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TANICA YOGURTiA fermented food maker
Set any temperature from 25–70°C (77–158°F) in 1°C steps. Includes two HARIO glass pots and an egg stand. One machine for miso, amazake, shio koji, natto, and yogurt.
#2 — Chapter 2: When your gut changes, everything changes — The deep connection between koji and gut health
2-1. The gut is the “second brain” — Why it’s more than a digestive organ
Most of us have heard about “gut health,” but surprisingly few people can explain what, specifically, changes when the gut is in balance.
The gut is not just a digestive organ. It digests food and absorbs nutrients, of course, but it is also the “front line of immunity,” where about 70% of the body’s immune cells gather, and a “factory for the mind,” involved with substances such as serotonin and dopamine. That is why, when the gut is in poor shape, the effects show up all over daily life: not only constipation and diarrhea, but also skin trouble, allergies, fatigue, irritability, insomnia, and even a tendency to gain weight. Conversely, if you can get your gut in balance, all of these troubles may ease together.
2-2. What is gut flora? — The world of good, bad, and neutral bacteria
“Balancing the gut” means nothing other than balancing the gut flora. The gut flora is the community of roughly 100 trillion bacteria that live in the gut. It gets its name because so many different bacteria grow there in clusters, like a field of flowers (flora).
They fall into three broad groups. Good bacteria (bifidobacteria, lactic acid bacteria, and others) help the gut move, support immunity, make vitamins, and keep bad bacteria from multiplying. Bad bacteria, when they become too numerous, give off harmful substances and contribute to constipation, diarrhea, body odor, and skin trouble. Neutral bacteria are neither; they side with whichever group has the upper hand. If good bacteria are in the majority, they join the good side; if bad bacteria are, they join the bad side. What decides the outcome is which way you tip the neutral bacteria.
The ideal balance is said to be 2 good : 1 bad : 7 neutral. When stress, an unbalanced diet, too little sleep, and too little exercise go on and on, that ratio breaks down and bad bacteria tend to gain the upper hand.
2-3. How koji increases good bacteria and keeps bad bacteria in check
To increase good bacteria, the key is to deliver their food. The oligosaccharides, lactic acid bacteria, and dietary fiber in fermented foods are the very best food for them.
Foods made with koji tend to fit that bill. The oligosaccharides in koji are a favorite of good bacteria. The lactic acid bacteria and yeast that arise during fermentation also contribute to the balance of the flora. What’s more, because the enzymes help with digestion, undigested protein and fat are less likely to putrefy in the gut, which makes it harder for bad bacteria to multiply. Increasing the good while holding down the bad — it does two jobs at once.
Reports that looked at the gut health of people who drank amazake every day describe an increase in good bacteria, changes in regularity, and improvements in skin moisture and texture. There is also lifestyle data on people who eat miso regularly. Koji is not a miracle drug, but these are useful examples of fermented koji foods balancing the gut and benefiting the whole body.
2-4. The gut-brain connection and the “happy hormone”
The gut and the brain are linked by the vagus nerve and influence each other. This is called the gut-brain connection. When gut health declines, it can lead to anxiety, irritability, and a low, depressed mood. When the gut is in balance, positive signals reach the brain more easily and resilience to stress goes up as well.
About 90% of the body’s serotonin is said to be made in the gut. Serotonin is also called the “happy hormone” and is involved in emotional stability. If the gut isn’t healthy, it’s hard to make enough serotonin, so when you keep feeling “a bit down for no reason” or “unmotivated,” it may be an SOS from your gut. What makes caring for your gut with koji so wonderful is that it tends to have a good effect not only on the gut but on your mental well-being, too.
2-5. The surprising changes that come with a balanced gut
When immunity rises, you may catch colds less often, and allergy symptoms from pollen and the like may become milder. When waste is eliminated more smoothly, dullness and acne can ease, too. Your metabolism comes into balance, chronic fatigue lightens, and you wake up refreshed in the morning — I have felt those changes myself since I started using koji.
The gut is the “root of the body.” If the root is weak, nutrition and exercise do only half as much. If the root is strong, even a little effort readily pays off. Caring for your gut with koji is the act of nurturing that root.
The next article is Chapter 3: Koji boosts immunity — Building a body that’s more resistant to colds.
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 allergies, please consult a physician or registered dietitian.
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TANICA dried rice koji, 500 g
Made from 100% Japanese-grown white rice, with high enzyme activity. Use it to make shio koji, amazake, miso, and shoyu koji. One 500 g bag makes about 2.5 batches of shio koji.
$21.99 Buy · $21.99
TANICA Amazake Enzyme
Just stir into cooked rice and water. Non-alcoholic, no added sugar. 10 sticks (2 g each).
From $13.99 Buy · from $13.99- YOGURTiA features
- Amazon US — YOGURTiA, dried rice koji, Amazake Enzyme
You can also find recipe details in the Gohan Japan cooking-video index. The dried rice koji, Amazake Enzyme, and YOGURTiA are the same products whether you buy from the Gohan Japan store or on Amazon US.
