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 Miso Soup – A Tradition Lost
Recently in the news, a fermented soy bean paste called miso was linked
to a substantial decrease in the risk of breast cancer among Japanese
women. This epidemiological study was conducted by researchers at
Japan’s National Cancer Center. The researchers monitored the eating
habits of 21,852 women ages 40-59 for a period of 10 years starting in
1990, by carefully assessing their diets and lifestyle habits. The
research found that women who had three or more bowls of miso soup
daily reduced their risk of breast cancer by 40% compared to those who
only ate one bowl. Those who had two bowls of miso soup reduced their
risk by 26%. The conclusion was that the more miso soup and isoflavones
taken daily, the less risk of breast cancer. However, researchers were
only able to identify this trend with miso soup consumption and not
other soy foods or supplements. Soy foods contain isoflavones, but
could not be linked, by themselves, with breast cancer risk reduction.
Koji Fermentation-The Key to Better Health
Around 1,000 years ago, the tradition of making soup from miso paste
took firm hold across Japan. Eating soup was considered religious
because it resembled the traditions of the Buddhist monks. Regardless
of this, people continued to eat the soup as it tasted good and proved
quite nutritious as well. Most people made sure to eat their miso soup
with every meal along with rice, three times a day.
Since the end of World War II, Japan has been inundated with products
from the West. Particularly affected were the country’s eating habits
as the lure of fast food permeated the culture. The Japanese started to
substitute bread for rice and meat instead of fish. Even through the
introductions of Western foods, certain soy products like tofu, edamame
(immature soy beans) and natto (a different type of fermented soy
product) have remained relatively popular. Unfortunately, it was the
consumption of miso soup that has been affected quite significantly.
According to the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries of
Japan, per-capita miso consumption has dropped 52% over the last 40
years from 8.8 kg per year to 4.2 kg. The relevance of this fact has to
do with the increasing incidence of cancers in Japan. Over the last 30
years, the incidence of breast cancer has nearly tripled. Is there a
correlation with the diminishing consumption of miso soup and the rise
in cancer?
Miso soup consumption has been the subject of many studies,
and has been associated with a reduced risk of certain cancers, heart
disease, stroke, and radiation poisoning. While no single dietary
factor can be responsible for one’s health, it’s hard to refute that
miso soup has been a large contributing factor to Japanese health. The
main difference between miso soup and other soy foods consumed by the
Japanese is the Koji fermentation process. Koji fermentation transforms
the isoflavones in soy into their active aglycone form which can then,
be used by the body for a host of health concerns, including menopause,
plus the process also turns soy into a powerful antioxidant.
AglyMax supplies the same kinds of powerful benefits as miso, but
without the high sodium content, leveraging the potency of Koji
fermentation into a daily supplement.
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| Clinically Proven. |
| Effisoy with Aglymax is clinically proven relief for the uncomfortable symptoms of menopause. |
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