Because of its unusual stickiness, texture and taste, natto is a food many people dislike. Even so, it is not only good for your health — there are plenty of people in Japan who eat it every single day.
There is no record of exactly when natto appeared, but it can be traced to the period when rice growing began and rice straw became available. According to the oldest account of its creation, natto was invented somewhere between the 10th century BC and the middle of the 3rd century AD. It is thought to have begun to be sold as a product during the Edo period (1603–1868), eventually becoming a standard part of the Japanese breakfast.
The fundamental change in natto production came between the 19th and 20th centuries, when scientists isolated the bacterium from hay, which made it possible to ferment the beans without straw and greatly simplified production. Natto gained popularity in Japan at that time, particularly in the east of the country, though little was known about it abroad.
How it is made
Small soya beans are used, because fermentation reaches the core of a small bean more easily. The beans are first washed in running cold water and then soaked for 12–20 hours. They are steamed for 6 hours. Only then does fermentation begin, driven by the bacterium natto-kin. It runs for up to 24 hours at 40 °C. The natto is then cooled and left in the fridge for a week, which is when it takes on its characteristic viscous consistency.
Calories
100 grams of natto contain about 212 kcal.
There are two varieties: salted natto, known in Japan as siocara natto, and ithochica natto, the chewy kind.
Composition
Natto is high in carbohydrates, fats, proteins and fibre, and contains vitamins (B4, B9, C, K) and minerals — sodium, potassium, calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, copper, manganese, selenium — along with a number of amino acids vital to human health (threonine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, phenylalanine, tyrosine).
Beneficial properties
Eating it regularly is associated with cancer prevention, lower cholesterol and blood sugar, a better-regulated gastrointestinal tract and a slower ageing process.
Natto also has an immune-stimulating and anti-inflammatory effect, supports blood formation, metabolism and bone tissue formation, helps prevent the breakdown of nerve connections in Alzheimer's disease and reduces blood clotting, which benefits the cardiovascular system.
With nattokinase, New Era purifies the natto extract and presses it into tablets, so it carries none of the specific smell or taste of the fermented soya food.
How to take the Natto soya bean tablets:
For prevention — 1 tablet, once or twice a day, 30 to 60 minutes after a meal. Course: 1–3 months.
Restorative course — 2 tablets twice a day, morning and evening, 30 to 60 minutes after a meal. Course: 3–6 months.
