Soy is such a scandalous food in the nutrition world. I’ve met countless health coaches and nutritionists who are very passionate when talking about soy..so much that it makes me scared to utter the word. There have been countless contradictory articles published on soy: it’s a vegetarian’s dream come true, it’s a nightmare that will make your PMS rage like a wildebeest. I mean, can you get through a month of nutritional research on soy without pulling your hair out?

So why am I talking about miso paste today? Isn’t it soy? Yes..but it is fermented soy. Why is fermented soy special? Well let me tell ya.

The major difference in fermented soy vs. unfermented soy is phytic acid. Phytic acid, which some believe blocks the ability to absorb minerals through our digestive track, is neutralized during the process of fermentation, making fermented soy a better choice.

Benefits of Miso:

• Strengthens your immune system
• Helps keep our glowing faces, glowing. Linoleic Acid is found in miso paste which is an essential fatty acid that contributes to healthy skin.
• High in antioxidants (bye fa-wrinkles..get it?)
• Miso is a complete protein containing all essential enzymes
• Is a great probiotic food source for digestive health
• Full of enzymes, b-vitamins, and protein

How you can incorporate miso paste into your balanced diet:

•  Add a tablespoon of miso paste into a pot of hot water for a healthy soup
• Mix a teaspoon of miso paste in with your salad dressing of choice to add saltiness to your salad
• Use miso paste as a flavour enhancer to your sautes and vegetable stir fry’s

Tell us how you use miso paste in your recipes!

(main photo source: justhungry.com)

Resources:

• Hiro Watanabe, PhD The Magic of Miso. Wise Traditions Conference, November 2006.
• http://www.fleetwoodonsite.com/index.php?manufacturers_id=11&osCsid=710d1e5b3567d83b3ec429eb228bb160
• www.naturalnews.com
• http://healthyeating.sfgate.com/health-benefits-miso-paste-digestion-3318.html