Natto is a Japanese food made from fermented soybeans, often eaten for breakfast or with rice. It is nutritious and rich in vitamin K, antioxidants, and probiotics. Some find its strong smell and taste unpleasant, but others enjoy its nutty and spicy flavor. It is primarily popular in eastern Japan and can be difficult to find outside of Asia.
Natto is an ancient Japanese food made from soy. It is soaked and fermented, which makes the soybeans quite sticky and produces a rubbery or hazy effect between each bean. Often considered an acquired taste, the fermentation process makes natto smell very strong, and to some unaccustomed to the dish, unpleasant. It also tends to produce bad breath, although a vigorous toothbrush usually solves this problem.
In some parts of Japan, natto is very popular. It can be eaten as a breakfast food, sometimes with a little sugar, or it can be served with rice. Some prefer to add sauces to natto and rice and may use various hot chutneys, soy sauce, quail eggs, or grated radishes as condiments. It’s quite nutritious and low in calories, with about 7 to 8 grams of protein and only about 90 calories per serving.
Natto is also famous for its high amounts of vitamin K. It is also rich in several antioxidants, especially selenium. Natto also contains a protein called nattokinase, which may be a natural blood thinner. Because soybeans are fermented and grow bacteria, it is also a probiotic food.
The traditional method of preparing natto dates back at least 3,000 years, and some food historians suggest it may have been prepared 10,000 years ago. Some suggest it may be of Chinese origin, but it is now considered to be primarily a Japanese food. Origin stories suggest that natto may have been discovered accidentally when soldiers in a hurry advanced cooked soybeans and didn’t reopen them for several days.
Most natto is bought premade and is often not made at home. It is usually created by adding the bacteria Bacillus subtilis formerly known as Bacillus natto, to soybeans during fermentation. This is what makes the soybeans sticky and smell strong.
Many people who try natto for the first time find the flavor to be nutty and a little spicy, better tasting than smelling. Others think this food is bland and think it needs extra flavoring. For those who can’t get over the smell, there are a few companies that have made low odor natto, and these may be more palatable.
Not all people in Japan like natto and it is more popular in the eastern parts of the country. It is also hard to find outside of Japan, although Asian markets will sometimes stock it in the frozen section. It may also be possible to find natto ice cream or dried natto, which is eaten like nuts or chips. In Korea, a similar dish includes fermented soybeans and is called cheongguikjang. The Chinese also make a fermented black bean dish called douchi.
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