Natto is an unusual Japanese dish. Benefits of soybeans natto and how to cook them Japanese natto

There was a proposal when entering Japan to give everyone a bowl of natto to eat, so that those who came could prove their loyalty to the Japanese state ...
In Russia, in response, you can give out 100 grams of vodka and a pickle.

Who didn't eat natto didn't live in Japan?

Natto (納豆 natto:, "stored beans") is a traditional Japanese food made from fermented soybeans. Especially popular for breakfast. It has a specific smell and taste, as well as a sticky, viscous consistency.

Protein-rich natto and miso paste were the staples of feudal Japan's cuisine. Nowadays, natto is popular in the eastern regions of Japan: Kanto, Tohoku and Hokkaido.

The Japanese themselves often ask foreigners if they like Japanese food.
And then they add... can you eat NATTO?
Indeed, the thing is specific. About 20 years ago, in my presence, a satisfied American took Mochi (a rice ball) with natto from a stall at the festival, then, apparently, tasted it, covered his mouth with his hand and ran to the toilet. Well, I tried and nothing. If you have eaten French blue cheeses, especially soft goat cheese with "hairy" mold, then natto is nothing at all. So for an amateur.

So the poll:

There is a legend that in 1083, a detachment of Minamoto no Yoshiie was attacked while boiling soybeans for horses. In a hurry, the beans were placed in bags made of rice straw, which were opened only a few days later. By that time, the beans had already fermented, and the soldiers decided to try them. They liked the taste and offered the beans to Minamoto no Yoshiie, who also liked them.

A hay stick is added to the beans, which is known as natto-kin in Japan. From this point on, the product should be protected from impurities and other bacteria. The mixture ferments up to 24 hours at 40°C. After that, the natto is cooled and kept in the refrigerator for up to one week to create ductility. When kept at 0°C, the bacillus produces spores and enzymes break down proteins into their constituent amino acids.

The first thing you notice upon opening the package is a very strong ammonia smell, similar to the smell of some cheeses. If you scoop up a small amount of natto, many thin threads will stretch far behind it. The taste of natto is specific, with a salty aftertaste that does not match its smell. Although there are varieties in which the smell is weak or even absent.
Natto is usually eaten for breakfast with rice, or mixed to taste with soy sauce, tsuyu sauce, mustard, green onion, grated daikon. In Hokkaido and northern Tohoku, natto is sometimes sprinkled with sugar. Natto is also added to other dishes such as sushi, toast, miso soup, salads. It can also be added to okonomiyaki, and even spaghetti, or additionally fried. Dried natto, with a less strong smell and viscosity, can be served as a snack. There is also natto ice cream.

Very often, the specific taste and smell of natto is noted (some may call it too strong and disgusting, while others may call it "insipid and insignificant"), which can be eaten only by adding soy sauce or mustard. Most foreigners call natto "tasteless", although some consider it a delicacy. Some manufacturers produce natto without odor or with a slight odor. In terms of variety of opinions, natto can be compared with Australian or New Zealand vegemite, French blue cheeses, lutefisk from Norway and Sweden, Finnish mämmi or English mamate. Even in Japan itself, natto is not equally popular. More popular in the Kanto region, natto is less popular in the Kansai region.

Japan consumes about 263,000 tons of natto annually.

Among our readers, for sure, there will be experienced comrades who will nervously twist their nose, stating that natto is something smelly, sticky and stretchy, but this is their private opinion. The same can be said about some varieties of French cheeses, which, nevertheless, are admired by millions. Natto is another way to eat healthy soy protein that is packaged in "capsules" called soybeans. By the way, translated from Japanese, the word natto means “stored beans”. It is necessary to use this product with rice, after mixing it with mustard or soy sauce.

To prepare natto, you need to have on hand: soy; water; glass cups; pressure cooker; culture or spores of bacteria Bacillus natto; wooden spoon;fermenter (the most critical place, an oven capable of maintaining a constant temperature - about 40 degrees).

