Contribute to Stronger Bones

Several nutrients that support strong bones are abundant in natto. Beginning with calcium, the primary mineral present in your bones, 3.5 ounces (100 grams) of natto delivers 22% of the recommended daily intake (RDI) for this mineral (1). Natto is also one of the few plant sources of vitamin K2 that is available. By activating bone-building proteins that help get calcium into your bones and maintain it there, vitamin K2 plays a crucial function in bone health. Contrast it with vitamin K1, which is crucial for blood clotting, to avoid confusion. For reference, natto includes both K1 and K2 vitamins.

According to studies, vitamin K2 supplementation can delay the bone mineral density loss associated with aging and may lower the risk of some types of fractures by between 60 and 81 percent. But some of the research on vitamin K2 and bone health employed extremely high supplement dosages. Although eating natto can increase your vitamin K2 levels, it is unknown whether doing so on its own would have the same positive effects.