The Health Benefits of Natto

Natto is a fermented food that we believe everyone should be incorporating into their everyday diet. Most known for its unique texture and strong smell, natto also provides great nutritional content and various health benefits. 

The Ingredients

Natto is a traditional Japanese dish made of fermented soybeans. 

Soybeans on their own are a crucial part of a plant based diet, providing protein, fiber, and many vitamins and minerals. Unlike other common soy products, such as tofu, edamame, or soy milk, even more nutritional value is added during the fermentation process. 

To make natto, soybeans are soaked, steamed and fermented with Bacillus subtilis.

Health Benefits

Great Source of Probiotics

Bacillus subtilis is the naturally occurring, spore probiotic that is used to ferment soybeans. 

During the fermentation process, this type of bacteria strain produces enzymes, vitamins, secretory proteins, antimicrobial compounds, and carotenoids. 

The large amount of probiotics in natto improve gut health. They increase the microbes in your gut, helping digestion while improving issues such as gas, constipation, and Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS). 

Additionally, a strong gut will help boost the immune system. 

Nattokinase

By fermenting soybeans with B. subtilis, the enzyme Nattokinase is formed. 

Nattokinase helps to digest legumes and solve cardiovascular issues. The enzyme works by breaking up blood clots, which can help medical problems such as heart disease, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and more. 

Natto is the best source of nattokinase found in food. 

Vitamin K

Natto is a great source of Vitamin K, which promotes cardiovascular health, bone mineral density, and calcium deposition.  

While Vitamin K1 can be found in leafy greens and vegetables, Vitamin K2 is only found in some animal products and fermented foods. Natto is one of the only plant-based sources, and this study has shown that natto has more than 100 times the amount of Vitamin K2 than cheese. 

Nutrition Facts

The nutrition facts of natto do not lie. In the 1lb size of our fresh organic natto, you get between 10-12 servings. In just a 50 gram serving of natto:

Summary

Natto is an incredibly healthy food to include in your diet. 

It has a rich source of probiotics, Vitamin K, and and Nattokinase, which play a role in gut health, cardiovascular health, and bone health. Additionally, natto contains a high amount of protein and minerals for a low amount of calories.