Food preservation through fermentation is one of the oldest human traditions, alongside fire and cooking. Beginning as a survival strategy to preserve food crops for times when nutrition was scarce, the tradition continues to this day throughout almost all human cultures, as the powerful health benefits of carefully curated food fermentation processes became well known.
Microbes like bacteria, mold and yeast permeate nature in every form. This includes our bodies, as well. Amazingly, microbes are vital to our health, and control many functions in our bodies, especially within our gut microbiome. The microbiome is our microbial genome, containing hundreds of times more genes than the human genome itself. These genes intimately influence our metabolic and immune capacities.
The beneficial microbes that live in our bodies are constantly working for the benefit of our health. They want their host organism (us) to thrive. They help digest food, produce vitamins, and train our immune system. They protect us from pathogenic organisms through competitive exclusion, by curating our internal terrain towards conditions that allow these beneficial microbes to thrive – conditions that are adverse to the survival of pathogenic microbes.
If we lack proper quantity and diversity of these beneficial organisms, due to low vitality through poor diet, lifestyle, and unhealthy environmental conditions, pathogenic organisms will take the opportunity to make us into their residence instead, aiming to break down and recycle the unhealthy organism back into nature’s raw material.
The astonishing health benefits of an ancient fermented soybean paste
One of many ancient fermented food traditions, miso production began in China, around 2,000 years ago. It was brought to Japan a few centuries later, and has remained a traditional staple food throughout Eastern culture in modern times. Valued not just as a food, but also a medicine, it was viewed as nourishing and strengthening.
To make miso, soybeans are fermented with sea salt, koji (a mold starter), and sometimes other grains like rice or barley, in specialized vats. The koji starter is the key ingredient responsible for the transformation of the soybeans from a simple legume into an almost magical healing food.
Koji comes from a type of mold called Aspergillus oryzae. This organism was domesticated over a long period of time from a wild strain, genetically similar to Aspergillus flavus. The most fascinating part is A. oryzae is considered to be a food-safe, completely non-toxic mold, capable of transforming a food substrate like the soybean into a health promoting medicinal food – however, the nearly genetically identical A. flavus is one of the most common “bad” molds, producing potent mycotoxins that can harm our health.
How are there good molds and bad molds? Mycotoxins are the key. When a mold exists in a highly competitive, uncontrolled environment full of decay, stagnation, and lack of ventilation, it produces mycotoxins for the purpose of competing with, and killing, other molds in the environment. Unhealthy environments cause these “opportunistic” organisms to go to war against each other. Any living thing, including animals and humans, in the line of fire can become collateral damage.
On the other hand, healthy environments curate beneficial microorganisms. Miso production vats are first inoculated with a high concentration of Aspergillus oryzae, then are protected from outside organisms, allowing this one strain to flourish. With very little to no competition, existing in protected harmony with the bountiful food substrate of the soybeans, the inherent gene that normally causes these types of molds to produce mycotoxins was silenced. The addition of sea salt feeds the beneficial microbes and discourages the harmful ones, as well, further allowing this one strain to predominate.
A. oryzae no longer needed to expend the energy to survive through war and conflict, and somehow, long ago, morphed into a “peace loving” mold strain. Not only does it produce zero harmful mycotoxins, but it creates significant protective compounds that benefit any organism that consumes it.
Just as humans domesticated plants and animals, we also domesticated microbes – yeasts, lactic acid bacteria, and molds – to work for us.
Miso is a fermented superfood that seems to contain almost magical properties that can enhance our vitality and longevity, gut and cardiovascular health, immune function, hormonal balance, and systemic antioxidant defenses.
It contains a complete source of plant protein (from soybeans), many minerals including copper, zinc, phosphorus and manganese, B complex vitamins and vitamin K, and rich quantities of antioxidants. Peptides from fermented soy may have neuroprotective effects, benefiting memory and learning. Soy isoflavones can act as phytoestrogens, helping to maintain bone density and lower osteoporosis risk in women and men, as well as lowering LDL cholesterol and supporting arterial health.
