It is no exaggeration to say that mankind has flourished
on this planet in part thanks to fermented food created
with the help of microscopic organisms. Fermentation with
microscopic organisms has saved millions of lives throughout
our history. It has cured diseases by contributing to
the creation of antibiotics and other medicines and helped
satisfy hunger when other foods were scarce.
As studies in the science of food
advance, people are becoming more aware of the fact that
fermented foods, including sake, have health benefits
that should not be overlooked. We are discovering that
fermented food contains many compounds that help improve
our immune systems. This month’s column is about
the “uplifting” effects sake has both on our
mood and on our immune system. Yes, there is such a thing
as a win-win situation!
<Miso Is the Jewel
in the Crown of Fermented Food!>
Some research shows that the two most
effective fermented foods in preventing the growth of cancer
cells are both Japanese: Miso (soy bean paste) and natto
(fermented soy beans). Miso is particularly powerful in
controlling cancer cell development. An additional piece
of good news is that sake goes extremely well with miso.
This is because the flavor and richness packed into miso
(which derives from the amino acids contained in the soy
beans) is quite similar to the palatability of sake, resulting
in a synergetic enhancement of flavors. All dishes featuring
ingredients dressed with miso, marinated in miso, cooked
with miso, or grilled with miso as well as miso soup, create
delicious harmonies with sake. Incidentally, soy sauce,
which is indispensable to Japanese cooking, is also a fermented
condiment. The addition of soy sauce or various other broths
to the dishes above brings out the full flavor and richness
of miso even further.
Wine is also known to go very
well with fermented foods, especially fermented dairy products
like cheese, because of the palate-cleansing effects wine’s
strong acidity has. However, lower fat and lower calorie
products are popular nowadays. In this culinary climate,
therefore, Japanese fermented food products, which are low
in calories yet high in fiber, are becoming more desirable.
I hope condiments like miso becomes more widely used in
Western cooking and that in turn will lead to an increase
in the popularity of sake.
Let us raise a glass of sake
and enjoy a miso-flavored dish tonight! Miso really is the
king of fermented food.
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