What Is Natto?
Natto is a traditional Japanese food made from fermented soybeans. There are two factors that make natto notable. First, it is very healthy to eat; and second, it is one of Japan’s most polarizing dishes. Some people love it and others can’t stand it. While Japanese citizens seem to be more positive about it, foreigners are much more likely to dislike this superfood.
Why Is Natto So Polarizing?
One of the first things people notice after opening a container of natto is the smell. Renowned for its pungent odor, it does not make a good first impression for most people. The smell is an ammonia-esque one, akin to a stinky cheese. Some people even go so far to claim natto smells more like dirty socks. Overall, the general consensus is that it does not have a very appealing smell.
The other thing people notice is the appearance of natto. The dish basically looks like pale beans covered in a sticky tan mucus. If you lift them up, you’ll see long sticky threads stretch out. While natto certainly leaves a memorable first impression; it is, so far, not a good one.
What Does Natto Taste Like?
After people see and smell the interesting dish, it’s time to taste. Surprisingly, natto doesn’t have a super strong or offensive flavor compared to its smell. The flavor is mildly bitter and earthy, like aged cheese. Most servings of natto also come with a packet of soy sauce and mustard. It is commonly eaten on rice or sometimes even mixed with a raw egg.
Texture of Natto
Texture is another facet to natto’s polarization as the slimy and sticky strands are not the most appetizing for many. This is especially true for western palates that may not have encountered another food with such a texture. The common connection they end up making is to compare it to snot.
All of this is not to say that everyone will be bothered by the smell, appearance, taste or texture of natto. When a food is a part of a culture, it’s important to remember that Japanese people may have been eating natto since they were just babies. There is no other similar food in western culture, so there’s an important familiarity curve to consider.
How Is Natto Made?
Natto is made by first soaking soybeans in water for over 12 hours. The beans are then steamed for a few hours. After cooking them, the bacteria culture of B. subtilis is mixed in with the beans. The beans are then left to ferment along with the bacteria at around 40 C (104 F) for up to 24 hours. It important the beans don’t come in contact with any other bacteria before they are they left to ferment as this can interfere with the B. subtilis culture. The last step is to let the natto hang out in the fridge for at most a week to give it time to create its signature sticky strings.
In the past, cooked soybeans were laid between straw to create the natto. This is because it just so happens that straw naturally has the bacteria culture B. subtilis.
One legend of the origin of natto’s creation comes from a story where a samurai from the 10th century flees from an attack on his camp shortly after he just finished cooking his soybeans. He packs up his encampment in a hurry and puts the beans in his bag made from straw. However, he doesn’t open the bag until a few days later where upon he discovered the beans had changed into what we now know as natto. The samurai then decides to eat them instead of throwing them away and discovers that he quite likes the flavor. Thus, natto was born.
Health Benefits
Natto is another addition to the list of superfoods. It’s rich in vitamins, minerals, protein, and probiotics. Packed within the fermented soybeans are the vitamins B2, B6, E, as well as, potassium, magnesium and iron. However, its biggest benefit comes from its crazy high levels of vitamin K2. Natto has the highest amount of vitamin K2 of any food in the world. K2 is a vitamin that can’t be produced by our bodies naturally and needs to be sourced from the food we eat. Where some vitamins, like vitamin K1, can be found in vegetables, K2 is obtained through eating either animals or fermented foods. This makes natto an even greater superfood for vegetarians.
Vitamin K2 has a number of health benefits like improved bone and dental health, prevention of kidney stones, reduced risk of some cancers, prevention of the hardening of arteries, and many others.
Give It a Try
While natto has gotten a reputation of being gross, this is mainly from a lack of people being exposed to similar foods. If you give it a chance knowing that it smells a little funky and looks a little slimy, then you won’t be as surprised. In fact the most surprising part might be that you like it. It’s definitely worth giving it a try, especially because of how healthy it is.
Have you tried, or would you ever consider trying natto? Let us know in comments below!