Miso is rich in beneficial probiotics like Lactobacillus, supporting gut microbiome balance, as well as prebiotic plant fibers used as fuel for beneficial bacteria. It also provides a significant source of digestive enzymes like amylase, protease and lipase, assisting in the breakdown and utilization of starch, protein and fat.
Miso studies show protection from radiation, hypertension and mutagenesis
Interest in studying the health benefits of miso was piqued when researchers and physicians noticed something peculiar and seemingly miraculous: when the second atomic bomb was dropped in Nagasaki in 1945, Dr. Tatuichiro Akizuki and his 20 employees were caring for tuberculosis patients at a nearby hospital. They experienced zero symptoms of acute radiation poisoning. Dr. Akizuki believed that their daily consumption of wakame miso soup protected them from the otherwise potentially debilitating effects of close proximity acute radiation exposure. This event piqued interest across the world in the potential radioprotective effects of miso, and has inspired researchers to study the extent of these effects even into modern times.
Japanese researcher Hiromitsu Watanabe from the Research Institute for Radiation Biology and Medicine at Hiroshima University has done extensive studies on the health benefits of miso. A comprehensive review from 2013 documents the power of miso to protect against radiation injury, cancer and hypertension, through both experimental and epidemiological evidence. It was found that the longer the fermentation time, the more potent the benefits.
In one of these studies on rats, miso fermented for 180 days was found to be much more effective at reducing lung tumor size and quantity than miso fermented for shorter time durations. Even longer fermentation times, from three to seven-year aged miso products, are thought to contain the most potent medicinal and health benefits. This indicates that the fermentation process itself produces the majority of miso’s medicinal properties.
Even though high-sodium foods are thought to increase blood pressure (hypertension), multiple studies have shown that this does not occur with miso consumption, even though miso contains an average of 2.3% sodium chloride. This seems to indicate that some element of the fermentation process negates or counteracts the usual blood pressure increase that occurs from higher salt consumption.
Changes in dietary habits from traditional Japanese foods to more Western processed foods has been paralleled by an increase in colon and breast cancer in Japan, suggesting a connection between cancer incidence and dietary and lifestyle factors over simple genetics. One epidemiological study showed that consuming miso daily reduced the occurrence of breast cancer, but other soy products (including tofu, natto and soybean curd) did not have the same benefits. A laboratory study showed that rats fed miso developed fewer tumors, and developed them at a slower rate, when subjected to a carcinogenic agent.
In another rat study, miso was given along with tamoxifen (a drug used for breast cancer treatment), resulting in a significant reduction in breast tumors, compared with either substance used alone. Watanabe concludes that if miso is used at the beginning of breast cancer treatment, it could act as a highly effective adjunct to conventional protocols.
Additional studies have found miso to be a potent protective agent against liver and gastric tumors, as well.
A study on rats showed that pure sodium chloride did not prevent colon cancer, but crude salt (used in miso) did. The suppressive effect was therefore thought to be attributable to the wide variety of minerals found in the natural salts used to produce miso, including calcium, magnesium, copper and iron.
Salty miso has been found to have more benefits than plain salt, even natural forms of salt, demonstrating that miso as a food and medicine is more than the sum of its parts. The strains of yeast, lactic acid bacteria, and molds in miso can remove and detoxify carcinogens, according to some studies. The carcinogens tested in the above study were heterocyclic amines, chemical compounds that are produced when meat products are overcooked or cooked at high temperatures, causing a potentially carcinogenic reaction between the naturally occurring amino acids and sugars found in the food.
Miso is Umami – the healthy flavor enhancer you need in your daily diet
Umami is a Japanese word that essentially translates as “pleasant savory taste”. Although the terms “meaty” or “savory” may come close to the flavor experience of umami, many scientists now consider it to be a distinct taste that acts on specific receptors on the tongue and even in the stomach, separate from the traditionally recognized taste receptors. This special flavor experience is thought to arise from the presence of glutamates and nucleotides, which are found in meat broths and fermented foods.
