Miso - Soy Isoflavones and Thyroid Function

An Important Message About Soy Fermentation

The key to releasing the nutrients of the soybean has been
known for thousands of years
About 1000 B.C. some smart person in China discovered that a mold,
when allowed to grow on soybeans, destroyed the toxins present and
made the nutrients in the beans available to the body. This process
became known as ermentation and led to the creation o the still
popular oods tempeh, miso, and natto.
A ew centuries later, a simpler process was developed to prepare
soybeans or consumption. Ater lengthy soaking and cooking, the
beans were treated with nigari, a substance ound in seawater. The
end product was tou. !uring the "ing dynasty, ermented soy
appeared in the Chinese Materia Medica as a nutritionally important
ood and an eective remedy
Soybeans contain high levels of phytates (natural
protection against fungs and insects in
vegetables!
All legumes contain phytate #also known as phytic acid$ to some
extent, but the soybean is particularly rich in this anti%nutrient. &hytate
works in the gastrointestinal tract to tightly bind minerals such as 'inc,
copper, iron, magnesium and calcium. (t has a particularly strong
ainity or 'inc, a mineral that supports wound healing, protein
synthesis, reproductive health, nerve unction, and brain
development. (t is believed that people living in developing countries
are shorter than those in developed countries because o 'inc
deiciency caused by eating too many legumes. There is also
evidence that mental development can be negatively impacted by a
diet high in phytate.
In most legumes such as other varieties of beans" soaking is
enough to break down most of the phytate content! #owever the
soybean re$uires that the en%ymes be released in the
fermentation process to reduce its phytate content for
consumption! This means that ermented soy oods like miso and
tempeh have the lowest levels o phytate and are the best choices or
anyone wishing to eat soybean products. Tou is also a good choice.
Miso &enefits
"iso is typically considered to be a high%sodium ood, since one
teaspoon o miso oten contains )00%*00 milligrams o sodium.
#owever" recent research has shown that in spite of its
high-sodium content" miso does not appear to affect our
cardiovascular system in the way that other high-sodium
foods sometimes can! In recent animal studies" for
e'ample" identical concentrations of salt (sodium chloride
obtained from miso versus table salt were discovered to
have very different impacts on blood pressure! #igh-salt
diets that derived their high salt level from table salt raised
blood pressure in these animal studies" but high-salt diets
that derived their high salt from miso did not! +ecent human
studies on miso intake among ,apanese adults have also
shown that miso%containing diets tend to lower risk o
cardiovascular problems, despite the high%salt content o miso.
+easons or this uni-ue relationship between miso and our
cardiovascular system are not yet clear. .owever, some
researchers have speculated that the uni-ue soy protein
composition o miso #including peptide building%blocks o
protein that get ormed rom soy proteins when the beans are
ermented$ is one o the key reasons or the cardiovascular
support provided by miso. /ince miso is seldom eaten alone,
other cardio%supportive oods in miso soups and miso stir%ries
might also play an important role in these research indings.
Some of the health benefits provided by soy foods depend
on the ability of bacteria or other micro-organisms to break
down two of the soy(s isoflavones - daid%ein and genistein
)into related compounds (for e'ample" e$uol!
Interestingly" recent research has shown that many
different strains of the fungus Aspergillus oryzae)by far
the most widely-used fungus in the fermentation of miso)
are capable of breaking down both daid%ein and genistein!
This inding is great news or anyone who already en0oys miso,
or is considering adding miso to their diet. ( micro%organisms
used in miso ermentation don1t break down some o the
daid'ein and genistein into other compounds like e-uol, it1s up
to the micro%organisms in our digestive tract to do so. 2hile it is
antastic when we have the right balance o micro%organisms in
our digestive tract to help us get optimal nourishment and
health beneits rom our ood, those conditions don1t always
hold true. /o it can be very helpul when a miso%ermenting
ungus like Aspergillus oryzae helps breaks down the daid'ein
and genistein beore the miso ever reaches our digestive tract3
The list of research-documented antio'idants in miso is
growing* In addition to conventional antio'idants like the
minerals %inc and manganese" miso is now known to
contain phytonutrient antio'idants including phenolic
acids like ferulic" coumaric" syringic" vanillic" and ko+ic
acid! ,articularly interesting are new additions to the list of
miso antio'idants that are related to its fermentation! In
several recent studies" the amount of some specific
antio'idants in miso appears to increase when
fermentation is carried out for a longer period of time!
--,# (."."-diphenyl-/-picrylhydra%yl antio'idants appear
to be one category of miso antio'idants that increases with
prolonged fermentation! These particular free radical
scavengers may be more plentiful in miso that has been
fermented for many months)or even several years)in
comparison to miso that has only been fermented for one
to three months! 2hile the 0ury is still out on the overall
antioxidant beneits o miso pastes with varying lengths o
ermentation time, the 0ury is not out on the impressive
antioxidant beneits that are provided by this widely en0oyed
ood.
0#Foods 1ecommendation
2e encourage you to think about miso made rom soybeans as part
o your legume intake. 4ike other legume%based oods, soy miso is a
good source o iber and protein and a great way to increase your
overall nourishment.
"any public health organi'ations5including the American !iabetes
Association, the American .eart Association, and the American
Cancer /ociety5recommend legumes #the category in which
soybeans are classiied$ as a key ood group or preventing disease
and optimi'ing health. The )006 !ietary 7uidelines or Americans
developed by the 8./. !epartment o .ealth and .uman /ervices
#8/!../$ and the 8./. !epartment o Agriculture #8/!A$
recommends * cups o legumes per week #based on a daily intake o
approximately ),000 calories$. Because 1 serving o legumes was
deined as 19) cup cooked, the !ietary 7uidelines or Americans
come very close to this as they recommend o 19) cup o cooked
legumes on a daily basis. Based on our own research review, we
believe that * cups o legumes per week is a very reasonable goal or
support o good health. .owever, we also believe that optimal health
beneits rom legumes may re-uire consumption o legumes in
greater amounts. This recommendation or greater amounts is based
upon studies in which legumes have been consumed at least : days
per week and in amounts alling into a 1%) cup range per day. These
studies suggest a higher optimal health beneit level than the )006
!ietary 7uidelines; instead o * cups o weekly legumes, :%< cups
would become the goal range. +emember that any amount o
legumes is going to make a helpul addition to your diet.
2hen adding soy miso to a soup or stir%ry, you can treat two
tablespoons o soy miso as the e-uivalent o approximately one%
-uarter cup o a legume. But rather than trying to replace your intake
o other legumes #like whole soybeans or black beans or lentils$ with
soy miso, we recommend that you think about soy miso as a highly
nutritious addition to your diet that is helping to maximi'e your health
beneits rom the legume amily o oods.
