oil may be considered a nutrition super star by many health professionals (including myself), and it is often promoted as a heart healthy food that may decrease cardiovascular and heart disease risk.  Olive oil is rich in mono-unsaturated fats that give it a heart healthy profile.  It seems more and more studies are revealing the health benefits of this special oil.

The way olive oil is produced appears to have an impact on nutrition quality.  Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) is the first processing of the olives, and the olives are cold pressed to retain the lowest amount of acidity.  Other common terms for olive oil processing include:

• Virgin olive oil: This is also the first pressing of the olives but, it has a higher amount of acidity than EVOO.
• Fino (or pure) olive oil: A mix of extra virgin and virgin olive oils
• Light olive oil: Same profile as Fino olive oil, but it is finely filtered to remove some of the color and taste of olive oil.  Light olive oil can also be used at a higher cooking temperature than the other olive oils.

EVOO is considered the highest quality source for olive oil.  At Maki, we only use cold pressed extra virgin olive oil home grown in Lebanon for menu items that list olive oil as an ingredient.

EVOO appears to have superior antioxidant properties compared to other olive oils.  A 2007 study in Atherosclerosis found a significant decrease in inflammatory markers and increase in antioxidant capacity after subjects ate a high fat meal with EVOO compared to a high fat meal with regular olive oil and corn oil.  EVOO antioxidant content may have other beneficial health effects besides decreasing infammation after a meal.  A 2001 review article in The Lancet Oncology concluded that high consumption of extra virgin olive oil rich in phenols (the agent responsible for antioxidant activity) “should afford considerable protection against cancer (colon, breast, skin), coronary heart disease, and ageing by inhibiting oxidative stress.”

Consider ordering our menu options that have EVOO for the health benefits listed above.  Don’t know which ones to try?  Here are some suggestions.  Which one is your favorite?

• Amer Mame Maki
• Beetroot Mame Maki
• Nano Mame Maki

• OZE Akami Maki
• Sandi Ume Maki
• Sazdel Ume Maki
• Tara Mame Maki
• Tara II Ume Maki

Remember, although EVOO is very healthy, it is still a high calorie food.  If you are concerned about calorie intake, order the oil/sauce on the side and use a smaller portion of the oil.

Did you notice Maki has highlighted menu items of the week?  For more details ask your server or check out which items we offer weekly on our Facebook page.

Thanks for reading!  Until next time,

Holly

Welcome to Maki’s Blog page!
We are a fine dining Japanese fusion restaurant in Kuwait, Lebanon and Bahrain.  Check out our website, facebook page and follow us on Twitter @MakiRest.  Please feel free to comment and share your thoughts with our topics on the blog or on Facebook.  I am relatively new to the Maki team (been in Kuwait 5 weeks), and I am excited to be here.  I am a dietitian, so my posts will focus mainly on nutrition/health topics (my favorite topic to write about).  This post I am focusing on Maki’s supporting the cause for Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

As you may or may not know, October is the global Breast Cancer Awareness Month.  At Maki, we are supporting this cause in raising awareness for breast cancer, as it is the most common cancer for women around the world.  You will notice our staff wearing pink ribbons in support of Breast
Cancer Awareness Month.  To find out more what this pink ribbon symbolizes, click here.

Maki Avenues staff wearing pink ribbons for breast cancer awareness

Did you know?  Breast Cancer Awareness Month is not just for women. Men can get breast cancer too.  Although it is 100 times more common in females, The American Cancer Society reports about 2,000 new cases of breast cancer in men in 2010.

Cancer is a multi-faceted disease that has many complexities, but nutrition can have an impact on reducing the risk of certain cancers.  As the National Breast Cancer Foundation states, “A nutritious, low-fat diet with plenty of fruits and vegetables can help reduce the risk of developing breast cancer”. Traditional Japanese cuisine is naturally low in fat and high in fruits and vegetables.  Japanese women have a lower incidence of breast cancer compared to other ethnicities worldwide.

The high intake of soya products, such as miso soup, in traditional Japanese cuisine may be the link between low breast cancer and Japanese women.  Miso is a fermented soya product, and soya has compounds called isoflavones that may deter breast cancer cell growth.  A 2003 study in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute suggests specifically consumption of miso soup, but not other soya foods, was inversely associated with breast cancer risk.  The authors conclude more research needs to be done to fully understand this apparent association.  So ladies and gents, next time you are at
Maki, think about ordering yourself an extra serving of miso soup .  Edamame is another soya food and is a rich source of isoflavones and many other health benefits.

For more information on early detection, the cause, diagnosis, treatment, and support for survivors visit the Breast Cancer Foundation website.

Look for more posts soon to come!  Until next time- thanks for reading, enjoy your day and hope to see you around Maki.

Holly

I have worked with Maki Group for one year now, and I have established a system whereby I can use my Maki meals for two reasons:

1- Enjoy delicious exotic food.

2- Lose weight whenever I need to.

I am a “foodie” whose job requires a bit of traveling, so needless to say, I end up exceeding my recommended daily calorie intake extremely easily while I am “on the road”. Considering all the temptations that I encounter at the restaurants I visit while traveling, coupled with the energy I expend during these travels, gaining a few kilograms comes with the “territory”.

Suffering from self-deprecation and a nondescript view of myself in the aftermath of such trips, I resort to my remedy of choice: Maki food. Not only does this avenue of hope provide me with an answer to my self-inflicted predicament, it is a pleasurable experience as well!

I have come to develop a specific routine that involves eating nothing but Maki food for a whole week, which easily helps me shed at least 2 kilograms of the weight I had put on during my “sinful” travels.

My routine has recently consisted of the following:

Breakfast: I honestly simply do not eat breakfast, but if you are a breakfast person, I would suggest an apple, or an orange, or even both. You will not exceed 200 calories, guaranteedJ

For lunch: I find myself eating one of our famous, delicious, healthy Maki rolls, like the Amer maki™, salmon avocado maki, Sazdel maki™, Oliver maki™, and many more…you are guaranteed not to exceed 500 calories.

As for my favorite meal of the day: dinner, I love the fact that I can enjoy ordering three dishes without consuming a ton of calories. My favorite trio is:

1- Chef chopped salad™: 313 calories.

2- J-Lo Sashimi™:                176 calories.

3- Spicy Tuna maki:           299 calories.     

Total calorie intake:          788 calories. Can’t beat that!

Remember, though, that exercise is a crucial part of any regimen or diet!

There are many dishes at Maki that are as delicious and low on calorie intake; just email us or write us at www.olivermaki.blog.com and we will be happy to assist you with any questions you may have. Our expert nutritionist Miss Holly is always happy to help

Until next blog, stay healthy and enjoy Maki cuisine!