#2 — 第2章 腸が変わると、すべてが変わる — 麹と腸活の深い関係
2-1. 腸は「第二の脳」— 単なる消化器官ではない理由
「腸活」という言葉を耳にしたことはあっても、「腸が整うと具体的に何が変わるのか」を説明できる人は意外と少ないかもしれません。
腸は単なる消化器官ではありません。食べ物を消化して栄養を吸収するのはもちろん、免疫細胞の約70%が集まる「免疫の最前線」であり、セロトニンやドーパミンといった物質に関わる「心の工場」でもあります。だからこそ、腸の状態が悪くなると、便秘や下痢だけでなく、肌荒れ、アレルギー、疲労感、イライラ、不眠、太りやすさまで、暮らしのあちこちに影響が出ます。逆に、腸を整えられれば、これらの悩みがまとめて楽になる可能性があるのです。
2-2. 腸内フローラとは？ — 善玉菌・悪玉菌・日和見菌の世界
「腸を整える」とは、腸内フローラのバランスを整えることにほかなりません。腸内フローラは、腸に住む約100兆個の細菌の集まり。お花畑（フローラ）のように多様な菌が群生していることから、そう呼ばれます。
大きく3グループあります。善玉菌（ビフィズス菌、乳酸菌など）は腸の動きを助け、免疫を支え、ビタミンを作り、悪玉菌の増殖を抑えます。悪玉菌は増えすぎると有害物質を出し、便秘や下痢、体臭、肌荒れの要因になります。日和見菌はどちらでもなく、優勢な側に味方します。善玉が多ければ善玉側へ、悪玉が多ければ悪玉側へ。運命を左右するのは、日和見菌をどちらに寄せるかです。
理想のバランスは、善玉2：悪玉1：日和見7と言われています。ストレス、偏った食事、睡眠不足、運動不足が続くと、この比率が崩れ、悪玉が優勢になりやすくなります。
2-3. 麹が善玉菌を増やし、悪玉菌を抑えるメカニズム
善玉菌を増やすには、「エサ」を届けることが大切です。発酵食品に含まれるオリゴ糖、乳酸菌、食物繊維が、その最高のエサになります。
麹で作った食品は、この条件を満たしやすいです。麹のオリゴ糖は善玉菌の大好物。発酵の過程で生まれる乳酸菌や酵母も、フローラのバランスに貢献します。さらに酵素が消化を助けるので、未消化のたんぱく質や脂質が腸で腐敗しにくくなり、悪玉菌が増えにくくなります。善玉を増やしながら悪玉を抑える——一石二鳥の働きです。
甘酒を毎日続けた人の腸内環境を調べた報告では、善玉菌の増加や便通の変化、肌の水分量やキメの向上が語られています。味噌を日常的に摂る人の生活習慣のデータもあります。特効薬ではありませんが、麹の発酵食品が腸を整え、全身の調子につながった例として参考になります。
2-4. 腸と脳をつなぐ「腸脳相関」と幸せホルモン
腸と脳は迷走神経でつながり、互いに影響し合います。これを腸脳相関と呼びます。腸内環境が悪化すると、不安やイライラ、うつっぽい気分につながることがあります。整うと、脳にポジティブな信号が届きやすくなり、ストレス耐性も高まります。
体内のセロトニンの約90%は腸で作られるといわれます。セロトニンは「幸せホルモン」とも呼ばれ、心の安定に関わります。腸が元気でなければ、十分なセロトニンが作られにくく、「なんとなく落ち込む」「やる気が出ない」が続くときは、腸からのSOSかもしれません。麹による腸活が素晴らしいのは、腸だけでなくメンタル面にも良い影響を与えやすい点です。
2-5. 腸が整うことで得られる驚きの変化
免疫が高まると、風邪を引きにくくなったり、花粉などのアレルギー症状が軽くなったりすることがあります。老廃物の排出がスムーズになると、くすみやニキビが楽になることもあります。代謝が整い、慢性的な疲労感が軽くなり、朝スッキリ目覚められる——そんな変化を、私自身も麹を始めてから実感しました。
腸は「身体の根っこ」です。根っこが弱ければ、栄養も運動も半減します。根っこがしっかりしていれば、少しの努力でも成果が出やすい。麹による腸活は、その根っこを育てる行為です。
次の記事では、第3章 麹が免疫力を高める — 風邪知らずの身体 の話をします。
本記事の内容は、一般的な食生活の情報提供であり、診断・治療・予防を目的としたものではありません。持病やアレルギーがある場合は、医師や管理栄養士に相談してください。
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TANICA YOGURTiA 発酵調理器
77〜158°F（25〜70℃）を1℃刻みで設定。HARIO ガラスポット2個・温泉卵スタンド付属。味噌・甘酒・塩麹・納豆・ヨーグルトを1台で。
- YOGURTiA の機能
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レシピの詳細は Gohan Japan の調理動画索引からも確認できます。乾燥米麹・甘酒酵素・YOGURTiA は、Gohan Japan 公式ストアと Amazon US で同じ品質の製品をお求めいただけます。