Fermented soy foods reduce all-cause mortality

Two studies, conducted just a few months apart, have shown that fermented soy foods, such as miso and natto, are capable of reduce mortality from all causes and especially those caused by cardiovascular diseases.

Men and women who consume various fermented soybean products enjoy a lower incidence of cardiovascular diseases and premature deaths, according to researchers at the National Cancer Center (Japan).

The most consumed soy-based fermented foods are the natto, the miso, the tempeh and the tamari.

Natto is made from soybeans that are fermented with bacillus subtilis. This food can be made at home and we will show it to you in this article: Natto prolongs life, do you know the recipe? Miso is a paste that is used as a condiment and is obtained by fermenting soybeans with Aspergillus oryzae either Aspergillus sojae (You will find how to prepare a miso soup in the following article: 5 autumn soups that comfort your body). The remaining liquid in this process is the highest quality tamari sauce (it can also be made independently). Tempeh, for its part, is prepared with the beans and the mushroom Rhizopus oligosporus.

Fermented soybeans reduce the risk of premature death by 10%

The research, published in the british medical journal, followed the diets and health of 92,915 Japanese men and women between the ages of 45 and 74 for an average of 15 years. During this time, 13,303 of the study participants died.

After controlling for other components of the diet, high blood pressure, diabetes, smoking, alcohol use, and other factors, the study authors determined that those who ate the most fermented soy foods had a 10 percent lower risk of death from any cause.

The effect was greater with natto, most likely because its sodium content is much lower than miso, for example, which can be used as a salt substitute.

One of the authors of the paper, Dr. Norie Sawada, recommends fermented soybeans especially for its effect on cardiovascular diseases, leading cause of death in economically developed countries.

Natto is the most beneficial fermented food

The second investigation, which confirms the results, was carried out with 79,648 participants and concluded that women especially benefit consumption of fermented soy products. The authors point out that the greater the amount consumed, the lower the risk of suffering a stroke or cardiovascular disease.

Natto was, once again, the fermented food that appeared to be most beneficial in the work published by the British Medical Journal. A relationship was also found between isoflavone content and reduced risk of disease. None of the studies observed similar benefits in non-fermented soy products.

Fermented soy foods provide live microorganisms (as long as they are not cooked), which enrich the intestinal microbiota. They also offer different amounts of isoflavones, antioxidant compounds with properties similar to female hormones.

The natto and the tempeh they are rich in protein (18 and 15 g per 100 g, respectively) and can be used as alternatives to meat or fish.

Miso and tamari can be used as seasonings in, for example, warm soups (they are added after cooking) or accompanying sauces.

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