Between soy paper vs. Nori, which is the more nutritious and healthier wrap for your sushi and rolls? And which one comes in more colors, has less flavor as to not spoil the freshness of the sushi flavor, and is easier to use and more readily available? All these questions and more will be answered, so read on and enjoy my article on Soy Paper vs. Nori!
However, between these two wraps, soy is the best option if you don’t want a sea smell for your sushi. Anyways, if you see it as a nutritious aspect, nori still gets the prize. It is rich in omega 3 fatty acids and also contains magnesium.
If we talk about functions, both are the same for every sushi. Both wrap the rice and also have a lot of ingredients that give superlative flavors. If you are curious to know what is best for your sushi? Keep reading here.
Soy paper Vs. Nori (Seaweed)
Soy paper is a safer choice as compared to nori, since it doesn’t give a sea odor to your sushi like nori does.
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But if you want to select the healthier option, seaweed is always the best choice due to its many health benefits. It contains essential vitamins, amino acids, anti-oxidants, and some right nutrients such as omega 3 fatty acids and magnesium content.
Seaweed is also rich in fiber. According to research 14% of the fiber that is required for an adult is present in just 1 gram of seaweed.
Still, soy paper is a great option if you simply don’t like seaweed, are a allergic, or just doesn’t like the way it looks when creating your sushi rolls.
If you need a more detailed explanation on soy paper, check out my article on What is Soy Paper?
What is Nori?
Nori is dried edible seaweed sheets (wraps) originally from Japan and made from Porphyra, a red alga that also includes other edible varieties like Porphyra yezoensis and Porphyra tenera. It is most popularly used as wraps for sushi, although it does have a role in other Japanese and Asian foods.
Seaweed is not just healthy, it’s pretty too. And it comes in a variety of colors from green to red, making it a great wrap that can help boost the presentation of your sushi, making it look even more delicious. And you can freeze sushi rolls that have nori and reheat your sushi rolls later, another side benefit.
Seaweed grows along rocky shorelines around the world, but it’s most commonly eaten in Asian countries such as Japan, Korea, and China.
Health Benefits of Seaweed:
Seaweed is a form of algae that grows in the sea, and is also called a sea vegetable. They are ranges in different colors from red to green to brown to black. It is flexible enough to use in different types of cooking including soups, salads, sushi rolls, smoothies, and as a simple vitamin. In addition, it’s very nutritious and has many health benefits.
Here are some science-backed advantages of seaweed:
Iodine and Tyrosine Help in Thyroid Function:
The thyroid gland releases enough hormones that repair your body damage cells, control growth, energy production. It can only be possible if your thyroid gets enough intake of iodine. There are some symptoms you may experience like weight loss, fatigue, or swelling of the neck.
The dietary recommended intake for iodine is 150mcg per day.
Seaweed can intake enough concentrated quantities of iodine from the ocean. Iodine content may vary depending on the forms, How to handle? And where it was grown?
Contains a high amount of Vitamins and Minerals:
Seaweeds contain a particular set of nutrients. Sprinkling dried seaweed on practically any food not only gives taste, flavor, and texture to your food, but it’s also an easy way to increase your intake of vital vitamins and minerals super easily!
These minerals and vitamins provide one tablespoon of dried spirulina.
- Calories: 20
- Carbs: 1.7 grams
- Protein: 4 grams
- Fat: 0.5 gram
- Fiber: 0.3 grams
- Riboflavin: 15% of the RDI
- Thiamin: 11% of the RDI
- Iron: 11% of the RDI
- Manganese: 7% of the RDI
- Copper: 21% of the RDI
It is a very easy way to increase essential aminoacids, other vitamins, and minerals by using it as seasoning once or twice per week.
May help in weight loss
One gram of dried seaweed contains almost 14% fiber that is required for a person. Fiber keeps your stomach healthy and you feel fuller for a long time. Seaweed gives an anti-obesity effect. According to a study, seaweed contains a substance called fucoxanthin that can help to reduce body weight.
Provides a variety of protective antioxidants:
Antioxidants can make unstable substances in your body called free radicals less reactive. They are less likely to damage cells.
What is soy paper?
Soy paper (wrap) is the effective and same size as nori sheets for sushi. These are more fragile than traditional nori, but both work as same. You will see soy paper has different ingredients, for example, sesame seeds, soy flour, soybean oil, and organic rice syrup.
Since it is made from soybeans, you can’t feel the taste of other ingredients. Hence, it doesn’t give a fishy or other weird smell.
In addition, it is edible as a sushi wrap and has a unique aroma that’s why soy sushi rolls are best to taste. It doesn’t make any problems, getting into sushi nori seaweed’s fishy taste. Although if you want to reheat your sushi, you may need to replace the wrap as it might get soggy.
Health benefits of Soy paper:
Gluten-free: Soy wrap is the best choice for gluten intolerance people.
Low in Carbohydrates: Each soy wrap contains 1 to 2 grams of carbohydrates. It’s the best choice for those who are on a keto diet. In addition, being low in calories there are no saturated and Trans fats in soy paper.
It is also low in calories, each sheet contains 15 to 205 calories.
Conclusion:
Comparing nori vs. soy paper, soy is the best choice for your sushi. If you are allergic or don’t like the ”Sea” smell, soy paper is best for sushi.
Alternatively, if you want to look at it from a completely nutritious point of view, then Nori is the clear winner. It is rich in omega 3 fatty acids and also contains magnesium content.
But both work the same for different fish recipes or making sushi rolls. So if you can’t find one, then just get the other.