naure.com
FoodSurprise 4/5Difficulty 2/5Reviewed on September 15, 2026

Wasabi, the spicy green paste served with sushi, is made from a root.

Why it is true

True wasabi is obtained from the rhizome of the Wasabia japonica plant, a root that grows in specific conditions of cold running water. Most wasabi sold in restaurants is an imitation made from horseradish, mustard, and green dye.

Source: Scientific American

Would you rather be asked first?

This is the reading side of the site, so the answer is in the sentence above — that is the whole point of it. Test yourself works the other way round: the question comes on its own, and the fact and the explanation only appear once you have answered.

Test yourself →10-question challenge

Related facts

More in Food

See all →