Cooking:

Wash the soybeans and put them in a glass cup;

Immerse the soybeans in water and grind them with your hands for 20 seconds - this will get rid of the remaining dirt on the beans;

Drain the water and fill the cup with fresh water, while the beans should be completely immersed in it;

Again, carefully rub the soy with your hands for 20 seconds;

Rinse soybeans thoroughly under running water;

Place the washed soybeans in a cup and add water, at the rate of one fourth of the beans and three quarters of the water. Leave to soak overnight;

Drain the water using a colander and place the beans in a pressure cooker with one cup of water;

Close the lid and cook over high heat until the pressure cooker begins to hiss;

Turn off the oven after 45 minutes and let the pressure cooker cool down. Soybeans should be softened (place the pressure cooker in a sink filled with cold water if you want it to cool down sooner);

Add spores or culture Bacillus natto(natto-kin). It is necessary to vary the volume depending on the amount of soybeans. Mix spores with softened soybeans with a wooden spoon and place in a fermenter (at 38-40 degrees). Fermentation should take two days;

Remove the soybeans in the refrigerator (4 degrees) and let stand for 3 days. After that, natto is completely ready to eat. Enjoy your meal!

NOTE: Very sensitive to air circulation, temperature, etc. Many factors can affect the outcome of a fermentation. If fermentation fails, then natto will not be sticky and viscous, moreover, it may acquire a bitter taste, as well as the smell of ammonia.

Read more about natto in the article: Fermented soybeans - natto

Source: www.ehow.com

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Natto(jap. "stored beans") is a traditional Japanese food made from fermented soybeans. Especially popular for breakfast. It has a specific smell and taste, as well as a sticky, viscous consistency.

Protein-rich natto and miso paste were the staples of feudal Japan's cuisine. Nowadays, natto is popular in the eastern regions of Japan, such as Kanto, Tohoku and Hokkaido.

Story
The exact time of the appearance of natto is unknown, but it can be attributed to the late Jōmon period (the time of the beginning of rice cultivation and, as a result, the appearance of rice straw) or the early Yayoi (the time of the spread of soybeans). The ease of production also suggests the simultaneous appearance of natto in different parts of Japan.

There are several theories about the origin of natto. One of the sources mentions the first preparation in the Jomon era from 10,000 to 300 BC. e. Another theory links the origin of natto to China during the Zhou Dynasty, and their appearance in Japan with the Buddhist priest Ganjin.

There is also a legend that in 1083, a detachment of Minamoto no Yoshiie was attacked while boiling soybeans for horses. In a hurry, the beans were placed in bags made of rice straw, which were opened only a few days later. By that time, the beans had already fermented, and the soldiers decided to try them. They liked the taste and offered the beans to Minamoto no Yoshiie, who also liked them.

Another legend attributes the creation of natto to Prince Shotoku: spending the night in the village of Warado (Shiga Prefecture), he fed the horse boiled soybeans, and wrapped the rest in rice straw and hung it on a tree. The next morning, the beans fermented, the prince tasted them with salt and told the villagers about the recipe.

The first mention of natto in literature dates back to the 11th century, around 1068 (Sin-Sarugakki document by Fujiwara no Akihira).

In 1982, in an effort to boost sales, the Natto Producers Association declared July 10 "Natto Day". The choice of the day is based on a play on words: July is the seventh month, the number "seven" in Japanese sounds like nana; the tenth number is read as current. On the first syllables, it sounds like NATO. However, in the minds of the Japanese, "natto" is associated with winter. The soybean harvest ends at the end of November and natto made from fresh beans is considered the best. Although with today's storage methods there are no special restrictions.

Production
Natto is made from soybeans, usually specialty natto beans. Preference is given to small beans, since the smaller they are, the easier the fermentation process reaches the core. The beans are washed and left to soak in water for 12 to 20 hours. The swollen beans are then steamed for 6 hours (or less if using an autoclave). A hay stick is added to the beans, which is known as natto-kin in Japan. From this point on, the product should be protected from impurities and other bacteria. The mixture ferments up to 24 hours at 40°C. After that, the natto is cooled and kept in the refrigerator for up to one week to create ductility. When kept at 0°C, the bacillus produces spores and enzymes break down proteins into their constituent amino acids.

