The world of soy may be incredibly perplexing for regular people to navigate! The vast majority of meals made with soy are extremely hazardous, particularly for infants, children, and those who have thyroid illness.
This might include more modern concoctions like soy formula, soy milk, bean curd, or tofu, in addition to the broad array of processed foods that contain this legume.
Because it is inexpensive to create and may therefore take the place of other, more costly ingredients, it is an extremely essential additive in the food business.
Despite the fact that the soy business has unsurprisingly replied with “research” of its own incorporating cherry-picked data and skewed figures, the results of dozens of scientific studies indicate the hazards of including soy in the diet.
There are a few soy foods that are genuinely beneficial to your health, despite the fact that the vast majority of soy products ought to have a warning label attached to them. These include traditional soy sauce, light or dark miso, tempeh, and natto. These four solitary deviances have a long history of being traditionally included in a variety of Asian diets. In addition to this, there is solid data to back up a beneficial effect on human health.
Natto’s Positive Effects on One’s Health
One of the few plant-based food options that is truly nutrient-dense is natto. Natto is a fermented soybean paste. A variety of minerals, including manganese, iron, copper, potassium, phosphorus, and zinc, are found in quite high concentrations in it. Because of the fermentation process, it is also a rich source of vitamin K2, which is found in very few foods in their natural state. Because of this, widespread K2 insufficiency is associated with the modern diet, which can have lethal consequences.
In point of fact, natto has the highest concentration of vitamin K2 of any food on the entire earth. People who use it on a daily basis eliminate the requirement for Vitamin K2 supplements in their diet.
How many calories are there in a serving of natto? Up to one hundred times more K2 than many types of cheese, which is the most readily available food in the Western diet that contains considerable amounts of this nutrient. Cheese is also the most common source of vitamin D. The highest quality cheeses include gouda and brie.
What is vitamin K2 such a valuable nutrient?
The form of vitamin K that our systems require most is vitamin K2, which is a fat-soluble vitamin. In a manner comparable to the manner in which our body requires actual vitamin A and not only beta carotene, our body may convert K1 into K2 at some point.
Sadly, this doesn’t happen very often for a variety of reasons, including genetics and other factors such as an imbalance in the stomach. Therefore, even though plants can be excellent suppliers of vitamin K1 and a wide variety of other elements that our bodies require as precursors, this does not guarantee that we will have the nutrients that our bodies require, such as vitamin K2.
According to the most recent statistics, more than 90 percent of people have insufficient levels of vitamin K2. A deficiency can show itself in a wide variety of different ways, including excessive wrinkling of the skin, problems with bone loss, cardiovascular illness, and cancer.
Because fermentation is a process that involves the production of K2 by bacteria, many types of fermented foods, especially natto, contain significant levels of this compound. There is a wide range of K2 concentrations in meat, dairy products, eggs, and other animal meals.
Natto is one of the very few options available to pick from in order to ensure that a person’s diet contains an adequate amount of K2 for those individuals who do not consume these foods or who do not have access to them.
Even those who consume animal products run the risk of not getting enough vitamin K2 because so few people consume organ meats in a “nose to tail” fashion. Therefore, natto has the potential to fill an important function because it is an affordable food option that is 100 percent natural and contains no added ingredients.
How Much Natto Should I Eat, and How Often Should I Eat It?
Consuming even just a few ounces of natto is equivalent to taking five or six capsules of a costly vitamin K2 supplement. There are 775 micrograms in a single serving that is 100 grams (3.5 ounces) in size. Eating natto unquestionably raises blood levels of this essential vitamin, as supported by a plethora of scientific evidence.
Therefore, including one or two servings of natto per week in one’s diet would offer an adequate amount of vitamin K2.
The Nuttiest Ways to Enjoy Natto in Your Diet
If you want to give natto a try despite the fact that it is likely to take some getting accustomed to, the best way to do it is to combine it with something familiar, such as rice or soup. However, you should never try to prepare it. After the meal has cooled down a little bit, you should be sure to integrate it in. A comparable operation is required in order to incorporate a blob of cultured cream into a bowl of soup while the diners are still seated.
Just a little bit of natto (remember: you don’t need a lot to get a lot of benefits for your health!) Frequently, they taste their finest when combined with a greater quantity of rather flavorless food. This significantly contributes to the effectiveness of dispersing its pungent odor and concealing its unpleasant texture.
Although it is now possible to purchase natto that has been mass-produced, it is likely more beneficial to spend your money on supporting the many local and regional options that are available.
Begin with a variety that is made in the traditional manner and is organic. If you don’t do that, you’re probably going to end up with genetically modified soy, along with possible glyphosate residue and other unwelcome additions.
Have you braved the natto experience and are you still with us? Do you consume it on a regular basis, and if yes, how often? How do you recommend eating this traditional cuisine so that you don’t get put off by its strong fragrance and grainy texture?