2e recommend selection o certiied organic soy miso. =or miso
produced within the 8./., one o the ma0or reasons we like certiied
organic soy miso is the widespread use o genetic modiication in
non%organic soybeans. 7enetically modiied #7"$ soybeans have
reached >0? market penetration in the 8./. =or miso produced in
other countries like ,apan or @orea, even though the likelihood o
genetic modiication might be less, we still like certiied organic soy
miso due to the lower risk o unwanted contaminants like pesticides.
(n the case o non%8./. soy miso, you may not ind the 8/!A organic
seal, but you should still look or the words Acertiied organicA or
Aorganic certiiedA on the label.
"iso,
1.00 TB/
#1B.1> grams$
Calories; *:
7(; not available
Cutrient!+(9!D
copperB.B?
manganeseB.6?
vitamin @6.E?
protein:?
'inc:?
phosphorus*.>?
iber*.B?
omega%* ats*.*?
vitamin B)*?
choline).>?
This chart graphically details the ?!D that a serving o "iso provides
or each o the nutrients o which it is a good, very good, or excellent
source according to our =ood +ating /ystem. Additional inormation
about the amount o these nutrients provided by "iso can be ound in
the =ood +ating /ystem Chart. A link that takes you to the (n%!epth
Cutritional &roile or "iso, eaturing inormation over <0 nutrients,
can be ound under the =ood +ating /ystem Chart.
.ealth Beneits
!escription
.istory
.ow to /elect and /tore
.ow to Fn0oy
(ndividual Concerns
Cutritional &roile
+eerences
#ealth &enefits
(n comparison to research on soybeans and their overall health
beneits, research speciic to miso is much less common. (n addition,
research on miso is complicated by the act that human intake o
miso can be diicult to measure in isolation since miso is usually
consumed as part o a soup, stir%ry, or other dish. #=or example,
when participants in a study provide inormation about their intake o
miso soup and scientists analy'e the nutritional and health beneits
provided by miso, the outcome can be conusing since other oods
contained in the miso soup like tou or sea vegetables might also
have been responsible or the nutritional and health beneits.$ /till, as
an overall observation, we believe that intake o soy miso shows a
preponderance o health beneits and perhaps even stronger health
beneits than soyoods in general. 2e also suspect that these
potentially stronger health beneits may be related to ermentation o
soy miso by micro%organisms like the ungus Aspergillus.
2verall 3utrient &enefits
Soy miso is a very good source of manganese and copper as
well as a good source of %inc (all three are important mineral
antio'idants! It is also a very good source of the mineral
phosphorus as well as a good source of protein and dietary
fiber! (n addition to these conventional nutrients, soy miso is also an
important source o phytonutrient antioxidants including phenolic
acids like erulic, coumaric, syringic, vanillic, and ko0ic acid.
An especially interesting group o antioxidants in soy miso is the
group o antioxidants related to miso ermentation. (n several recent
studies, the amount o some speciic antioxidants in soy miso
appears to increase when ermentation is carried out or a longer
period o time. !!&. #),),%diphenyl%1%picrylhydra'yl$ antioxidants
appear to be one category o miso antioxidants that increase with
prolonged ermentation. These particular ree radical scavengers may
be more plentiul in miso that has been ermented or many months5
or even several years5in comparison to miso that has only been
ermented or one to three months. ood.
4ike other soy%based oods, miso can provide us with a wide variety
o phytonutrients. "any o these phytonutrients can unction as
antioxidants and anti%inlammatory substances. !ue to dierences in
starting ingredients, micro%organisms used or ermentation, and total
ermentation time, not all o the phytonutrients listed below are
contained in all varieties o soy miso. But the list below provides a
good overview o substances ound in all orms o soy miso
combined;
=lavonoids and (solavonoids
daid'ein
genistein
malonylgenistin
malonyldaid'in
&henolic Acids
Caeic acid
Coumaric acid
=erulic acid
7allic acid
/inapic acid
&hytoalexins
glyceollin (
glyceollin ((
glyceollin (((
&hytosterols
beta%sitosterol
beta%stigmasterol
campestrol
&roteins and &eptides
deensins
glycinin
conglycinin
lunacin
/aponins
soyasaponins #group A and group B$
soyasapogenols
4ardiovascular &enefits
"ost o the heart%related research that we have seen on miso has
involved population groups in ,apan, and so it is diicult to say i
these research indings also hold true or other population groups. (n
one large study involving :0,:E) ,apanese participants and lasting
or more than 10 years, intake o miso was ound to associated with
decreased risk o one ma0or type o stroke #cerebral inarct, or C($.
This health benefit from miso held true despite miso also
emerging as a ma+or source of dietary salt in the study! These
findings are fascinating" because ordinarily" a certain percentage
of the 5apanese population would be e'pected to be salt-
sensitive and to have blood pressure undesirably increased by
high intake of salt! Increase in blood pressure" in turn" would be
e'pected to be a possible risk factor for 4I! 6et miso was been
found to lower risk of 4I)a result that is unusual for a high-
sodium food!
Animal studies have repeatedly shown this same result or miso
versus table salt intake. Animals consuming a ).*? table salt #sodium
chloride$ diet and animals consuming a ).*? salt%rom%miso diet have
not experienced the same results. /alt%rom%miso diets have not been
ound to raise blood pressure, even when they provide an e-ual
amount o salt as high table salt diets. +esearchers speculate that the
dierence may be related to a combination o actors, including soy
proteins, peptides, isolavones, and diverse antioxidants ound in soy
miso. (n addition, researchers point to the potentially key role o
ermentation in transorming soybean content and rendering it more
capable o cardiovascular support. =urther research is needed to
clariy all o these issues.
Anti-4ancer &enefits
This area o soy miso research remains controversial. Gn the one
hand, we know that soy miso contains the isolavone genistein, and
we know that dietary intake o genistein is associated with decreased
risk o certain cancers, including prostate cancer. Het at the same
time, we also have studies on soy miso intake that show no
association between prostate cancer risk and level o soy miso
consumed.
Gr, to take another controversial example; i individuals who consume
daid'ein #an isolavone ound in soyoods and other types o ood$
have the right type o intestinal bacteria inside o their digestive tract,
we know that they will end up having some o this dietary daid'ein
transormed by their intestinal bacteria into a related compound called
e-uol. 2e also know that micro%organisms used to erment soy miso
#including many dierent strains o the ungus Aspergillus oryzae$ are
capable o turning daid'ein into e-uol during miso ermentation. (n
this way, soy miso can end up containing e-uol even beore we eat it3
This conversion o daid'ein into e-uol by Aspergillus during miso
ermentation was originally thought to have some reliable cancer%
preventive beneits, but studies in this area have not relected such a
result. =or example, in a study measuring risk o breast cancer
among ,apanese women, intake o miso soup was not ound to
reduce risk. Gther studies have shown a similar lack o risk reduction
or colorectal cancer and prostate cancer based on intake o miso
soup.