In the past, natto was made by wrapping steamed soybeans in rice straw. Straw-packed beans were placed either under the hearth or in another warm place in the house, such as a kotatsu, and kept for about a day. During this time, the hay stick contained in the rice straw multiplied, turning the beans into natto.

Description and method of use
The first thing you notice upon opening the package is a very strong ammonia smell, similar to the smell of some cheeses. If you scoop up a small amount of natto, many thin threads will stretch far behind it. The taste of natto is specific, with a salty aftertaste that does not match its smell. Although there are varieties in which the smell is weak or even absent.

Natto is usually eaten for breakfast with rice, or mixed with soy sauce, tsuyu sauce, mustard, green onions, grated daikon, or raw quail eggs to taste. In Hokkaido and northern Tohoku, natto is sometimes sprinkled with sugar. Natto is also added to other dishes such as sushi, toast, miso soup, salads. It can also be added to okonomiyaki, and even spaghetti, or additionally fried. Dried natto, with a less strong smell and viscosity, can be served as a snack. There is also natto ice cream.

Very often, the specific taste and smell of natto is noted, which some may call too strong and disgusting, while others may call it "insipid and insignificant", which can only be eaten with the addition of soy sauce or mustard. Most foreigners call natto "tasteless", although some consider it a delicacy. Some manufacturers produce natto without odor or with a slight odor. In terms of variety of opinions, natto can be compared with Australian or New Zealand vegemite, French blue cheeses, lutefisk from Norway and Sweden, Finnish mämmi or English mamate. Even in Japan itself, natto is not equally popular. More popular in the Kanto region, natto is less popular in the Kansai region. Japan consumes about 263,000 tons of natto annually.

Types of natto
In addition to the types listed below, natto can vary in the size of the beans used to make it. For example, the Tohoku region tends to use larger beans. In addition, many places have their own types of natto, such as salted natto or shionatto in Sakata City, Yamagata Prefecture, etc.

Itohiki natto and Shiokara natto
Natto is divided into two types: stringy natto and salted natto.

Now, if they say “natto”, they mean itohiki natto fermented with hay stick, sticky and viscous. It was he who was supposedly first made by ancient warriors from horse food. However, even before that, fermented with a yeast stick, and then dried and aged shiokara natto, appeared in Japan.

Shiokara natto (tera natto)
Yeast natto found by archaeologists in China in ruins dating back to around the second century BC. BC, was probably brought to Japan in the Nara era by Buddhist priests. It spread under the Chinese name si, but it also had a Japanese name: cookies. Si was not an independent dish, but rather a condiment, and there were two varieties of it: tanshi, which disappeared after the Heian era, and shoshi, which later turned into shiokara natto.

The name "shiokara natto" is already mentioned in the documents of the Heian era, but after the Muromachi era, to distinguish it from the newly appeared itohiki natto, it began to be called "kuki", while itohiki natto began to be called simply "natto". When, during the Song Dynasty, Buddhist monks brought shiokar natto to Japan for the second time, it was called “temple natto”.

Some temples still produce natto according to recipes compiled at that time. For example, in Kyoto: in the temple of Ikkyuji - ikkyuji natto; in the temple of Daitoku-ji they make daitokuji natto, and in the temple of Tenryuji - tenryuji natto; the temples of the city of Hamamatsu, Shizuoka Prefecture, make hama natto (another name is hamana natto) and others.

Itohiki natto

marudaizu natto
Whole bean natto is the most commonly consumed type of natto. Made by simply fermenting whole soybeans.

hikiwari natto
Ground bean natto is made from shelled and crushed soybeans. Unlike regular natto, fermentation is faster and the result is said to be more digestible. Possibly originating in Akita Prefecture, where it is produced and sold mainly by Yamada Foods using ancient technology. The same company sells finely crushed natto called kizami natto.

In northern prefectures such as Aomori, Akita, Iwate, this type of natto has been known since the Heian era.