Miso is considered to be one of the world’s richest natural sources of the umami flavor! Fermentation with Aspergillus oryzae produces protease enzymes that break down soybean protein into amino acids, especially glutamic acid (glutamate) and aspartate. The intense flavor of umami stimulates salivation and digestion, preparing the body to absorb nutrients.
Although artificial umami flavor in the form of monosodium glutamate (MSG) is commonly added to modern food, especially in Eastern cuisines, there can be detrimental health effects of this artificial flavoring agent.
We prefer natural sources of rich, true umami flavor. In miso, the naturally occurring glutamate from protein fermentation combines with the sodium from the sea salt, producing a natural (non-chemical) form of MSG. Natural umami flavor can make meals feel more satisfying, even with less fat and salt. Umami can also be an appetite stimulant, which can help enhance appetite in the elderly (supporting proper nutrition), as other tastes atrophy with age.
Cooking with miso: soups, salads, dipping sauces, marinades and more
How can we add this delicious and miraculous healing superfood into our daily diets? There are so many ways! Miso soup is the traditional staple, blended with warm water and often seaweed like wakame, enhancing its mineral content, flavor and health benefits. Those who still follow traditional Eastern diets often consume a cup of miso soup in the morning, waking up the digestive fire with a gentle, nutritive, detoxifying warm broth.
Miso is excellent when added to homemade salad dressings, combined with olive oil, vinegar (or lemon juice), and ginger and garlic for an Asian flavor. Drizzle it on green vegetables and grain dishes for a big flavor boost.
A hearty way to use miso is combined with sesame butter (or tahini) and spread on a piece of toast, either by itself or with some sliced avocado and tomato as a garnish. Miso can be used in marinades for meat, fish and poultry, and in dipping sauces for spring rolls or fresh vegetables.
Since miso enhances the flavor of every food it’s combined with, feel free to experiment with adding this power packed paste into your favorite savory dish!
Traditionally prepared, unpasteurized, aged miso
Shen Blossom sources the most delicious and medicinally potent aged miso products available. Our aged miso is salty, sweet, earthy, and is the ultimate umami – produced in accordance with traditional Japanese preparation techniques, in small batches. Ancient koji strains are used, ensuring a truly pure and authentic miso fermentation.
Each variation of our miso has its own flavor profile. Our 3-year Brown Rice Miso is our original variation, a mainstay in a healthy refrigerator. Light in color, with a bright and salty flavor profile.
Our Burdock Barley Miso is fluffy and soft, with a tart and salty taste, hinting at a tomato balsamic flavor. This variety includes the medicinal benefits of burdock root for extra liver and blood support.
Deep Winter Miso is a full-bodied flavor experience reminiscent of teriyaki, with a robust and smokey presence. Less salty than other varieties, but the fullness of flavor more than makes up for it.
7-Year Mature Dark Miso is smooth, velvety and almost fruity. The extra maturation of this variation breaks down the fiber structure of the beans even more, making it basically pulp-free, and extra medicinal.
Check out our extraordinary miso offerings here:
Miso – Minimum 3 Year Aged – Traditionally Prepared (4 flavor options)
Medicinal Miso – 7-10 Year Aged (1 flavor option)
If you’re excited to start enjoying the significant health benefits of including miso in your daily diet, you will want to try more than one of these varieties, to get a full sampling of how much your daily diet can be enhanced and enriched by this ancient, super powered paste!
References:
- Study: “Beneficial Biological Effects of Miso with Reference to Radiation Injury, Cancer and Hypertension” – https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3695331/#r58
- Study: “Inhibition by long-term fermented miso of induction of pulmonary adenocarcinoma by diisopropanolnitrosamine in Wistar rats” – https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12701648/
- Study: “Soy, isoflavones, and breast cancer risk in Japan” – https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12813174/
- Study: “Effect of miso (Japanese soybean paste) and NaCl on DMBA-induced rat mammary tumors” – https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/2120681/
- Study: “Chemoprevention of N-nitroso-N-methylurea-induced rat mammary cancer by miso and tamoxifen, alone and in combination” – https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9685851/
- Study: “Binding of heterocyclic amines by lactic acid bacteria from miso, a fermented Japanese food” – https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9543712/