2e have not seen any research studies speciic to miso showing
increased risk o cancer in any orm. .owever, we are also unable to
describe any clear anti%cancer beneits or soy miso based on the
studies that we have seen. (t1s diicult or us to imagine negative
conse-uences when taking a whole ood like whole soybeans and
allowing them undergo natural ermentation under sae conditions.
2e would expect a naturally ermented whole ood to provide
outstanding health beneits, including anti%cancer beneits.
.owever, soy miso is deinitely a challenging ood to research. As
mentioned earlier in this section, consumption o miso can be diicult
to measure in isolation since miso is usually consumed as part o a
soup, stir%ry, or other dish. (n addition, miso is oten consumed in
relatively small amounts in comparison with other oods. 2e hope
that researchers will continue to investigate possible anti%cancer
beneits rom miso intake, and devote more attention to this uni-uely
ermented orm o soy.
-igestive &enefits
(n some ways, it1s accurate to think about soy miso as a ood that has
been Apre%digested.A That1s because Aspergillus and other micro%
organisms used in ermentation o soy miso can help metaboli'e
proteins, carbohydrates, and ats ound in soybeans and transorm
them into smaller molecules that may be more easily digested. In
addition" depending on processing and fermentation methods"
some soy miso can contain 7friendly7 bacteria like lactic acid
bacteria (including various species of Lactobacillus that might
be helpful in supporting intestinal microflora! 2e have not seen
large%scale, human research studies showing beneits o soy miso
consumption or the digestive tract, but we would expect such studies
to show digestive beneits based on the above actors. .opeully,
more attention will be given in uture research studies to soy miso
and its potential digestive beneits.
Fermented Soy Foods and 8itamin 9
As described throughout this .ealth Beneits section, much o the
nutrient support we get rom ermented soy miso depends on the
micro%organisms used in ermentation. 2hile Aspergillus oryzae is
oten a premier micro%organism used in miso ermentation, other
micro%organisms5including bacteria5can be highly important.
Bacillus subtilis is one o these bacteria, and it is more commonly
used in ermentation o Chinese miso than in ,apanese, @orean, or
(ndonesian versions o this ermented soy ood.
=rom a health standpoint, one o the reasons that Bacillus bacteria
are so interesting is their ability to create a orm o vitamin @ called
mena-uinone%B #"@%B$. Ditamin @ #in all orms$ is an important
nutrient or bone health. /uicient intake o vitamin @ is associated
with decreased risk o osteoporosis, since this vitamin is involved with
maintenance o bone mineral density and also with shaping o bone
structure #through gamma%carboxylation$. (n the case o "@%B #the
orm o vitamin @ produced by Bacillus bacteria, and a member o the
vitamin @) mena-uinone amily$, we know that higher levels o "@%B
in the blood correspond to lower risk o hip racture in older ,apanese
women, and that higher "@%B levels correspond to increased intake
o soy oods that have been ermented with Bacillus bacteria. Gne
ascinating aspect o Bacillus%ermented soy oods is the potential
ability o these bacteria to stay alive in our lower intestine ater these
oods are consumed. 2e1ve seen one study in which 1.E%)0 million
Bacillus bacteria #per gram o eces$ were ound to remain alive up to
E days ollowing consumption o natto. ( Bacillus bacteria rom
ermented soy oods can remain alive in our digestive tract, they may
keep providing us with vitamin @ beneits many days ater their
consumption.
(t1s important to remember that Bacillus bacteria are not used in
production o all miso, and it can be diicult to determine which miso
products have been ermented with the help o these bacteria.
#/ometimes a call to the manuacturer may still not result in a clear
answer here.$ Gur recommendation here is that you consider
selection o Chinese miso products i you want to en0oy miso in your
meal plan and you are paying special attention to your vitamin @
intake, since Chinese miso is more likely to have been ermented with
Bacillus bacteria.
-escription
"iso is a ,apanese word that means Aermented beans.A "iso is
usually ound in the orm o a thick paste, and the beans used during
ermentation are almost always soybeans. !uring the soybean
ermentation process, grains like barley, rice, or buckwheat might be
added to achieve a certain lavor or other desired attribute, but in
most situations, soybeans serve as the basis or miso ermentation.
#This basic role o soybeans in preparation o miso can sometimes be
overlooked because many varieties o miso may take on the name o
their added ingredients, like Abarley misoA or Arice miso.A Het virtually
all o these miso varieties will contain soybeans as a basic
ingredient.$
(t1s worth noting that under some circumstances, you might hear the
word AmisoA being used to reer to ermentation o a ood other than
soybeans. A good example is Aish miso.A (n this case, the term AmisoA
is being used to reer to the process o ermentation rather than the
ood being ermented. A=ish misoA is a term used to describe ish that
has been ermented using the same basic ermentation process that
can be used to produce soy miso, barley miso, or rice miso.
This use o the word AmisoA in relationship to ish is important,
because it tells us something very special about the miso
ermentation process! For many miso eaters" the magic of miso
lies in the micro-organism used for its fermentation: Aspergillus
oryzae! This micro%organism is a particular type o ungus #a
ilamentous ungus, also called a AmoldA$ that plays a special role in
,apanese and other Asian cuisines. 4ong beore scientists had
developed ways o identiying and naming ungi like Aspergillus,
cultures in China and ,apan had developed special methods o
ermenting soybeans #and other oods$ that were practical and could
be reproduced #assuring that the same mold was used, even though
this mold was not yet scientiically identiied$. A@o0iA was the term
used to describe the end result when oods were ermented in this
special way.
2hen scientists eventually discovered that the Aspergillus ungus
was the key micro%organism involved with ko0i ermentation, the word
Ako0iA took on a second meaning. 2hile remaining the name or the
end%stage product, it also became the name or the Aspergillus
ungus itsel. Thereore, you can now hear the word Ako0iA being used
to reer to end%products o Aspergillus ermentation like miso or sake
or soy sauce, as well as to the Aspergillus mold itsel. Hou can also
hear the word Ako0iA being used to reer to a grain%based starter that is
used in the production o the above oods #including soy miso$. 2hen
Ako0iA is used to reer to this starter, Aspergillus mold has usually been
added to rice that has been pre%soaked and pre%cooked. The result is
o this Aspergillus%ermented rice is called Ako0i.A =or a second stage
ermentation into miso, Ako0iA starter is then added to soybeans that
have also been soaked and cooked, and the entire mixture is allowed
to age and erment into miso. As you can see, the word Ako0iA can
take on a variety o meanings. But these dierent meanings tell us
something important about miso, namely, the special role played by
the Aspergillus ungus in its ermentation.