Goto natto
The ninety-liter natto got its name from the way it was made. To make goto natto (literally: 5 tou natto), take 1 ishi (180 liters) of whole beans, grind them as for hikiwari natto, and then mix with 5 tou (90 liters) of yeast and 5 tou of salt. The resulting mixture is left to mature in barrels.

This type of natto originated from the Yonezawa area in Yamagata Prefecture.

Natto Cathedral
It is a feature of Ibaraki Prefecture. Also known as oboru natto and shoboru natto. Natto mixed with thinly sliced daikon and tare sauce. It is used as an appetizer for sake or as an addition to rice.

Hoshi natto (dried natto)
It is a feature of Ibaraki Prefecture. Natto dried under the sun or, as possible, when stored for a long time. Although natto is dehydrated, natto bacteria are not killed. It is used both by itself and after soaking in hot water, with ocha zuke, rice poured with green tea.

Age natto
It looks like hoshi natto, but is made by frying in oil, after which the natto stops stretching. The smell also becomes weaker. A special technology is used so that even after roasting the bacteria do not die. Very often used as an appetizer for sake. Season with soy sauce, salt, Japanese ume plum or ground red pepper. The airline "Japanese Airlines" is provided along with food and drinks on international flights.

Ama natto (sweet natto)
Ama natto, introduced in 1857 in Eitaro's shop, is a sweet that, although called natto, is actually quite different from all other fermented natto products. The difference is that the likeness of haman natto was called amananatto. In the post-war period, the name was simplified and became amanatto. In Osaka Prefecture (Prefecture), sometimes when people say natto they mean ama natto.

There are also shio natto (Sakata City) and kinyama tera natto (Kumamoto Prefecture) tinted according to local customs.

Final product

Seasoned natto packaging
Modern mass-produced natto is usually sold in bundles of 2-3 polystyrene packs of 40-50 grams. One package for one cup of rice. Also included can be bags with tsuyu sauce and carp mustard.

Outside of Japan, natto may be sold frozen and should be thawed before consumption.

Mito City (Ibaraki Prefecture) and Kumamoto Prefecture are known for producing natto.

Benefits of Natto
In Japan, natto is believed to be good for health and has been proven by medical research.

Natto contains many substances believed to prevent cancer, such as the isoflavones diadzein and genistein, phytoestrogens, and the chemical element selenium. However, all these substances are found in other soy products and their effectiveness against cancer is still not known.

Recent studies show that natto can lower cholesterol levels.

It is also claimed that natto has an antibiotic effect and its use as a cure for dysentery was investigated by the Imperial Japanese Navy prior to World War II.

Natto is claimed to help against obesity due to its low calorie content (approximately 90 calories per 7-8 grams of protein in a typical serving). According to unverified information, it improves digestion, slows down aging, and even counteracts hair loss in men due to the content of phytoestrogens, which can lower testosterone levels, which can cause baldness. These physiological effects of natto consumption are based on the biologically active content of natto, but have not been confirmed by human studies.

Natto is also sometimes used in animal feed and is claimed to improve animal health.

According to recent studies, polyamine suppresses excessive immune responses, its content in natto is greater than in any other food. Supplements containing extracts from natto are available, such as polyamine, nattokinase, FAS, and vitamin K2.

One of the organic compounds contained in natto, pyrazine, not only gives natto its specific smell, but also reduces blood clotting. Another enzyme contained, a serine protease called nattokinase, also reduces blood clotting, both by fibrinolysis (breaking down blood clots) and by inhibiting a protein that prevents blood plasma production. This may help to avoid thrombosis such as myocardial infarction, pulmonary embolism or stroke.

Nattokinase
There is a study showing that oral administration of nattokinase enteric-coated capsules resulted in a modest improvement in fibrinolytic activity in rats and dogs. It can be assumed that nattokinase can reduce vascular thrombosis in humans, although clinical studies of this theory have not been conducted.

Findings from another study suggest that the fatty acid synthases contained in natto activate fibrinolysis of blood clots, increasing the activity of not only nattokinase, but also urokinase.

