Healthy Miso Soup Vegan Recipe (Basics for Beginners) | Purple Avocado (2024)

FAQs

How to make miso soup without killing the probiotics? ›

Avoid high heat when cooking with it, as it will kill off the good bacteria. When making miso soup, turn off the heat and dissolve (using a muddler like this will help avoid clumps).

Miso soup is usually composed of some kind of stock, seaweed, tofu, and miso. Sometimes, the stock base is mushrooms and/or different seaweed. In that case, it's vegetarian. Indeed, it's downright vegan.

Soybeans, used to make miso paste, are also rich in protein and other important nutrients that contribute to a healthy diet. Miso soup contains prebiotics and probiotics, which may contribute to improved gut health.

May support gut health

The fermentation process involved in the production of miso promotes levels of beneficial bacteria, known as probiotics. These bacteria are thought to help a range of health issues, including digestion and gut health.

Boiling miso can harm the probiotic bacteria. At temperatures above 115 degrees Fahrenheit these delicate bacteria are destroyed. We recommend adding miso paste to soups just prior to serving.

In terms of health benefits, the darker and more strongly flavored miso varieties tend to be the most nutritious. Here are a few of the healthiest types of miso: Red Miso: Made with a higher percentage of soybeans and fermented for a longer period of time, red miso has a rich, complex flavor and a dark red-brown color.

Most miso stock is dashi, a Japanese broth made from dried fish, kelp, and shiitake mushrooms. Japanese versions of vegan miso stock use dashi that only contains mushrooms and kelp. Miso stock in the United States may use vegetable, chicken, or Western-style fish stock instead of dashi.

Tamari/Coconut Aminos

Both are salty and contain plenty of the same free-forming amino acids (which create that umami flavor) found in miso. For an easy miso substitute, blend a few tablespoons of either tamari or coconut aminos with a can of cooked chickpeas.

Some miso soup is made with katsuobushi dashi, a stock containing katsuobushi, or bonito flakes. These non-vegan flakes are made of smoked skipjack tuna ( 3 , 4 ). Niboshi dashi is another type of miso soup that uses dried Japanese anchovies instead of tuna in its stock. As such, it's likewise not vegan ( 5 ).

Miso soup is low calorie, low fat, and high in nutrient content, so it is safe to eat daily. However, it does have a high salt content. So, those on blood thinning medication or who have heart problems (including high blood pressure and heart disease) may want to limit their consumption of miso soup.

Is miso soup anti inflammatory? ›

The consumption of miso has also been reported to exert health effects, such as fat suppression [9], anti-inflammation [10] and stroke prevention [11]. Miso contains various microorganisms, such as Aspergillus, yeast and lactic acid bacteria (LAB).

Health effects of eating miso

Researchers have found that consuming one bowl of miso soup per day, as do most residents of Japan, can drastically lower the risks of breast cancer. Miso has a very alkalizing effect on the body and strengthens the immune system to combat infection.

Miso improves your digestion

Having a healthy gut flora is very important because it helps defend your body against toxins and harmful bacteria. It also improves digestion and reduces gas, constipation and antibiotic-related diarrhea or bloating ( 6 , 8 , 9 ).

White Miso: White Miso is lower in salt content and has a milder flavor compared to Red Miso. It contains beneficial probiotics, enzymes, and minerals such as magnesium and potassium. Red Miso: Red Miso has a higher salt content and a more robust flavor profile.

Because miso is made with soybeans, those who are allergic to soy should avoid miso and other soy-containing products. Miso may also be used as an ingredient in other packaged products, so it is best to read the ingredients list and label to ensure that what you're buying is free of soy.

Similar to other fermented foods, miso is jam-packed with probiotics, which are a type of beneficial bacteria that live in your digestive tract. (However, heating miso is likely to kill these probiotics, according to a 2018 research review .)

Miso instant soup is a great source of protein and healthy fats. It also contains probiotics that aid in digestion, may reduce cholesterol levels, increase bone density, lower your risk for heart disease and decrease inflammation throughout the body.

Rich in nutrients: Miso contains many healthy vitamins and minerals like vitamin K, manganese, zinc, protein and calcium. Many of these nutrients support essential structures like the bones and nervous system. Improves digestion: Because miso is high in probiotics, it helps the body maintain healthy bacteria levels.

Does Heat Kill Probiotics? Some fermented foods lose their probiotic organisms as a result of heat treatment. Canned sauerkraut and canned kimchi, two foods that contain probiotics when not canned, are put under heat as part of the canning process. Often, this heat deactivates the probiotics found in these foods.