!espite this primary ocus on Aspergillus mold in ermentation miso,
other micro%organisms are sometimes used in addition to Aspergillus
during miso ermentation. The ungus Zygosaccharomyces rouxii is
one o these micro%organisms. Gther ungi include Pichia
guilliermondii, Clavispora lusitaniae, Absidia corymbifera, and
Candida etchellsii. Bacteria may also be used in the ermentation
process. (n the case o ,apanese ermented soy pastes,
Tetragenococcus halophilus and Staphylococcus gallinarum are
bacteria sometimes used in ermentation. (n the case o Chinese
ermented soy pastes, species o Bacillus bacteria are more
commonly used.
The texture o miso is usually paste%like and relatively thick, along the
lines o peanut butter. But the color and taste can vary widely,
depending on many ermentation%related actors. (n terms o color,
the lightest color miso is usually white or beige. This lighter color is
oten due to inclusion o a large amount o white rice during the
ermentation process. 2hen the word Ako0iA is used to reer to a miso
starter made rom rice and Aspergillus, white miso is also sometimes
described as containing a large amount o ko0i. #( the ko0i has been
made rom Aspergillus ermentation o roasted rice lour, it may
become light brown in color, but is oten still included in the category
o white miso.$
Another actor contributing to lighter color o white miso is shorter
ermentation time. 2hite miso is usually ermented or a much shorter
period o time than darker%colored miso. #(n some cases, a white miso
may be ermented or a time period as short as several weeks, while
a dark miso might be ermented or many months or even several
years.$ (n terms o taste, white miso is usually the sweetest variety o
miso. /ome people also consider it to be the most versatile or
cooking since it lacks the stronger lavors ound in darker varieties o
miso. (n ,apanese, the name or white miso is Ashiromiso.A 2hen a
miso like white miso is made with a large amount o rice, you may
also hear it being reerred to as Akome miso,A since AkomeA is the
word or rice in ,apanese.
2hen soybeans are ermented together with barley, the result is
usually a miso that is yellow #or very light brown$ in color. /ince the
,apanese word AmugiA can be used to reer to the general category o
cereal grains #including barley and wheat$, you will sometimes hear
yellow miso being reerred to as Amugi miso.A /ometimes a small
amount o white rice is also included during ermentation o yellow
miso. Gne very popular yellow miso is /aikyo miso, traditionally made
in the south%central region o ,apan #the @ansai region$.
(n terms o color, the next ma0or category o miso is red miso,
sometimes called AakamimsoA since AakaA means AredA in ,apanese.
1ed miso may actually be a very dark brown or reddish brown in
color" and it(s usually (but not always more salty than white or
yellow miso! ( a red miso is actually a very dark reddish brown in
color, the brownish color may be the result o soybeans having been
steamed prior to ermentation. 2hile barley, rice and other grains
may be used in the production o red miso, it is usually characteri'ed
by a very high percentage o soybeans, and or this reason is
sometimes reerred to as Amame misoA #since AmameA means AbeanA
in ,apanese$.
-ark brown and red miso usually get their strong flavors from
longer periods of fermentation! In some cases" fermentation or
dark soy miso may involve three years or longer! =or example,
.atcho miso made by the .atcho "iso Company in Gka'aki, ,apan
#Aichi preecture$ is ermented in )00%year%old vats over a period o
three winters.
+emember that regardless o the many names you may hear or
dierent varieties o miso, virtually all include soybeans as a basic
ingredient.
Gther names you might hear or dierent varieties o miso include;
genmai miso #brown rice%containing miso$
soba miso or sobamugi miso #buckwheat%containing miso$
taima miso #hemp seed%containing miso$
natto miso #chutney%type miso that usually containing barley
and ginger$
In 4hina" miso is usually referred to as 7taucheo"7 7da+iang"7
7dou+iang7 or +ust 7+iang!7 In 9orea" miso may be referred to as
7+ang7 or 7dwen+ang!7 In Indonesia it is called 7taut+o7 or
7tauco!7
7iven this rich history o miso varieties and names across Asia, the
Codex Coordinating Committee or Asia #CCA/(A, part o the =ood
and Agriculture Grgani'ation92orld .ealth Grgani'ation o the 8nited
Cations$ has actually set ood -uality standards or ermented soy
paste that include ermentation by naturally%occurring or cultivated
micro%organisms and other production actors. 2hile the 8nited
/tates is a member o the Codex Commission that works to help
develop international ood standards, we1re not aware o any
commercially available miso products in the 8./. that show
compliance with CCA/(A standards
on their labeling. /till, we are glad to see attention being paid by an
international organi'ation to the -uality o this uni-ue and much%loved
ermented ood.
#istory
The style o ermentation used with miso is most likely to have
originated in China several thousand years ago. =ollowing its
development in China, this style o ermentation is believed to have
made its way into ,apan as early as the 10th century B.C. (t1s diicult
to overestimate miso1s rich history. =rom rulers and priests and
Buddhist monks to military personnel and everyday citi'ens, miso
ound its way into the heart o many Asian cuisines very early in the
development o the cuisines. It is especially popular in the form of
miso soup (often containing tofu and sea vegetables as well!
Gne key event in miso1s history was the development o a process
that could keep the spores rom the Aspergillus mold alive,
uncontaminated, and practical to transer rom place to place. Ash
rom the burned leaves o certain hardwood trees turned out to be a
helpul material or storing the mold spores #sometimes called
conidiospores$ and transporting them to miso ermentation acilities.
Today miso is produced worldwide, and not 0ust in Asia. "uch o the
miso produced in Asia countries is actually consumed in Asian
countries.
(n ,apan, or example, approximately 1,E00 acilities manuacture
miso, and total production reaches about E00,000 tons per year.
=rom this total amount, however, less than 1? is usually exported
outside o the country. "any soy miso pastes available or sale in the
8./. have actually been made in the 8./., although it is also common
to ind soy miso imported rom ,apan and @orea.
#ow to Select and Store
"iso is generally sold in tightly sealed plastic or glass containers.
/ome stores also sell it in bulk containers. To check or reshness,
look or a sell%by date listed on the container. (n addition, check the
label to make sure there are no additives such as "/7.
The type o miso that you purchase should depend both on personal
preerence as well as intended use. /ince darker color miso is
stronger and more pungent in lavor, it is generally better suited or
heavier oods. 4ighter colored miso is more delicate and otentimes
more appropriate or soup, dressings, and light sauces.
"iso should be stored in the rerigerator in a tightly sealed container
where it can keep or up to one year.
