Food For Cardiovascular Health
Say It Ain't Soy! Yes, but this soybean is different! What makes it different is simple. After hours of fermentation, the boiled soybeans metamorphose to an ancient medicinal food called "natto" pronounced "nah'-toe." Natto may just be the "perfect food," producing 18 valuable amino acids and an enzyme nattokinase that may challenge the pharmaceutical industry's best "blood- clot busters." Natto, which has recently attracted attention throughout the world, is the third most popular type of fermented soybean in the Japanese diet. Japan has the highest average longevity in the world, which may partly be attributed to a high consumption of natto. When compared with ordinary soybeans, the natto produces more calories, protein, fiber, calcium, potassium and vitamin B2. Its high protein and economical price in terms of protein per gram has earned it the sobriquet "hata-ke no niko," or meat of the field. This nickname appears well deserved, as in comparison with an equivalent amount of beef, natto has slightly less protein (16.5 grams to 21 .2 grams), but contains more carbohydrates and fiber, and is also higher in calcium, phosphorous, iron and vitamin B2. Plus, it has nearly double the calcium and far more vitamin E to boot. According to legend, the first person to originate traditional Japanese natto was the famous warrior Yoshiie Minamoto during the Heian era of Japanese history (794-1192 A.D.). The horse was extremely important to the Japanese samurai warrior of the period, and great care was given to provide suitable provisions for the horses when armies were on the move. Typically, boiled soybeans were cooled down, dried in the sun and packed immediately in rice straw bags for transport with the army. If the army was on a rapid deployment, the boiled soybeans were packed hastily into the rice straw bags without cooling or drying. The rice straw just happened to contain a harmless and naturally occurring microorganism, Bacillus subtilis that fermented the soybeans and produced natto with its characteristic sticky texture. Initially, the soybeans were presumed to have spoiled until Yoshiie Minamoto observed that his horses were "picky eaters" and demonstrated a preference for the "spoiled"soybeans or natto. One day, Minamoto demonstrated tremendous courage and dipped his finger into the seemingly "rotten goo." To his astonishment, the fermented soybeans were not only edible but had a distinct Umami flavor. Minamoto was responsible for introducing natto to northwestern Japan, where he ruled. To this day natto is especially popular in that region of Japan as a folk remedy for fatigue, beriberi, dysentery, heart and vascular diseases. The most distinctive features of natto are the adhesive surrounding the soybeans and the strong flavor. The sticky material has been shown to consist of poly-g-glutamic acid (D and L) and polysaccharides (levan- form fructan), and the strong "cheese-like" flavor is due to the presence of pyrazine. These features sometimes make it hard for some people, especially people from other countries, to accept natto; however, these are the main factors which give natto the outstanding properties. Natto, which has recently attracted attention throughout the world, is a familiar part of the Japanese diet. Technical Aspects of Nattokinase Nattokinase produces a prolonged action in two ways: it prevents the formation of thrombi and it dissolves existing thrombus. Nattokinase orally administrated to twelve healthy adults indicated elevations of the breakdown products of the fibrin and the ability of the blood to break down fibrin called euglobulin fibrinolytic activity (EFA). These results suggest the ability of nattokinase to accelerate fibrinolysis in the blood for a prolonged period of time. FDP levels in the adults drastically increased 4 hours after the administration of the nattokinase, indicating that fibrin within the blood vessels is gradually being dissolved with repeated intake of nattokinase. By measuring EFA & FDP levels, the activity of nattokinase has been determined to last from 8 to 12 hours. An additional parameter for confirming the action of nattokinase following oral administration is a rise in blood levels of tissue plasminogen activator (TPA) antigen, which indicates a release of TPA from the endothelial cells and/or the liver and the endogenous production of plasmin (the body?s blood clotting buster).6, 7 In 1995, researchers from Miyazaki Medical College and Kurashiki University of Science and Arts in Japan studied the effects of nattokinase on blood pressure in both animal and human subjects. In addition, the researchers confirmed the presence of inhibitors of angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) within the test extract, which consisted of 80% ethanol extract of lyophilized viscous materials of natto. ACE causes blood vessels to narrow and blood pressure to rise - by inhibiting ACE; nattokinase has a lowering effect on blood pressure.1, 2 The same natto extract was then tested on human volunteers with high blood pressure. Blood pressure levels were measured after 30 grams of lyophilized extract (equivalent to 200 grams of natto food) was administered orally for 4 consecutive days. In 4 out of 5 volunteers, the systolic blood pressure (SBP) decreased on average from 173.8 + 20.5 mmHg to 154.8 + 12.6 mmHg. Diastolic blood pressure (DBP) decreased on average from 101.0 + 11.4 mmHg to 91.2 + 6.6 mmHg. On average, this data represents a 10.9 percent drop in SBP and a 9.7 percent drop in DBP.1, 2,6 References: 1-Natto-Traditional Japanese Fermented Soy Beans with Recently Discovered Health Benefits and Novel Industrial Applications, Enzyme Wave, Volume 3, June 2002, Amano Enzyme, Inc., page 2-4. 2-Prevent Heart Attack and Stroke with Potent Enzyme that Dissolves Deadly Blood Clots in Hours. Health Sciences Institute, March 2002. 3-Maruyama M, Sumi H. Effect of Natto Diet on Blood Pressure. JTTAS, 1995. 4-Sumi H, Hamada H, Nakanishi K, Hiratani H. Enhancement of the fibrinolytic activity in plasma by oral administration of nattokinase. Acta Haematol 1990; 84(3): 139-43. 5-Sumi H, Hamada H, Mihara H. A novel strong fibrinolytic enzyme (nattokinase) in the vegetable cheese ?natto." International Journal of Fibronolysis and Thrombolysis. Abstracts of the ninth international congress on fibrinolysis, Amsterdam, 1988, Vol.2, Sup.1:67. 6-Sumi H, Hamada H, Tsushima H, Mihara H, Muraki H. A novel fibrinolytic enzyme (nattokinase) in the vegetable cheese Natto; a typical and popular soybean food in the Japanese diet. Experientia 1987, Oct 15;43(10):1110-1. 7-Sumi H. Healthy Microbe ?Bacillus natto". Japan Bio Science Laboratory Co. Ltd. Disclaimer: The above article is for informational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose or treat a particular illness. The reader is encouraged to seek the advice of a holistically competent licensed professional health care provider. The information in this article has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.