Posted on 03/17/2010 11:47:33 AM PDT by nickcarraway
Do you know that the most medicinal soy food is miso? MEENA SREENIVASAN finds out more
NOT many of us know of the goodness of “miso”.
Current scientific research supports its historical health claims, and this delicious food is undoubtedly an effective therapeutic aid in the prevention and treatment of heart disease, certain cancers, radiation sickness and hypertension.
According to the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, miso soup consumption is also linked with up to a 50 per cent reduced risk of breast cancer. As it is fermented with a B12 synthesising bacteria, it has been commonly recommended as an excellent Vitamin B12 source for vegans.
Being high in sodium, a little miso goes a long way towards providing your daily needs for the trace minerals zinc, manganese and copper.
This fermented soybean paste that is easily available in most of our local supermarkets and organic shops is a versatile condiment for a host of recipes.
“Although general perception is that it originates from Japan, it is actually an oriental food invented by the Chinese a few thousand years ago,” says Woods Macrobiotics' counsellor June Ka Lim.
“This art of fermentation was introduced to Korea and then Japan in the Tang Dynasty by zen monks.
“In most of the Asian and Southeast Asian countries, including Malaysia, each has its own version of miso ‘fermented bean paste’,” she adds.
While miso is usually made from soybeans, it can also be produced from rice, barley or wheat by adding a yeast mould, known as “koji”, together with other fermentable ingredients.
Miso has a texture similar to peanut butter and is available in flavours ranging from meaty and savoury to sweet and delicate.
While you’ll most often find miso in soup, it is also used in sauces, dressings and some desserts.
You can substitute miso for salt in your cooking. A single tablespoon of miso contains two grams of protein for just 25 calories.
June advises using miso in our daily food and diet routine by just adding it to soups, stir-fries or even to make “rojak” sauce.
But there is a difference between organic miso and those found in the supermarkets, she says. “Organic miso is traditionally fermented from organic whole soybeans, organic wheat for two to three years and the ingredients used are certified organic and non-genetically modified. The conventional miso you get from the supermarkets are non-certified and made speedily by adding a kind of enzyme to expedite fermentation.
“Generally, fast miso takes only one to two months to produce and soybean extracts, not whole soybeans, are used in this case,” she says.
In her restaurant, Woods Macrobiotics, June uses miso in a host of the dishes on the menu.
Here, she gives us a few recipes which are simple and easy-to-make.
Benefits of miso - OTHER scientific findings on the benefits of miso include reduces breast cancer risk, decreases tumours by two thirds in animal experiments, removes radioactive elements from the body, protects against stomach cancer and heart diseases.
Miso has an anti-tumour effect on brain, breast and prostate cancer and it promotes longevity. — courtesy of Woods Macrobiotics (www.macrobiotics-malaysia.com) - The benefits of consuming organic miso on a regular basis include prevents cancer, regulates cholesterol and blood pressure, prevents diabetes, anti-aging, alleviates skin allergy, prevents acidosis, strengthens liver, nerve energy and blood, prevents fatty liver and colon cancer, improves digestion, discharges radiation from x-ray, mobile phone and computer and heavy metal contamination. — Source: Japan National Cancer Centre.
ORGANIC SHIITAKE BROWN RICE MISO SOUP This recipe has healing properties and serves four.
Ingredients: 80g mustard green, organic 80g carrot, organic 8 pieces Daifuku shiitake 5 cups Daifuku 3M dashi soup stock (available at organic shops) 4 tbsp Daifuku barley miso 20g organic momen tofu, crushed Method: 1. Rinse mustard green, cut into 3cm length.
2. Remove stem of shiitake, soak in filtered water, conserve soaking liquid.
3. Bring dashi to a boil, add shiitake and soaking water, add carrot.
4. Simmer for about 10-15 minutes.
5. Blend miso with a little filtered water, stir into the soup.
6. Add tofu.
GRILLED PUMPKIN (ORGANIC) WITH MISO DRESSING Ingredients: 6 slices organic pumpkin 2 tbsp organic high oleic sunflower oil for grilling 4-5 mini Cos lettuce (Romaine lettuce), organic Method: 1. Pre-heat grilling pan, brush pan with sunflower oil.
2. Grill pumpkin for about 1-2 minutes until slight brown.
3. Arrange Cos lettuce (Romaine lettuce) on a serving plate.
4. Arrange pumpkin slices on top of the lettuce.
5. Spoon miso dressing (see recipe below) over pumpkin.
MISO DRESSING, ORGANIC Ingredients: 10g organic barley miso 5g organic toasted sesame oil 20g non-alcohol mirin (Japanese sweet cooking wine) Method: Blend all ingredients well.
Korean doenjang is better! : )
Miso soup certainly clears my sinuses!
I thought soy is supposed to be bad for males.
Ono, Brah.
Me too, part of the reason is there are differrent forms of b-12 as explained in the link in the post below.
Does anyone know what I'm doing wrong?
Do you hit the ENTER key after the link address?
..do you mean during the writing of the post reply ? (no)
Anyone else notice the pattern? Some exotic plant or reptile extract is suddenly said to be a cure-all. People buy into the claim. The claim is false, but not before the sellers rake-in millions.
They also sell it as an aphrodisiac...they call it “misohawny”...
I have it every other day.
bookmark for recipes
“I thought soy is supposed to be bad for males.”
I believe the fermentation process alleviates the problem.
So what I hear you saying is that fermenting something that is bad for males like soy, vegetables, fruits, etc. turns it into something that is good for males like sake, beer, vodka, and wine?
You'll grow breasts, but they won't be cancerous. :)
Miso is a good habit to get into eating. Get the tubs of it in the cooler/refrigerated section of the market.
There are several different types of miso. Try them all.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.