Natto

Natto is probiotic food made from fermented soybeans, just like tempeh. It has a strong flavor and a slimy texture. It has high fiber content, with 5.4 grams every 3.5-ounce (100-gram) serving. Fiber may be beneficial to gut health. It passes through your body undigested, helping to promote regularity and relieve constipation by adding bulk to your stool. Vitamin K, a key ingredient involved in calcium metabolism and bone health, is also rich in natto. Natto intake was related to less bone loss in postmenopausal Japanese women in studies including hundreds of women.

Nattokinase is an enzyme produced during the fermentation of natto. Supplementing with nattokinase helped prevent and dissolve blood clots in a study involving 12 young Japanese males. Other research has discovered that using this enzyme lowers both diastolic and systolic blood pressure. Diastolic and systolic blood pressure decreased 2.84 and 5.55 mmHg, respectively, in an 8-week Japanese study, whereas they dropped 3 and 4 mmHg, respectively, in an 8-week North American study. Natto is frequently eaten with rice as part of breakfast which helps digestion.