Hou can expect to ind certiied organic miso at most large
supermarkets and natural ood groceries. .owever, in practice, ew
organic miso pastes appear to display the 8/!A organic logo, mostly
likely because the miso has been certiied as organic by an
independent third party. (n the case o miso imported rom ,apan,
organic certiication oten involves the ,apanese Agricultural
/tandards #,A/$ system. As is our recommendation or all 2.=oods,
we encourage you to purchase certiied organic miso to lessen your
risk o exposure to unwanted contaminants in your miso.
#ow to ;n+oy
A Few <uick Serving Ideas
"iso soup is -uick and easy to prepare. .eat miso paste and
water over low%medium heat. Fat as is or add in some
traditional ixings including shiitake mushrooms, tou, scallions,
burdock, carrots, and daikon radish.
"iso%tahini sandwiches are one o our avorites. To make your
own, 0ust spread miso on a piece o bread and then top with
tahini. Fn0oy as is or add sliced avocado.
8se miso as an ingredient in marinades or meat, ish, poultry
or game.
Carry dried miso soup packets with you and en0oy them as a
pick%me%up coee substitute.
Combine a little miso with olive oil, lax seed oil, ginger and
garlic to make an Asian%inspired dressing that can be used on
salads or cold grain dishes.
Allergic 1eactions to Miso
Although allergic reactions can occur to virtually any ood, research
studies on ood allergy consistently report more problems with some
oods than with others. =or example, according to a recent report by
the 8./. Centers or !isease Control, >0? o ood allergies are
associated with < ood types; soy oods #such as miso$, peanuts, ish,
crustacean shellish, wheat, cow1s milk, hen1s eggs, and tree nuts.
#Crustacean shellish include shrimp, prawns, lobster, and crab. Tree
nuts include almonds, cashews, walnuts, pecans, pistachios, Bra'il
nuts, ha'elnuts, and chestnuts.$
These oods do not need to be eaten in their pure, isolated orm in
order to trigger an adverse reaction. =or example, yogurt made rom
cow1s milk is also a common allergenic ood, even though the cow1s
milk has been processed and ermented in order to make the yogurt.
(ce cream made rom cow1s milk would be an e-ually good example.
=ood allergy symptoms may sometimes be immediate and speciic,
and can include skin rash, hives, itching, and ec'emaI swelling o the
lips, tongue, or throatI tingling in the mouthI whee'ing or nasal
congestionI trouble breathingI and di''iness or lightheadedness. But
ood allergy symptoms may also be much more general and delayed,
and can include atigue, depression, chronic headache, chronic bowel
problems #such as diarrhea or constipation$, and insomnia. Because
most ood allergy symptoms can be caused by a variety o other
health problems, it is good practice to seek the help o a healthcare
provider when evaluating the role o ood allergies in your health.
(n addition to the general allergy%related issues described above or
soybean%containing oods, there is some research inormation
speciic to miso that is important to consider. =irst is the issue o
protein &*:. (n some studies, this protein has been ound to be one o
the primary allergenic proteins in soy. .owever, at least one study on
consumption o @orean miso has shown an undetectable level o
protein &*: #with a detection level o 0.:6 nanograms$ in the miso,
making ermented soybean paste a potentially less antigenic #allergy%
causing$ ood than other orms o soy. This potentially reduced allergy
risk rom miso versus other soy oods makes sense to us. The
ermentation process5especially over a period o time involving
months or years5is likely to result in substantial modiication o the
proteins in soy, including potentially allergy%causing proteins like &*:.
/ome o the anti%cancer beneits o soy miso might be related to its
potential strengthening o the immune system. #2eakened immune
system unction is a risk actor or many types o cancer.$ +esearch
studies show that during the soy miso ermentation process, there is
signiicant potential or the creation o immuno%supportive
substances. =or example, we1ve seen a study in which soybeans
ermented with the help o the bacterium Tetragenococcus halophilus
showed the ability to increase T helper type immunity. /ince immune
system unction oten depends on a uni-ue set o peptides #protein
building blocks$, transformation of soy proteins during
fermentation is likely to provide the immune system with some
helpful peptidesand eventually lowering our risk of cancer
through added immune system support!
Miso and Thyroid #ealth
Along with the increasing presence o soy oods #such as miso$ in
grocery stores and on restaurant menus has come increasing
controversy over soybeans and thyroid health. 2e1re not surprised to
ind strong conlicting opinions in this area because scientiic
research on thyroid and soy is both complicated and inconclusive.
2e have written an extensive review o what we know % and what we
don1t know % about this important issue at this point. 6ou find the
article Soy Food and Thyroid #ealth below.
Miso and Acrylamide
2hen certain oods are cooked, their amino acids #protein building
blocks$ can interact with their simple sugars to orm acrylamide.
Acrylamide is a potentially toxic and potentially cancer%causing
substance that can be naturally present in uncooked, raw oods in
very small amounts, but can be ormed in much large -uantities in
certain cooked oods. 7rain%based coee substitutes and ried potato
chips are examples o oods that can contain high amounts o
acrylamide. Fven though you may ind some websites listing miso as
a high acrylamide ood, we have not ound any indexed 0ournal
research studies to support this inding. (n act, we have seen several
studies on a related soy ood % soy sauce % showing no detectable
levels o acrylamide. The absence o high acrylamide levels in soy
miso makes sense to us, because traditionally prepared soy miso
does not undergo any high%heat processing, and also because the
sugar content o miso is relatively low when soybeans make up the
bulk o the miso ingredients. #Cooked soybeans contain only )%*
grams o per hal cup o total sugars.$ (n addition, traditionally
ermented miso should deinitely not be classiied as a processed
ood that is comparable to potato chips or a grain%based coee
substitute. (t is a natural ood based on whole soybeans and natural
processing o these who soybeans by micro%organisms. #=or more
detailed inormation on acrylamide and ood, please the article, 2hat
is acrylmide and how is it involved with ood and healthJ$
Infants and Miso
Gne study rom ,apan has shown that breast%ed inants already
diagnosed with atopic dermatitis #an inlammatory skin condition$
experienced a worsening o dermatitis symptoms when their mothers
consumed miso soup and soy sauce. 2e aren1t sure how this
research inding applies to healthy ,apanese breasteeding inants, or
o course, to inants who are breasteeding in the 8./. .owever, the
result here does remind us o the importance o considering ood
sensitivity in the eeding o inants, and the potential dierence
between individual concerns or inants versus adults involving soy
oods, including miso.