Also, a study by Taiwanese scientists in 2009 showed that nattokinase destroys amyloid fibers, which makes it possible to use it to prevent and treat amyloidosis, such as Alzheimer's disease.

vitamins
Natto contains vitamin K, which is involved in calcium absorption in the body, helping bone formation and preventing osteoporosis. Especially high in natto is the content of vitamin K2: approximately 870 micrograms per 100 grams of natto.

Research shows that fermented soybeans, such as natto, contain PQQ, a vitamin called PCQ that is very important for the skin. PCC, contained in the tissues of the human body, enters the body mainly with food.

falsification
On January 7, 2007, the educational program "Hakkutsu! Aruaru Daijiten 2" broadcast on Kansai Television and Fuji TV talked about the fact that natto promotes weight loss, and showed an interview with an American researcher who allegedly scientifically proved this. The transfer caused a real natto boom, during which even those who had never eaten natto began to buy it in large quantities. Subsequently, however, the creators of the program admitted that the interview was fake, and there are no studies confirming the effect of natto on diets.

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On the 5-15 kg of dry soybeans is enough for 3 grams of Natto spores. Soybeans must be prepared before making spores. Read more in the article.

Natto(also called stored beans) is a traditional Japanese food made from fermented soybeans. Especially popular for breakfast. It has a specific smell and taste, as well as a sticky, viscous consistency.

Natto is prepared from soybeans and a special culture of Bacillus natto, or as it is also called Hay stick.

Natto is usually eaten for breakfast with rice, or as an independent dish, adding soy sauce or mustard to it if desired.

Natto is made from soybeans, usually specialty natto beans. Preference is given to small beans, since the smaller they are, the easier the fermentation process reaches the core. The beans are washed and left to soak in water for 12 to 20 hours. The swollen beans are then steamed for 6 hours (or less if using an autoclave). A hay stick is added to the beans, which in Japan is known as natto-kin. From this point on, the product should be protected from impurities and other bacteria. The mixture ferments up to 24 hours at 40°C. After that, the natto is cooled and kept in the refrigerator for up to one week to create ductility. When kept at 0°C, the bacillus produces spores and enzymes break down proteins into their constituent amino acids.

This recipe is taken from Wikipedia, see other recipes on the partner site http://koji.su

You may also be interested in:

Koji “Kinzanji” for Miso and Soy…

納豆 natto:

Natto (納豆 natto:?, stored beans) is a traditional Japanese food made from fermented soybeans. Especially popular for breakfast. It has a specific smell and taste, as well as a sticky, viscous consistency.

Protein-rich natto and miso paste were the staples of feudal Japan's cuisine. Nowadays, natto is popular in the eastern regions of Japan, such as Kanto, Tohoku and Hokkaido.

Story
Natto wrapped in rice straw

The exact time of the appearance of natto is unknown, but it can be attributed to the late Jōmon period (the time of the beginning of rice cultivation and, as a result, the appearance of rice straw) or the early Yayoi (the time of the spread of soybeans). The ease of production also suggests the simultaneous appearance of natto in different parts of Japan.

There are several theories about the origin of natto. One of the sources mentions the first preparation in the Jomon era from 10,000 to 300 BC. [source not specified 21 days]. Another theory links the origin of natto to China during the Zhou Dynasty, and their appearance in Japan with the Buddhist priest Ganjin.

The first mention of natto in literature dates back to the 11th century, around 1068 (document Shin-Sarugakki (Jap. 新猿學記?) by Fujiwara no Akihira).

One of the major changes in the production of natto occurred during the Taishō era when the culture of Bacillus natto, a hay bacillus, was discovered, allowing the beans to be fermented without the use of straw. This greatly simplified production and increased productivity.

In 1982, in an effort to boost sales, the Natto Producers Association declared July 10 "Natto Day". The choice of the day is based on a play on words: July is the seventh month, the number "seven" in Japanese sounds like nana (Japanese 七?); the tenth number is read as toka (jap. 十日 to: ka). On the first syllables, it sounds like nato:. However, in the minds of the Japanese, "natto" is associated with winter. The soybean harvest ends at the end of November and natto made from fresh beans is considered the best. Although with today's storage methods there are no special restrictions.

