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Nutrition Information for Dashi

Dashi is a main flavor component in many Japanese recipes. It is traditionally made out of a combination of dried bonita flakes and kombu seaweed to create a broth that is used as a base for soups and other recipes. Dashi granules are available to provide a fast alternative to making the stock from scratch, and nutrition information is available on the labels. Homemade dashi stock has different nutritional information based upon the ingredients and time used when cooking it.

  1. Japanese Cooking and Sushi

    • Japanese cooking, in general, is quite healthy due to the use of seaweed, fish and rice in the recipes. Sushi originally was created in China as a way of preserving food, as fish was fermented in rice to keep it lasting longer. When the Japanese began eating and preparing sushi, seasoned rice vinegar was added to the rice along with pieces of fresh fish. Today sushi is eaten around the world in a multitude of ways, including the use of sushi rice, vegetables, seaweed wrappers, cooked fish and fresh fish.

    Ichiban Dashi

    • Ichiban dashi is the type of stock used in clear soup recipes. It is delicate in flavor and color so that it does not overpower the palette. Fresh bonito flakes and kombu are used when making ichiban dashi. In seven ounces of ichiban dashi there is 10 calories, zero grams of fat, one gram of protein, 10 mg sodium, zero grams fiber and zero mg cholesterol.

    Niban Dashi

    • Niban dashi is made from the bonito flakes and kombu that were used when making the ichiban dashi, but with an additional cup of bonito flakes added. Niban dashi is used for heartier, darker and thicker soups than ichiban dashi as it has a deeper and more complex flavor. Seven ounces of niban dashi contains 10 calories, zero grams of fat, two grams of protein, 15 mg of sodium, zero grams of fiber and zero mg of cholesterol.

    Uses for Dashi

    • The most well-known use of dashi is as a base for miso soup. Miso paste is added to the dashi, along with other ingredients such as vegetables and tofu, anytime miso soup is made. Miso is a fermented soybean paste that is thought to have many health benefits, such as helping to maintain good bacteria in the digestive system and increasing immune system functions. Dashi can also be cooked with vegetables and reduced to form a sauce that is eaten over rice.

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