The healing power of miso

Miso is fermented soy paste from Japan. It can be black, to light brown in color. The most famous dish with miso is miso soup. You can also eat miso as a side dish with a rice meal. It's quite salty in taste. Most people like it. Miso has been extensively studied for its potential medicinal effects. It seems to work just as well or better for high blood pressure instead of using salt. Furthermore, it is possible that miso lowers the risk of breast cancer. In any case, it is clear that miso offers nutritious and medicinal properties.

What is miso?

Miso is made from fermented soybeans with salt. The fungus Aspergillus oryzae is added to this. This ensures that the soy will ferment. Sometimes brown rice or barley is added to the mixture. Other ingredients can also be added. Different types of miso are made in this way. There is evidence that miso with grain and miso with fish were already eaten 14,000 years ago. Fermenting products was common for older cultures. Fermenting is a form of preserving products and has the advantage that all new healthy substances are created during the fermentation process. It was not until between the 14th and 16th centuries that Buddhist monks discovered that you can also ferment soybeans. They invented miso as we know it today.

Miso is a fermented soy paste product that has many antioxidants, proteins, vitamins and minerals. Japanese research from 1992 already observed that substances in miso eliminate free radicals. They are also good for the lipid profile in the brain. Miso is a product that you can buy in Asian stores in the Netherlands. It is a favorite of those on the vegetarian diet. The salty taste suits many dishes. It is a favorite ingredient of chefs. Because it is not widely known, you can serve people a surprising meal with the addition of miso.

Miso appears to be good against harmful effects of radiation. This is evident from both Japanese research on animals in 2001 and 2013. Japanese research from 2013 also shows that it is good against cancer and high blood pressure. The research mainly shows that miso has all kinds of new substances due to the fermentation that were previously not present in the soy product. Some of these substances have medicinal value, but it is not yet possible to determine which they are.

Miso soup contains more than just salt. It has been shown to work well for high blood pressure in people who have a bout of high blood pressure. Japanese researchers saw this in 2012. They looked at, among other things, the effect on cardiovascular diseases. These are cardiovascular diseases. They also looked at the effect of miso soup on the kidneys. Eating miso soup for a longer period of time has been found to reduce the effects of high blood pressure due to too much salt intake. High blood pressure is dangerous because it can damage organs such as the kidneys and heart. A 2014 study found the same thing and went a little further. These Japanese researchers saw that the enzymes with the complicated names glucocorticoid kinase-1 (SGK-1) and AT1R were activated by miso soup. This enzyme change is thought to eventually lower blood pressure. Another 2006 study found that miso is better at controlling high blood pressure than sodium chloride. Miso may be salty, but it also contains all kinds of other minerals. These minerals balance the blood. Only sodium chloride is bad for the blood because there is a one-sided supply of minerals.

There are studies that indicate that soy products may have carcinogenic effects. Animal studies show that soy can worsen breast cancer. Miso, like tempeh, is a fermented soy product. Some bad substances from soy have been converted. Many good substances have been added. A Japanese study from 2003 among almost 22,000 people shows that regularly eating miso soup is associated with a reduced risk of breast cancer. The study covered a period of 9 years. In addition to miso, the women also took a lot of regular soy products. These products contain isoflavones. This is a substance that influences the hormone function of the body and possibly has something to do with the development of cancer. As far back as 1990, there was an American study that linked the consumption of miso to the lower incidence of cancer among Japanese women. The Americans thought this could also be due to an increase in minerals.

Some people are allergic to certain substances in miso. The method of fermentation influences the production of substances. Another brand of miso may not cause an allergic reaction. In their 2013 study, the researchers used four types of miso: Amakuti-kome miso, Karakuti-kome miso, Mugi-miso, and Mame-miso. It is therefore possible that you are allergic to one species and not to another species. According to Korean research from 2012, some types of miso contain bio-amines. Miso contains a lot of the bacteria that produce tyramine and spermine. Some people are allergic to it.

You can use miso to make the traditional Japanese miso soup. In addition, there are all kinds of other uses for this extremely savory product. You can spread miso on bread. Instead of marmite, put it on a cheese or peanut butter sandwich. Miso is nice because of some vegetable mixes. Especially in combination with tempeh and mushrooms it fits well. Miso can be added neat to your plate as an extra sauce to the rice meal. You can put miso in a bowl for toast. You can use miso in combination with avocado puree to make a dipping sauce.