Production

Natto is made from soybeans, usually specialty natto beans. Preference is given to small beans, since the smaller they are, the easier the fermentation process reaches the core. The beans are washed and left to soak in water for 12 to 20 hours. The swollen beans are then steamed for 6 hours (or less if using an autoclave). A hay stick is added to the beans, which is known as natto-kin in Japan. From this point on, the product should be protected from impurities and other bacteria. The mixture ferments up to 24 hours at 40°C. After that, the natto is cooled and kept in the refrigerator for up to one week to create ductility. When kept at 0°C, the bacillus produces spores and enzymes break down proteins into their constituent amino acids.

Description and method of use
The first thing you notice upon opening the package is a very strong ammonia smell, similar to the smell of some cheeses. If you scoop up a small amount of natto, many thin threads will stretch far behind it. The taste of natto is specific, with a salty aftertaste that does not match its smell. Although there are varieties in which the smell is weak or even absent.

Very often, the specific taste and smell of natto is noted, which some may call too strong and disgusting, while others may call it "insipid and insignificant", which can only be eaten with the addition of soy sauce or mustard. Most foreigners call natto "tasteless", although some consider it a delicacy. Some manufacturers produce natto without odor or with a slight odor. In terms of variety of opinions, natto can be compared with Australian or New Zealand vegemite, French blue cheeses, lutefisk from Norway and Sweden, Finnish mämmi or English mamate. Even in Japan itself, natto is not equally popular. More popular in the Kanto area, natto is less popular in the Kansai area. Japan consumes about 263,000 tons of natto annually.

In addition to the types listed below, natto can vary in the size of the beans used to make it. For example, in the Tohoku region, they tend to use larger beans. In addition, many places have their own types of natto, such as salted natto or shionatto (塩納豆 shionatto:?) in Sakata City, Yamagata Prefecture, etc.

Itohiki natto and Shiokara natto

Natto is divided into two types: gooey natto (糸引き納豆 itohiki natto:?) and salted natto (塩辛納豆 shiokara natto:?).

Shiokara natto (tera natto)

Yeast natto found by archaeologists in China in ruins dating back to around the second century BC. BC, was probably brought to Japan in the Nara era by Buddhist priests. It spread under the Chinese name si 豉, but it also had a Japanese name: cookies (Jap. 久喜?). Si was not an independent dish, but rather a condiment, and there were two varieties of it: tanshi (Jap. 淡豉?), which disappeared after the Heian era, and shoshi (Jap. 塩豉?), which later turned into shiokara natto.

The name "shiokara natto" is already mentioned in the documents of the Heian era, but after the Muromachi era, to distinguish it from the newly appeared itohiki natto, it began to be called "kuki", while itohiki natto began to be called simply "natto". When, during the Song Dynasty (960 to 1279 AD), Buddhist monks brought shiokar natto to Japan for the second time, it was called “temple natto” (jap. 寺納豆 tera natto:?).

Some temples still produce natto according to recipes compiled at that time. For example, in Kyoto: in Ikkyuji temple - ikkyuji natto (jap. 一休寺 ikkyu: ji natto:?) in Daitoku-ji temple they make daitokuji natto (jap. 大徳寺納豆 daitokuji natto:?), and in Tenryuji temple - tenryuji natto (jap. 天龍寺納豆 tenryū:ji natto:?); the temples of the city of Hamamatsu, Shizuoka Prefecture, make hama natto (浜納豆 hama natto:?) (another name is hamana natto (Jap. 浜名納豆 hamana natto:?)) and others.

Itohiki natto
marudaizu natto

Whole bean natto (丸大豆納豆 marudaizu natto:?) is the most commonly consumed type of natto. Made by simply fermenting whole soybeans.

hikiwari natto

Ground bean natto (挽き割り納豆 hikiwari natto:?) is made from peeled and crushed soybeans. Unlike regular natto, fermentation is faster and the result is said to be more digestible. Possibly originating in Akita Prefecture, where it is produced and sold mainly by Yamada Foods using ancient technology. The same company sells finely crushed natto called kizami natto.

In northern prefectures such as Aomori, Akita, Iwate, this type of natto has been known since the Heian era.

