Meaning “fermented beans” in Japanese, miso is a very popular and healthy dish all over the world! We’re giving you the inside scoop about miso paste – what is it, what makes it so healthy, and how can you incorporate it into your next dish? Keep reading to find out!
What is miso?
Miso is a traditional Japanese condiment and is the consistency of a thick paste that is mainly made from soybeans. It’s a key ingredient in a variety of recipes, including sauces, spreads, and soup stock. There are more varieties of miso than just soybean miso, however. There are other types of beans and peas that miso can be based on, such as rice, barley, hemp seeds, and more.
Miso paste is rich in protein and many vitamins and minerals without sacrificing its great taste. You’ll find that miso is packed with B vitamins, vitamins E and K, folate, copper, zinc, and beneficial bacteria for your gut.
Health benefits of miso
- Good for your gut
- Through the fermentation process that it takes to create miso paste, beneficial bacteria are produced. These bacteria also termed probiotics, help your gut health and digestion.
- Supports your immune system
- This one piggybacks off of #1 – a healthy gut supports a healthy immune system. The probiotics found in miso can help keep your immune system nice and strong.
- Promotes healthy blood
- Miso is full of Vitamin K, which helps to promote healthy blood as it helps blood clot (heads up: if you’re on blood-thinning medication, make sure you check with your doctor before incorporating miso into your diet).
- Full of vitamins and minerals
- Including Manganese, Vitamin K, B vitamins, Copper, Zinc, Calcium, Selenium, Iron, Phosphorus
- Good source of electrolytes
- Miso has a high amount of salt, meaning it’s pretty high in sodium. If you find an option made with sea salt, it’s a beneficial way to replenish your electrolytes!
Recipes that use miso
Looking to incorporate miso into your next meal? We picked some of our favorite miso-based Bon Appetit recipes:
- Miso Pesto – try this ramen dish with a cilantro-miso pesto twist
- Ginger-Miso Grilled Asparagus – try this on asparagus in the summer, and make the switch to green beans in the winter
- Miso salad dressing – delicious on salads such the Roasted Broccoli and Tofu with Creamy Miso Dressing
- Sweet Potato-Tumeric Miso Soup – miso soup is one of the most beloved ways to consumer miso, now add some savory sweet potatoes to the mix
Overall, miso is a healthy and tasty condiment that you can incorporate into a number of meals. While we don’t incorporate any soy into our current menu to be as inclusive of dietary restrictions as possible, we do believe that certain types of high-quality, fermented soy (like miso!) are nourishing options. But sourcing matters! Opt for organic miso whenever possible, since the majority of soy is genetically modified.
Not looking to put on the apron and cook up some miso soup yourself? Consider giving our meals a try! We’ve got options to fit every taste bud.
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