Here’s what you could risk when eating poke

Even in Italy it is now poke-mania. The colorful Hawaiian dish is almost a must for the lunch break. Certainly thanks to its reputation as a healthy meal. But is eating poke really always good? This is not exactly the case. Here’s what you could risk when eating poke.

The poke-mania explodes

The poke (pronounced with the accent on the “e”) is a dish of Hawaiian origin. The name literally means “to cut into small pieces”. And we are talking about pieces of fish. Raw tuna or salmon generally served over a generous portion of rice. But that’s not all: the fish is accompanied by all kinds of vegetables and condiments. Onions, wakame seaweed, avocado, edamame, mango, pomegranate, purple cabbage… you are spoiled for choice.

The Hawaiian dish has become a real craze, so much so that the global turnover of poke will reach 1.94 billion dollars by 2023, according to StartupItalia. The passion of Italians for poke is also evident from the orders on the food delivery platforms. Already in 2019 Deliveroo had seen a 162% increase in poke orders, Glovo by 245%, Just East by 200%.

Is poke really healthy?

The dish’s popularity also stems from its reputation as a healthy meal. In fact, a poke bowl is a very balanced single dish. Provides complex carbohydrates, proteins, Omega 3 (very important for the cardiovascular system) and fibers. All with a fairly low calorie intake: on average 300 kcal per serving.

However, poke is not always good for you. In some cases, it can even be dangerous to health. The dish is in fact prepared with raw fish, in which parasites such as Anisakis can nest. The latter causes gastritis, ulcers and allergic reactions. Here’s what you could risk when eating poke. It is therefore important to choose restaurants that offer fresh fish and, above all, subjected to chilling. Also, poke isn’t always suitable for dieters. Sauces can in fact raise the calorie content. For those who want to pay attention to the line, it is better to ask for light condiments.

And you, are you curious to try poke?

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