#10 — Eat well, look beautiful (amazake)

The work is hard, mentally and physically, and the hours are irregular. And yet here is someone who says, "I always want to be at my best when I go to work." This person began drinking amazake several years ago for beauty and health, and now makes enzyme-rich fresh amazake at home. We asked about the secret to keeping it up even with a packed schedule, and more.

I started drinking amazake four or five years ago. I tried store-bought amazake too, but these days I drink fresh amazake I've made myself every morning.

One day I saw a hair and makeup artist I hadn't seen in a while, and her skin was glowing and lively, and firm too. The first thing out of my mouth was, "Did you do something?" I wondered whether she had started some new health routine. "I've been drinking amazake," she said. That was how it started.

She told me she made hers in a rice cooker. That sounded like a bit much, so at first I bought mine at a natural foods store. But as I looked for an amazake I liked, I learned that most store-bought amazake is heat-treated, which deactivates the enzymes. If I was going to drink it anyway, I wanted amazake with active enzymes, so I started making my own.

Ordering koji and making fresh amazake at home

When I was a child, the amazake I was given at the shrine at New Year's tasted strongly of sake, and as a kid I didn't much care for it. What I make now is koji amazake. It contains no alcohol, and I love its gentle, natural sweetness.

It's easy to make. At night I put koji and water in the fermented food maker and set the temperature and time, and by the next morning it's done. In the morning I pour 70–80 ml into a glass and drink it mixed with soy milk.

Even in the cold months I deliberately don't heat the amazake. Instead I add warmed soy milk and ginger, or stir in matcha, depending on how I feel that day. Sometimes I enjoy it in milk tea in place of sugar.

I heard that the enzymes in amazake are deactivated at high temperatures, so I set the fermented food maker to 58°C (136°F), make three days' worth at a time, and keep it in the refrigerator. The flavor also changes with the koji you use. Some people order their koji from an old-fashioned pickle shop, and others use TANICA dried rice koji from Gohan Japan.

My skin looks clearer and I don't tire as easily

What I think has changed since I began drinking fresh amazake regularly is the clarity of my skin. My hair and makeup artist also told me my hair has become more supple.

And, though I don't know whether it's the amazake, I don't get tired as easily. Even when the hard work keeps coming, I find myself thinking, "Huh, I actually feel pretty good."

At night, when I get a little hungry, I make a point of having amazake. If it still has the grains of koji in it, it feels like a dessert, and even a small amount settles my stomach.

You usually regret eating something late at night, but with amazake I don't feel all that guilty.

Choosing naturally brewed seasonings

I started paying attention to what I eat in my late twenties. The stage is very demanding. You can't give a good performance unless you're healthy. It was because I decided that, whatever the circumstances, "I always want to be in good condition when I'm in front of people."

The first foundation of health is a balanced diet. I want to get my nutrients from food as much as possible. But I'd like to do it without being too strict, within what I can manage.

With this fresh amazake too, if the method had meant cooking rice porridge first, I probably wouldn't have kept it up.

I try to cook my own meals as much as I can. I cook mostly Japanese food, and for seasonings like soy sauce and mirin I use traditional ones without additives. My miso is homemade by a friend. I look forward to it every year. Not only does it taste different, but I feel different when I eat it, too.

Eating is creating your own future. I want to keep treating it with care.

A body that can detox no matter what I eat

When I shop, I often look at the ingredient list on the back of the package, and so many processed foods contain chemical additives that I sometimes worry, "Is this okay?" But when I'm working, I can't afford to say that.

In this job, not only are the hours irregular, but depending on the situation there are times I can't eat at all. So the basic rule is to eat what's served, when it's served.

Whether it's meals eaten with my body in mind or processed foods, balance is what matters.

And the most important thing, I think, is to have a gut with detox power, whatever the situation. For that too, I think everyday meals become important.

There is a lot of talk about how closely the gut environment and health are linked. To improve my gut environment and raise my detox power, I make a conscious effort to eat fermented foods.

With its active enzymes and rich nutrients, fresh amazake is something I can really count on. I've heard it's good to use fresh amazake as a seasoning in cooking too, so I'd like to try that.

Nukazuke (rice bran pickles), another fermented food, are delicious and good for you as well. I'd like to take them on next, as a strong new ally among fermented foods.

Eating is creating your own future. That's why I don't want to neglect it.

With TANICA's YOGURTiA, you set it at night and it's ready in the morning. For the steps, see the rice koji amazake recipe.

This article provides general information about everyday eating and is not intended to diagnose, treat, or prevent any condition. If you have a medical condition or an allergy, consult a doctor or a registered dietitian.