Miso Soup Nutritional Information

With increasing awareness about miso soup nutritional benefits, miso is made available in almost all food stores of the world. A few years back, miso was available only in specialty stores. Miso is nothing but the fermented soybean paste which is used in various recipes. Miso is sometimes made from rice, barley or wheat also. A yeast mold (called "koji") is added to the ingredients for fermentation. You might be surprised to know that the fermentation time required ranges from a few weeks to some years. The type and quality of miso also varies accordingly. At the end the fermented ingredients are finely ground into a paste which looks like nut butter and is sold as miso. By adding water and some other nutritious food items like chicken pieces or vegetables, you can easily make tasty miso soup at home.

Miso Soup Nutritional Data
The light traditional miso soup is an invariable part of Japanese food. Almost every Japanese enjoys a bowl of miso soup everyday. The soothing and mild flavor of miso soup is loved by people all over the world. The following table will explain miso soup nutrition facts.

Nutrients in Miso Soup	1 Ounce	½ Cup	1 Cup
Calories	10	42	84
Carbohydrate	0.92 g	3.24 g	7.78 g
Fat	0.4 g	1.4 g	3.36 g
Protein	0.71 g	2.51 g	6.02 g
Sodium	118 mg	416 mg	998 mg
Potassium	43 mg	153 mg	367 mg

Miso Soup Health Benefits
Here is a list of miso soup nutritional benefits.

• The soy from the miso soup helps regulate estrogen in women. Estrogen plays an important role in the development of mammary tumors.
• Various vitamins and minerals from the miso soup helps to boost energy levels. Miso soup is considered as one of the best home remedies for common cold.
• Miso soup is packed with antioxidants which prevent free radicals from damaging our body. Thus it protects us from various diseases including cancer, especially breast cancer.
• Regular consumption of the soup helps get rid of the body toxins. One will have strong bones and healthy joints if miso soup is included in the diet. It promotes relaxation of blood vessels also.
• The combination of wakame seaweed and miso is preferred for lowering blood pressure and cholesterol levels. The combination also works great for nicotine-related disorders.
• The soup is rich in protective fatty acids, protein, Vitamin B12, Vitamin E and various minerals like zinc, copper and manganese. Zinc promotes fast wound healing. It helps strengthen the immune system. Copper is essential for easy absorption of iron and miso contains both.

Miso Soup Calories
Miso soup calories may vary according to the ingredients in the soup. According to the Japanese Miso soup recipe, shiitake mushrooms, tofu, scallions, burdock, garlic, carrots, cilantro, noodles, kelp, yogurt, red pepper flakes, fish, daikon radish and various other ingredients can be used to prepare miso soup. You may use ingredients of your own choice such as chicken pieces, spinach, various seaweeds and herbs. Miso soup calories will vary according to the miso soup recipe. Various American and Japanese style soup recipes are available on the Internet. In general we can say that 1 bowl (1 oz or about 34 g) miso soup contains approximately 70 calories. You might be surprised to know that one tablespoon of miso contains 2 grams of protein for just 25 calories.

Miso Soup Recipe
Here is a simple miso soup recipe: Take some miso paste and add water to it. Stir well and heat over low-medium heat. You may enjoy the soup as it is or you may add in some traditional stuff as explained above. Remember, miso soup contains a high amount of sodium and you should consume the soup only in limited quantities, even though it is useful for prevention of cancer and other illnesses.

Miso soup may appear whitish or brownish. Ingredients used and duration of the fermentation process greatly influences the color, taste, texture, and degree of saltiness of the soup. The lighter miso soup is usually less salty and more pleasing while the darker varieties are saltier and stronger. These days, miso soup nutritional information is provided on the menu cards of almost all restaurants. It's good to include this Japanese soup in your diet, in recommended proportions, if you want to extract the health benefits of soy.