Introduction to Food 1ating System 4hart
(n order to better help you identiy oods that eature a high
concentration o nutrients or the calories they contain, we created a
=ood +ating /ystem. This system allows us to highlight the oods that
are especially rich in particular nutrients. The ollowing chart shows
the nutrients or which this ood is either an excellent, very good, or
good source #below the chart you will ind a table that explains these
-ualiications$. ( a nutrient is not listed in the chart, it does not
necessarily mean that the ood doesn1t contain it. (t simply means that
the nutrient is not provided in a suicient amount or concentration to
meet our rating criteria. #To view this ood1s in%depth nutritional proile
that includes values or do'ens o nutrients % not 0ust the ones rated
as excellent, very good, or good % please use the link below the
chart.$ To read this chart accurately, you1ll need to glance up in the
top let corner where you will ind the name o the ood and the
serving si'e we used to calculate the ood1s nutrient composition. This
serving si'e will tell you how much o the ood you need to eat to
obtain the amount o nutrients ound in the chart. Cow, returning to
the chart itsel, you can look next to the nutrient name in order to ind
the nutrient amount it oers, the percent !aily Dalue #!D?$ that this
amount represents, the nutrient density that we calculated or this
ood and nutrient, and the rating we established in our rating system.
=or most o our nutrient ratings, we adopted the government
standards or ood labeling that are ound in the 8./. =ood and !rug
Administration1s A+eerence Dalues or Cutrition 4abeling.A +ead
more background inormation and details o our rating system.
"iso,
1.00 TB/
1B.1> grams
Calories; *:
7(; not
available
3utrient Amount
-1I=-
8
(>
3utrient
-ensity
0orld(s #ealthiest
Foods 1ating
copper 0.0B mg B.< :.1 very good
manganese 0.16 mg B.6 *.> very good
vitamin @ 6.0: mcg 6.E ).> good
protein ).01 g :.0 ).1 good
'inc 0.:: mg :.0 ).1 good
phosphorus )B.** mg *.> ).1 good
iber 0.>* g *.B ).0 good
omega%* ats 0.0< g *.* 1.< good
vitamin B) 0.0: mg *.1 1.E good
choline 1).:1 mg ).> 1.6 good
0orld(s #ealthiest
Foods 1ating
1ule
excellent
!+(9!DKLB6? G+
!ensityKLB.E AC! !+(9!DKL10?
very good
!+(9!DKL60? G+
!ensityKL*.: AC! !+(9!DKL6?
good
!+(9!DKL)6? G+
!ensityKL1.6 AC! !+(9!DKL).6?
(n%!epth Cutritional &roile or "iso
1eferences
Akhter ", (noue ", @urahashi C et al. !ietary soy and
isolavone intake and risk o colorectal cancer in the ,apan
public health center%based prospective study. Cancer Fpidemiol
Biomarkers &rev. )00< AugI1B#<$;)1)<%*6. )00<.
Chang T/, !ing .H, Tai // et al. "etabolism o the soy
isolavones daid'ein and genistein by ungi used in the
preparation o various ermented soybean oods. Biosci
Biotechnol Biochem. )00B "ayIB1#6$;1**0%*. Fpub )00B "ay
B. )00B.
Fl%/henawy C/, Abu Maid A and Amin 7A. &reparation o
dierent types o miso with mixture o starters and their eects
on endogenous antioxidant o liver and kidney o mice. , Anim
&hysiol Anim Cutr #Berl$. )011 =eb ). doi; 10.111190.1:*>%
0*>E.)011.011)>.x. NFpub ahead o printO. )011.
.wang H2, @im /H, ,ee /. et al. /oy ood consumption and
risk o prostate cancer; a meta%analysis o observational
studies. Cutr Cancer. )00>IE1#6$;6><%E0E. )00>.
(noue @, 7otou T, @ita0ima . et al. +elease o antihypertensive
peptides in miso paste during its ermentation, by the addition
o casein. , Biosci Bioeng. )00> AugI10<#)$;111%6. )00>.
,iang P, +en Q, Chen /& et al. 8DC mutagenicity is
suppressed in ,apanese miso%treated human +/a cells,
possibly via 7+&B< expression. Biosci Biotechnol Biochem.
)011IB6#>$;1E<6%>1. Fpub )011 /ep B. )011.
,orgensen T+. (dentiication and toxigenic potential o the
industrially important ungi, Aspergillus ory'ae and Aspergillus
so0ae. , =ood &rot. )00B !ecIB0#1)$;)>1E%*:. )00B.
@awano @. .istory and unctional components o miso #in
,apanese$. Cippon A0i Cioi 7akkaishi )00BI 1:;1*B%1::. )00B.
@im T2, 4ee ,, &ark " et al. Analysis o Bacterial and =ungal
Communities in ,apanese% and Chinese%=ermented /oybean
&astes 8sing Cested &C+%!77F. Current "icrobiology E0. 6
#"ay )010$; *16%)0. )010.
@oga +, Tanaka ", Tsuda . et al. !aily exercise luctuations
and dietary patterns during training predict visceral at regain in
obese women. Am , "ed /ci. )00< !ecI**E#E$;:60%B. )00<.
@okubo H, (so ., (shihara , et al. Association o dietary intake o
soy, beans, and isolavones with risk o cerebral and myocardial
inarctions in ,apanese populations; the ,apan &ublic .ealth
Center%based #,&.C$ study cohort (. Circulation. )00B Cov
)BI11E#))$;)66*%E). Fpub )00B Cov 1>. )00B.
"achida ", Hamada G and 7omi @. 7enomics o Aspergillus
ory'ae; learning rom the history o @o0i mold and exploration o
its uture. !CA +es. )00< AugI16#:$;1B*%<*. )00<.
"askarinec 7, 2atts @, @agihara , et al. 8rinary (solavonoid
Fxcretion is /imilar ater Consuming /oy "ilk and "iso /oup in
,apanese%American 2omen. Br , Cutr. )00< AugustI 100#)$;
:):5:)>. )00<.
"urooka H and Hamshita ". Traditional healthul ermented
products o ,apan. , (nd "icrobiol Biotechnol. )00<
AugI*6#<$;B>1%<. Fpub )00< "ay B. )00<.
Cishio @, Ciwa H, Toyoshima . et al. Consumption o soy oods
and the risk o breast cancer; indings rom the ,apan
Collaborative Cohort #,ACC$ /tudy. Cancer Causes Control.
)00B GctI1<#<$;<01%<. Fpub )00B ,ul E. )00B.
Ghata ", Tominaga T, !ubourdieu ! et al. Quantiication and
odor contribution o )%uranmethanethiol in dierent types o
ermented soybean paste miso. , Agric =ood Chem. )00> "ar
)6I6B#E$;):<1%6. )00>.
Gkubo ., "iyake H, /asaki / et al. Cutritional ade-uacy o
three dietary patterns deined by cluster analysis in >>B
pregnant ,apanese women; the Gsaka "aternal and Child
.ealth /tudy. &ublic .ealth Cutr. )011 AprI1:#:$;E11%)1. Fpub
)010 /ep )1. )011.
