Nattō is a traditional Japanese food made from fermented soybeans, popular especially at breakfast. A rich source of protein, nattō and the soybean paste miso formed a vital source of nutrition in feudal Japan. Nattō is an acquired taste due to its powerful smell (which tends to leave its consumer with unpleasant breath), strong flavour and sticky consistency. In Japan nattō is most popular in the eastern Kanto region.

Appearance and consumption

The first thing noticed by the uninitiated after opening a pack of natto is the very strong smell, akin to strong cheese and the pickled vegetable known as kimchi. Stirring the natto produces lots of spiderweb-like strings. The natto itself has a somewhat nutty, savory, somewhat salty flavor that belies its odor. Foreigners in Japan trying natto for the first time generally tend to either love it or hate it.

Natto is most commonly eaten at breakfast to accompany rice, possibly with some other ingredients, for example soy sauce, tsuyu broth, mustard, scallions, grated daikon, okra, or a raw quail egg. In Hokkaido and northern Tohoku region, some people dust natto with sugar. Natto is also commonly used in other foods, such as natto sushi, natto toast, in miso soup, salad, as an ingredient in okonomiyaki, or even with spaghetti or as fried natto. A dried form of natto, having little odor or sliminess, can be eaten as a nutritious snack. There is even natto ice cream.

Natto is often considered an acquired taste and causes many different reactions in people. Some people love the taste and the aroma of natto, whereas other people hate the smell and the appearance. The perceived taste of natto can differ greatly between people - some find it tastes very strong and cheesy and may use it in small amounts to flavor rice or noodles, while others find it tastes "bland and unremarkable", requiring the addition of flavoring condiments such as mustard and soy sauce. Some manufacturers produce an odorless or low-odor natto. The split opinion about its appearance and taste might be compared to Vegemite in Australia and New Zealand, haggis in Scotland, blue cheese in France, lutefisk in Norway and Sweden, and Marmite in the UK. Even in Japan, natto is more popular in some areas than in others. Natto is known to be popular in the eastern Kanto region (Tokyo), but less popular in Kansai (Osaka, Kobe). About 50,000 tons of natto are consumed in Japan each year.

Medical benefits

Natto is claimed to have many medical benefits, and Japanese often say that eating natto is good for your health. Some of these claims are backed by medical research. Natto for example contains a compound Pyrazine, which not only gives natto its distinct smell, but also reduces the likelihood of blood clotting. It also contains a serine protease type enzyme called nattokinase[1] which may also reduce blood clotting both by direct fibrinolysis of clots, and inhibition of the plasma protein plasminogen activator inhibitor 1. This may help to avoid thrombosis, as for example in heart attacks, pulmonary embolism, or strokes. An extract from natto containing nattokinase is available as a dietary supplement.

Studies have shown that oral administration of nattokinase leads to a mild enhancement of fibrinolytic activity in rats[2] and dogs. It is therefore plausible to hypothesize that nattokinase might reduce blood clots in humans, although clinical trials have not been conducted.
Natto also contains large amounts of Vitamin K, which is involved in the formation of calcium-binding groups in proteins, assisting the formation of bone, and preventing osteoporosis. Vitamin K1 is found naturally in seaweed, liver and some vegetables, while vitamin K2 is found in fermented food products like cheese and miso. Natto has very large amounts of vitamin K2, approximately 870 micrograms per 100 grams of natto.

Natto also contains many chemicals alleged to prevent cancer, as for example daidzein, genistein, infrabin, phytoestrogen, and the chemical element selenium. However, most of these chemicals can also be found in other soy bean products, and their effect on cancer prevention is uncertain at best. Some sources also claim that natto has a cholesterol-lowering effect.[citation needed]
Natto is also said to have an antibiotic effect, and was used as medicine against dysentery by the Imperial Japanese Army before World War II. Furthermore, natto is said to improve digestion, reduce the effects of aging, and to prevent obesity (also possibly due to a low calorie content of approximately 90 calories per 7-8 grams of protein in an average serving), although this seems to be based only on an analysis of the chemicals contained in natto, and not on any medical study.

Natto is also sometimes used as an ingredient of pet food, and it is claimed that this improves the health of the pets. Natto is known to reverse hair loss in men due to phytoestrogens, which can lower testosterone that causes baldness.

Thanks to Wikipedia for the cool information, anyway it's really healthy stuff i tasted it today.. well hmm it taste quite fine... but the after taste is OMG : very weird but over rall i quite like it :D... How i get to know Natto? Firstly is from Shin chan (La pi xiao xin) then a show from taiwan recently it's a beauty show for gals... then i watched it... they talking about that... and a gal from Sunday girls... say that in Japan those gals almost had it daily for breakfast... no wonder jap gals skin so nice -_-.... ok i wanna buy :(!!! will go find this weekend :D... Love all... (Ps: the message abit long but it's pretty useful...and good for urself) ^^ cya :D