Miso, a paste of fermented soybeans, sea salt and koji (a mould starter) is a sweet-salty and tangy condiment often used in Japanese cuisine to make marinades, sauces and dips. The main ingredient in the eponymous Japanese soup, miso is sometimes made with rice or barley too.
A variety of antioxidants in miso help protect the body the body from free radicals that cause breast, colon and prostate cancer and have anti aging properties that retard the body’s natural decline. Protein-rich miso also propagates the efficient repair of cells and tissues and builds the immune system. Miso also aids digestion by restoring beneficial probiotics to the intestines while substantial fiber content also keep the digestive track healthy (while lowering LDL cholesterol). Of particular interest to women is linoleic acid, an essential fatty acid in miso that not only keeps skin soft and free of pigmentation but is in fact effective in easing menopausal symptoms. Last but not least research, that dipilocolonic, an alkaloid in miso,protects the body from the damaging effect of radiation and toxins by collating heavy metals from the body and flushing them out.
Miso also makes an excellent vegetarian substitute for dairy products and is often used to replace milk and cream in soups; mixed with tofu it creates a vegetarian cheese. The beneficial bacteria in miso make it an excellent marinade ingredient which along with adding flavor tenderises meats.
So next time you dine out at a Japanese restaurant order miso soup and stock up on some solid nutrients. Bon appétit or douzo meshiagare as they would say in Japan.
By Leila Mahfooz Barry