/hurtle 2 and Aoyagi A. .istory o "iso, /oybean ,iang
#China$, ,ang #@orea$, and Tauco 9 Taot0o #(ndonesia$ #)00 B.C.
to )00>$. #)00>$. /oyino Center, 4aayette, CA. (/BC; (/BC
>B<%1%>)<>1:%))%<. )00>.
/ugiyama H, /akurai H and .irota A. (solation o ),:,:1%
trihydroxydeoxyben'oin and *1%hydroxydaid'ein rom soybean
miso. Biosci Biotechnol Biochem. )010IB:#E$;1)>*%:. Fpub
)010 ,un B. )010.
8enishi T, /ugiura ., Tanaka T et al. Aggravation o atopic
dermatitis in breast%ed inants by tree nut%related oods and
ermented oods in breast milk. , !ermatol. )011
=ebI*<#)$;1:0%6. doi; 10.111190.1*:E%<1*<.)010.00>E<.x. Fpub
)010 /ep ). )011.
2atanabe ., @ashimoto C, @a0imura , et al. A miso #,apanese
soybean paste$ diet conerred greater protection against
hypertension than a sodium chloride diet in !ahl salt%sensitive
rats. .ypertens +es. )00E /epI)>#>$;B*1%<. )00E.
2ilson /, "artine'%Dillaluenga C and !e "e0ia F7. &uriication,
thermal stability, and antigenicity o the immunodominant
soybean allergen &*: in soy cultivars, ingredients, and
products. , =ood /ci. )00< AugIB*#E$;T10E%1:. )00<.
Soy Foods and Thyroid #ealth
Along with the increasing presence o soy oods in grocery stores and
on restaurant menus has come increasing controversy over soybeans
and thyroid health. 2e1re not surprised to ind strong conlicting
opinions in this area because scientiic research on thyroid and soy is
both complicated and inconclusive. .ere1s what we know % and what
we don1t know % about this important issue. Con =ermented /oybeans
can block production o thyroid hormone.
3on fermented Soybeans have a high content o goitrogens,
substances that can block the production o thyroid hormone as well
as cause goiter ormation. 4ow thyroid activity plagues women in
America, particularly middle%aged women. Thyroid hormone stokes
the cellular urnaces, known as mitochrondia. 2hen thyroid
production is low, energy levels as well as body heat are also low.
4ow thyroid level is what makes old people move so slowly and seem
like every action is a huge chore. 4ow thyroid means the action o the
heart is reduced, resulting in lack o oxygen to the cells, a prime
condition or cancer.
7enistein, an isolavone ound in soybeans, can also block thyroid
production. &hytate can accentuate these eects because it binds up
'inc and copper, leaving little o these important minerals available to
make thyroid hormone.
A transport protein called 748T1 is shut down by genistein. This
protein sends glucose into the cells where it is used to generate
energy. /lowing the transport o glucose means less energy
production not only o thyroid hormone, but o every other action in
the body.
Another way in which soy isolavones reduce energy in the body is by
inhibiting tyrosine kinases, en'ymes involved in the transer o energy
rom one molecule to another. These en'ymes drive cell division,
memory consolidation, tissue repair, and blood vessel maintenance
and regeneration.
(t is this action o regulating cell division that made genistein a
popular substance or ighting cancer. 2hen research on this anti%
cancer eect o genistein became know, the soy industry everishly
developed products that would appeal to 2estern women looking or
genistein. (n the middle o all this excitement, little attention was paid
to how the energy reducing eects o genistein lowered cellular
energy in normal cells.
7?oitrogens7 and 7?oitrogenic Foods7
A7oitrogenA is a term used to describe any substance that can cause
enlargement o the thyroid gland. #A7oiterA simply means an enlarged
thyroid gland.$ 8nortunately, the idea o AgoitrogensA isn1t especially
helpul or understanding thyroid health, because the thyroid can
become enlarged or a wide variety o reasons, and it is rare or a
single substance to cause thyroid enlargement. 2hen the thyroid
gets larger in si'e, it is usually because many dierent actors have
been combined to compromise thyroid health.
The idea o a Agoitrogenic oodA doesn1t help us understand much
about thyroid health either. Contrary to popular belie, oods
themselves are not AgoitrogenicA in the sense o causing the thyroid
to enlarge whenever they are consumed. (n act, most oods that are
commonly called AgoitrogenicA5such as the crucierous vegetables
#including broccoli, cabbage, kale, and caulilower$ and soyoods5
have not been shown to result in thyroid enlargement in healthy
persons even when they are consumed on a daily basis. (n addition, it
is not scientiically correct to say that oods Acontain goitrogensA % at
least not i you are thinking about goitrogens as a category o
substances like proteins, carbohydrates, or vitamins. The term
Agoitrogenic oodA makes it sound as i there is something wrong with
the ood based on it contents, and that is not the case.
Soy Isoflavones and Thyroid Function
+esearch on soybeans and thyroid health has ocused on one
speciic category o nutrient ound in soybeans; isolavones.
(solavones are phytonutrients that belong to the much larger
phytonutrient amily called lavonoids. #"ost oods contain lavonoids,
and many vegetables are especially rich in this amily o
phytonutrients.$ The best studied isolavones in soybeans are
genistein, daid'ein, malonylgenistin, and malonyldaid'in. (t is very
clear that at a molecular and biochemical level, isolavones in soy
have the ability to change thyroid cell events in at least two ways that
might be interpreted as posing a risk to the thyroid1s health. The irst
type o change involves intererence with activity o an en'yme called
thyroid peroxidase #T&G$. T&G is an en'yme that helps attach iodine
to an amino acid called tyrosine. This iodine%tyrosine combination
orms the basis or production o thyroid hormones. o! isolavones
are able to interere with T&G activity is not ully understood. But it1s
clear that they have the ability to do so. #(n act, it1s clear that most
lavonoids % and not only isolavones % have the ability to interere with
T&G.$ The second type o change involves uptake o iodine into the
thyroid cells by a protein reerred to as the sodium%iodide symporter
#and abbreviated as AC(/,A where the ACA comes rom ACa,A which is
the scientiic abbreviation or the element sodium$. 4ike T&G activity,
uptake o iodine into the thyroid cells by C(/ can be interered with by
isolavones. Gnce again, it1s not 100? clear ho! isolavones are able
to interere with C(/ activity, but it1s clear that they can.
Considered by themselves, these two biochemical events might
0ustiy strong concerns about the impact o isolavones on thyroid
unction. But in this case, we have more inormation, including a good
number o studies that show a lack o thyroid symptoms in adults #or
example, no increase in the weight o the thyroid gland$ even when
there is evidence that T&G and C(/ activity has been interered with
by soy isolavones. (n other words, even though scientists are certain
that soy isolavones can trigger these biochemical changes, the
health conse-uences in adults do not appear to be automatic or
guaranteed, and may be contingent on the involvement o many
additional actors.
