Japanese gastronomy has been making an ever greater niche for its variety and its amalgam of flavors. However, Japanese food goes beyond sushi. Among the most characteristic ingredients is natto, a legume that raises hatred and passions in equal parts. We tell you all the details about this superfood.
What is natto?
This food is made from fermented soy beans. To achieve this, the grains of this legume are cleaned, cooked and add the bacteria bacillus subtilis. It is left to rest in a warm and humid environment for a day. Thanks to bacillus subtilis fermentation occurs, causing a sticky layer that are crowded around the beans.
The Japanese consider this ingredient as a superfood due to its multiple benefits. Today you can find this food in all supermarkets in Japan. A pack of four servings is around 100 yen, that is, a little less than €1, so its price is very cheap. There are more and more varieties of the product, less viscous, with less smell, etc.
A food that throws back
Yes, the natto It is considered a superfood with properties very healthy. However, its viscosity and smell are unpleasant for Western palates. However, in the country of the rising sun he is considered one of the kings of gastronomy. Due to the use of bacteria found in dirt, it has not been done outside of Japan. unpopular.
As a curiosity, it should be noted that this food is part of the Disgusting Food Museum from the Swedish city of Malmo. In this space, it shares space with other foods such as guinea pig (a Peruvian rodent) or Casu, a cheese made with worms from the island of Sardinia. Although attempts are being made to introduce natto to the western market, it is still could not make a hole. She has no sign of that happening.
Benefits of this superfood
Although different experts consider that superfoods do not exist, it is true that natto is considered as such. That is due to the Multiple benefits containing. The main one is the benefit of any fermented product: it improves the digestive system. This food contains enzymes that improve intestinal transit. These ferments They also prevent the formation of blood clots. in the bloodstream.
This ingredient contains eighteen different types of amino acids and is a source of vitamin K2. The latter helps increase bone density, thus reducing the risk of fractures. Other nutrients present in this food are calcium, iron and vitamin C. Doctors recommend its use in people with anemia.
How to taste natto
The Japanese usually consume natto in his first meal daily, at breakfast. They serve it with soy sauce, mustard, rice and egg. But there are plenty of ways to take that food. The most common is to eat with white rice. If you are going to eat this food for the first time, it is the best option. Little by little you can add ingredients to familiarize yourself with the taste and then be able to taste it in different elaborations.
In Japan there are different contests and national competitions of production and tasting of natto. The vast majority of producers meet before a committee of experts who decide who is the best manufacturer and which is the best product. For this, different parameters are evaluated, with the smell, taste and texture as the strengths of the test. In the official competition more than two hundred kinds of this fermented soybean.
As you have seen, this superfood that is so popular in Japan raises both hate and passion. Its characteristics are very special and it is difficult to become familiar with it, but it contains a huge amount of benefits for our body. It's going to take a while for our Mediterranean diet to fill a gap in the medium term, but who knows what will happen in the future. If you have found this food interesting, do not hesitate to try it. You dare?