Goto natto

Ninety-liter natto (Japanese: 五斗納豆 goto natto:?) got its name from the way it was made. To make goto natto (literally: 5 tou natto), take 1 ishi (180 liters) of whole beans, grind them as for hikiwari natto, and then mix with 5 tou (90 liters) of yeast and 5 tou of salt. The resulting mixture is left to mature in barrels.

This type of natto originated from the Yonezawa area in Yamagata Prefecture.

Natto Cathedral

It is a feature of Ibaraki Prefecture. Also known as oboru natto and shoboru natto. Natto mixed with thinly sliced daikon and tare sauce. It is used as an appetizer for sake or as an addition to rice.

Hoshi natto (dried natto)
hoshi natto

It is a feature of Ibaraki Prefecture. Natto dried under the sun or, as possible, when stored for a long time. Although natto is dehydrated, natto bacteria are not killed. It is used both by itself and after soaking in hot water, with ocha zuke, rice poured with green tea.

Age natto

It looks like hoshi natto, but is made by frying in oil, after which the natto stops stretching. The smell also becomes weaker. A special technology is used so that even after roasting the bacteria do not die. Very often used as an appetizer for sake. Season with soy sauce, salt, Japanese ume plum or ground red pepper. The airline "Japanese Airlines" is provided along with food and drinks on international flights.

Ama natto (sweet natto)

Ama natto, introduced in 1857 in Eitaro's shop, is a sweet that, although called natto, is actually quite different from all other fermented natto products. The difference is that the likeness of haman natto was called 甘名納糖 amananatto. In the post-war period, the name was simplified and became 甘納豆 amanatto. In Osaka Prefecture (Prefecture), sometimes when people say natto they mean ama natto.

There are also shio natto (Sakata City) and kinyama tera natto (Kumamoto Prefecture) tinted according to local customs.

Final product
Seasoned natto packaging

Modern mass-produced natto is usually sold in bundles of 2-3 polystyrene packs of 40-50 grams. One package for one cup of rice. Also included can be bags with tsuyu sauce and carp mustard.

Outside of Japan, natto may be sold frozen and should be thawed before consumption.

Mito City (Ibaraki Prefecture) and Kumamoto Prefecture are known for producing natto.

Benefits of Natto

In Japan, natto is believed to be good for health and has been proven by medical research.

Recent studies show that natto can lower cholesterol levels.

It is also claimed that natto has an antibiotic effect and its use as a cure for dysentery was investigated by the Imperial Japanese Navy prior to World War II.

Natto is also sometimes used in animal feed and is claimed to improve animal health.

Nattokinase

There is a study showing that oral administration of nattokinase enteric-coated capsules resulted in a modest improvement in fibrinolytic activity in rats and dogs. It can be assumed that nattokinase can reduce vascular thrombosis in humans, although clinical studies of this theory have not been conducted.

Findings from another study suggest that the fatty acid synthases contained in natto activate fibrinolysis of blood clots, increasing the activity of not only nattokinase, but also urokinase.

Also, a study by Taiwanese scientists in 2009 showed that nattokinase destroys amyloid fibers, which makes it possible to use it to prevent and treat amyloidosis, such as Alzheimer's disease.

vitamins

Natto contains vitamin K, which is involved in calcium absorption in the body, helping bone formation and preventing osteoporosis. Especially high in natto is the content of vitamin K2: approximately 870 micrograms per 100 grams of natto.

Research shows that fermented soybeans, such as natto, contain pyrroloquinoline quinone, a vitamin called PCQ that is very important for the skin. PCC, contained in the tissues of the human body, enters the body mainly with food.

falsification

On January 7, 2007, the educational program "Hakkutsu! Aruaru Daizen 2" (発掘!あるある大事典2?) broadcast on Kansai TV and Fuji TV talked about the benefits of natto for weight loss and showed an interview with an American researcher, supposedly scientifically proven. The transfer caused a real natto boom, during which even those who had never eaten natto began to buy it in large quantities. Subsequently, however, the creators of the program admitted that the interview was fake, and there are no studies confirming the effect of natto on diets.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia