Is fermented food
the secret to Japanese longevity?! Fermented Foods:
Japan’s Secret to Longevity!
It’s no secret that Japan has one of the longest life expectancies in the world.
Natto, miso, soy sauce, amazake, and other fermented foods have long been a part of supporting the Japanese diet.
Koji mold, an essential ingredient in Japanese fermented foods, has been used for more than 1,000 years and has contributed to Japan’s longevity.
Welcome to the World of Fermentation
On December 4, 2013, “Washoku: Traditional Food Culture of the Japanese People” was
registered as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO.
Japanese food is now attracting a great deal of attention around the world.
What is Fermentation?
Fermentation is the process by which microorganisms make changes in food that are useful to humans.
Bread, cheese, alcohol, and other fermented foods are all around us.
What is Fermented Food?
When food is fermented, you can taste more umami from it, it tastes better, preserves better, and is also better for you.
The added umami blends well with a variety of dishes. Here are some examples of various fermented foods.
Enjoy tasty and healthy handmade fermented foods at your table every day.
Microorganisms produce rich umami and nutrients
Many traditional Japanese foods are made through the process of “fermentation”. Starting with shio koji and soy sauce koji, vinegar, miso, soy sauce, natto, pickles, sake, and amazake…
“Fermented foods are made when natural microorganisms like bacteria such as lactic acid bacteria, natto bacillus, and yeast break down food ingredients, creating nutrients and new flavors.
For example, proteins turn into amino acids and peptides, and carbohydrates become lactic acid or alcohol.
This process not only boosts health benefits but also enhances the food’s umami, flavor, and shelf life.”
Fermented foods have been passed down from generation to generation based on climate and the natural ingredients of each region.
Fermented foods are known to be beneficial to the body and have been handed down throughout the world since ancient times.
Yogurt, for example, is believed to have its beginnings around 5000-6000 BC. When people in the Eastern Mediterranean region began using the milk from domesticated cows and sheep for food,
lactic acid bacteria were accidentally mixed in and fermented spontaneously, creating fermented milk, the original form of yogurt.
In Japan, dried fish and narezushi were made using fermentation during the Jomon and Yayoi periods.
It is believed that the post-Tang Dynasty envoys traveled to China during the Nara and Heian periods and brought to Japan the beginnings of miso, vinegar, sake, hishio (soy sauce), and pickled
vegetables.
These fermented foods have been carefully nurtured in the diets of people all over the world, and each country and region has come to produce their own unique “soul food” in accordance with
their climates, natural ingredients, and preferences.
The Effects of Fermented Foods
Boosts your Immunity
As much as 60% of the body’s immune function is concentrated in the gut. The body is equipped with many immune defense systems to protect the body from foreign substances such as pathogens and harmful substances that invade the body. Lactic acid bacteria contained in fermented foods keep the inside of the intestines slightly acidic, which eradicates bad bacteria and keep good bacteria strong. Bacillus natto is also known to increase good bacteria in the intestines. Koji also contains lactic acid bacteria, and the fermentation process with many enzymes also converts starch into oligosaccharides, making the state of bacteria in the intestines predominantly good bacteria.
Anti-Aging Effects
Reactive oxygen species are the cause of aging, also known as “rust” in the body. Kojic acid, which is produced when koji mold breaks down starch into sugar, is said to have an anti-aging effect by suppressing the action of Reactive Oxygen Species and activates cells. Fermentation enhances the antioxidant properties of food by efficiently extracting nutrients like vitamin C, carotene, catechins, and flavonoids through enzymatic action, resulting in a powerful antioxidant effect.
More Beneficial Ingredients for Your Body
When foods are fermented, nutrients and their functions are altered by microorganisms. Yogurt, for example, is transformed by enzymes into a form of calcium that is easier for the body to absorb than milk. Fermentation boosts the nutritional value of food by allowing microorganisms to produce antibiotics, immune-boosting substances, and essential nutrients like amino acids, citric acid, and vitamins.
Prevent Lifestyle-Related Diseases
When proteins break down during fermentation, they form peptides, which are made up of a few amino acids connected together. Soy peptides, in particular, have been shown to help prevent health problems like high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and act as antioxidants.
Increased Shelf Life
Many fermented foods can last for long periods of time, and many were created as preserved foods. The beneficial bacteria contained in fermented foods play a role in suppressing the bad bacteria that causes it to rot, and the ingredients created through fermentation itself may have a sterilizing effect. This makes it possible to preserve food for a longer period of time than in its raw state, and also allows for “ripening,” an effect that boosts the umami flavor.
Characteristics of Japanese Fermented Food
Lactic acid bacteria, yeast, and acetic acid bacteria are used for fermentation around the world, but the use of koji is a unique feature of Japanese fermentation.
Miso, soy sauce, rice vinegar, sake are all fermented foods that use koji.
What is Rice Koji?
Rice koji is made by growing koji mold and other helpful bacteria on rice. There are different types of koji mold, and each one is used for a specific purpose.
How Koji Mold Works
Koji mold produces many enzymes. These enzymes soften foods and bring out their sweetness and flavor.
Examples of Enzymes
-
Amylase
Breaks down starch into sugars, creating sweetness. -
Protease
Breaks down proteins into amino acids to create umami.
Health Benefits of Koji
An Improved Intestinal Environment
Enzymes contained in koji produce oligosaccharides. Oligosaccharides feed the good bacteria in the intestines, which increases the number of good bacteria and regulates the intestinal environment. By regulating the intestinal environment, it can be expected to relieve constipation and improve immunity.
Effects on Relieving Fatigue and Beautifying Skin
Koji rice is rich in B vitamins, including vitamins B2, B6, and niacin. B vitamins help metabolize energy such as carbohydrates, fats, and proteins. This function helps eliminate waste, relieve fatigue, and beautify your skin.
Helps with Digestion
The enzyme amylase contained in koji breaks down starch into glucose, while the enzyme protease breaks down protein into amino acids.
Since it is already broken down by the time your ingest it, it is easier to digest and absorb in the body.
Japanese Fermented Foods
Amazake
A traditional Japanese sweet beverage made from rice koji, amazake is an ingredient in sake but contains no alcohol at this stage. Rich in B vitamins, it helps with sugar metabolism and fat burning, and is also believed to support healthy blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar levels.
Miso
Miso is a fermented mixture of soybeans, salt, and koji. White miso has less salt and more sweetness than regular miso. Miso contains a large amount of high-quality protein from soybeans.
Natto
Natto is a fermented food made by fermenting soybeans and the bacillus natto. Natto’s distinctive odor and consistency are produced by the bacillus natto, which breaks down the components of the soybeans. Nattokinase contained in natto is expected to have a blood-thinning effect.
Japanese Sake
Sake is a traditional alcoholic beverage made primarily from rice and water, and fermented using koji mold and yeast. Sake is characterized by “parallel double fermentation,” in which saccharification and alcoholic fermentation proceed simultaneously, producing a rich aroma and flavor.
Soy Sauce
Soy sauce is a seasoning made by fermenting soybeans, wheat, and salt, involving koji mold, lactic acid bacteria, and yeast. Amino acids and organic acids produced by fermentation are created to produce umami.
Mirin (Rice Wine Vinegar)
Mirin is a sweet seasoning made by fermenting glutinous rice, rice malt, and shochu. The sugars and amino acids produced in the fermentation process give dishes a deep sweetness and richness.
Vinegar
Vinegar is produced when alcohol is fermented by acetic acid bacteria. The acetic acid produced by fermentation not only enhances preservation, but also provides a unique sour taste and flavor.
Pickled Vegetables
Pickled Vegetables are made by marinating vegetables in salt, koji mold, vinegar, etc. to promote lactic acid fermentation, which enhances preservation and flavor. The fermentation process enriches the vegetables with vitamins and flavor.