0hen Soy Isoflavones Might &e of Special 4oncern
"any researchers agree on the list o additional actors that might
combine with soy isolavone intake to put the thyroid at added risk.
=rom a nutritional standpoint, the mostly likely actor is iodine
deiciency. .igh isolavone intake, in combination with iodine
deiciency, has been associated with decreased thyroid unction in
animals and in humans. A.igh intakeA in these studies has usually
involved intake o soy isolavones in supplemental orm, and9or intake
o processed soy products. 2hile iodine deiciency can itsel be
associated with decreased thyroid unction, we have not seen studies
on animals or humans in which the addition o an average daily
serving o any ordinary soy ood #or example, tou, tempeh,
soybeans, natto, soy miso, or soy sauce$ resulted in greater thyroid
dysunction than was already present due to iodine deiciency. #Cor
have we seen studies on animals or humans in which an average
daily serving o any ordinary soy ood % or example, tou, tempeh,
soybeans, natto, soy miso, or soy sauce % resulted in thyroid
dysunction all by itsel.$
Along with iodine deiciency, we believe that there is good research to
support a list o * additional actors that can combine with high intake
o soy isolavones to put the thyroid at risk. These * actors are; #1$
intestinal problems, including poor absorption or colitisI #)$ metabolic
problems in the liverI and #*$ the production o antibodies by the
immune system to thyroid en'ymes, receptors, or hormone
precursors. As mentioned earlier, when everyday serving si'es o
whole soy oods are combined with any o the health problems listed
above, they do not appear to increase thyroid risk. .owever, we also
think it makes sense to err on the side o extra caution here, and
recommend that persons with a known health history o these
problems seek the advice o their healthcare provider when trying to
decide about the role o soy oods in their everyday meal plan.
/oy%Based (nant =ormulas #/B(=$ and Thyroid; A /pecial Case
The reason that we -ualiied several o our above statements as
applying to adults #versus children or inants$ was based upon our
interpretation o the research on soy%based inant ormulas #/B(=$,
and also upon some conclusions that seem logical to us when we
think about the Abig pictureA involving inants and diet.
/everal studies on inant eeding show greater rates o autoimmune
thyroid problems in inants who are exclusively ed soy ormula.
/ome inants may have had thyroid problems #or have been
predisposed to thyroid problems$ even beore consuming soy
ormula. Gthers may have had problems with digestive unction, liver
unction, or immune unction that combined with soy ormula intake to
compromise the health o their thyroid. But even i these other actors
were involved, the association between thyroid problems and
exclusive intake o soy ormula by inants still seems like a good
reason to take a special look at this area o diet and health.
=rom a logical standpoint, we1re e-ually concerned about the soy
protein isolate #/&($ orm o soy ound in most inant soy ormulas.
/&( is a highly processed orm o soybean, and it is very likely to
expose an inant1s digestive tract to unexpected proteins and protein
components. /ince the inant1s immune system is unctioning at a
very early stage o development, this exposure to unexpected
proteins and protein ragments would logically be expected to
increase risk o adverse reactions, including allergic reactions.
At present, the American Academy o &ediatrics has established no
special precautions or the use o soy%based inant ormula #/B(=$,
except in the case o preterm inants or inants with digestive tract
problems #speciically enteropathy or enterocolitis$. Additionally, the
Canadian &aediatric Association recommends the monitoring o
thyroid hormone levels when using /B(= with inants who are born
with hypothyroidism. ( you are considering exclusive soy%based
eeding or an inant, we believe a consult with your pediatrician or
healthcare provider is worthwhile, even i the none o the above
problems have been identiied.
1ecommendations
=ermentation releases nutrients and transorms soybeans into
nutritious ood
&eople illing up their shopping carts with raw or cooked soybeans,
soy milk, and other non%ermented soybean products do not reali'e
that the isolavones they contain will not be available to their bodies.
"ost o the isolavones in soy products are bound to carbohydrate
molecules called glucosides. (n this orm genistein is actually called
genistin. (t is ermentation that transorms genistin into genistein.
"any products in the 8./. do not distinguish between genistin and
genistein on their labels.
Fven with ermented soy oods, a little goes a long way. The nutrients
ound in miso, tempeh, and natto can be beneicial in the moderate
amounts ound in the typical Asian diet, but have the potential to do
harm in higher amounts. (n China and ,apan, about an ounce o
ermented soy ood is eaten on a daily basis.
2hen ermented soy oods are used in small amounts they help build
the inner ecosystem, providing a wealth o riendly microlora to the
intestinal tract that can help with digestion and assimilation o
nutrients, and boost immunity.
-r! 5ohn @ee" author of several books on the health of women"
recommended that women wishing to consume soy production
eat only miso" tempeh" natto!
Based on research studies, culinary traditions, and the logic o whole,
natural oods intake, we believe that the vast ma0ority o adults can
en0oy the tastes, textures, and nutritional beneits o soybeans or
whole soybean%based oods #including tou, tempeh, natto, soy miso,
and soy sauce$ without increased risk o thyroid problems. 2e make
a deinite distinction between these whole ood%related orms o soy
and soy isolates, extracts, or related supplements, and we believe
that the enormous advantages o whole oods #versus processed
components or dietary supplements$ shines through in this health
area. 2e do believe that there is suicient evidence to raise concerns
about soy intake or individuals with iodine deiciency, or problems
with intestinal unction, immune unction, or liver unction. ( you think
that you might all into one o the categories above, we recommend
that you consult with your healthcare provider when determining the
best role or soy oods in your meal plan. 2e also recommend that
anyone who is considering exclusive soy ormula eeding o an inant
consult with their pediatrician or healthcare provider when making this
decision.
1eferences
Brent 7A. Fnvironmental Fxposures and Autoimmune Thyroid
!isease. Thyroid )010 ,ulyI )0#B$; B665BE1. doi;
10.10<>9thy.)010.1E*E
de /ou'a dos /antos "C, 7oncalves C=4, Daisman " et al. (mpact
o lavonoids on thyroid unction. =ood and Chemical Toxicology,
Dolume :>, (ssue 10, Gctober )011, &ages ):>6%)60).
!oerge !+ and Chang .C. (nactivation o thyroid peroxidase by soy
isolavones, in vitro and in vivo. ,ournal o Chromatography B,
Dolume BBB, (ssues 15), )6 /eptember )00), &ages )E>%)B>.
"essina " and +edmond 7. Fects o /oy &rotein and /oybean
(solavones on Thyroid =unction in .ealthy Adults and .ypothyroid
&atients; A +eview o the +elevant 4iterature. Thyroid. "arch )00E,
1E#*$; ):>%)6<.