Homemade Poke Bowls: Eating the Rainbow

One of my favorite ways to eat many colors is a poke bowl. At home, I cook the fish (usually salmon) by marinating in sesame and olive oil, soy sauce, teriyaki sauce, hot honey, sea salt, pepper, and garlic powder, then air frying it. I put everything over sushi rice, which is coated in rice vinegar. One of my favorite sauces is siracha mayo (just a mix of the two).

There are many toppings for poke bowls, but my favorites, and some of their nutritional values, include:

• Avocado

  • Unsaturated fat to enhance the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K

• Carrots

  • Vitamin A

  • Fiber- I prefer raw in the bowl, although cooked provides more vitamin A

• Corn

  • Insoluble fiber, antioxidants, and other nutrients

    • Lutein and Zeaxanthin (yellow color): support eye health- deposited into the retina and protect macula cells from damage (reduce risk of macular degeneration)

  • Contains sugar but a low to medium glycemic index (digested slow enough to avoid spike of blood sugar). If using fresh corn on the cob, unhusked slows the process of sugar turning to starch

• Cucumber

• Edamame

• Mango

  • Vitamin C to help absorb iron and promote cell growth or repair

  • Copper for healthy fetal growth

  • Polyphenols- act as antioxidants for protecting against free radicals

• Mixed greens

• Pickled red onion

• Red cabbage

  • High in anthocyanins- flavonoids used by plants to attract pollinators and survive dry weather

  • Can lower blood pressure and reduce cardiovascular disease while increasing blood flow to areas of the brain that help with memory

  • Vitamin C for tissue growth and development

• Sesame seeds

  • Fiber, lignans and phytosterols to lower cholesterol

  • Roasted lowers oxalates and phytates, which reduce digestion and absorption of nutrients like calcium (bone health) and magnesium

  • Unhulled (with the shell) contains more micronutrients, but should be roasted or soaked to increase mineral absorption

  • Pinoresinol inhibits maltose digestion to lower blood sugar levels

• Tomato

  • Alkalizing

  • Vitamin C (destroyed when cooking) and lycopene- carotenoid giving red color and preventing cancerous states (absorb better when combined with olive oil)