Ubiquitous in every supermarket and corner store across the country, as well as eateries, street stalls and restaurants, this smelly goop basically consists of fermented soybeans. It is the third most popular soy-based food in Japan, after tofu and miso. Traditionally packed in bamboo leaves, the modern version comes in a white styrofoam packs, more recently in environmentally friendly soft cardboard wrapping. The container needs to be fairly resilient, as this stuff reeks in the same way as durian does. Included with your serving is usually a mild soy-based sauce, and sometimes extra condiments such as liquid nori (a type of seaweed), or yellow mustard for those who like a bit of spice. In line with Japan’s cute, one-serving packaging, these sauces come in tiny, clear plastic bags, perfectly placed on top of the plastic sheet that covers the top of the natto in its nest.

How do you eat this stuff? To enjoy as is, open the pack, take of the plastic sheet, open and pour on the sauce(s), take your chop sticks and whisk the concoction together until it’s all foamy and snot-like. (This whisking action apparently activates more of the already high nutritional content.) Make sure any smell sensitive friends keep their distance, as this stuff smells to some like damp, old, cheesy socks (and does, in fact, look indeed a tad like snot)! To eat, just slurp it up (noises encouraged) with your chopsticks. In addition to savoring on its own, most Japanese tend to pour this stinky mush on their morning rice. You can also find it in kaiten (conveyer belt) sushi shops, and it is often found in varieties of omuraisu (rice omelets). As a raw vegan, I enjoy my natto with nori (dried laver sheets) and/or with another healthy, stinky, fermented concoction that, though popular in Japan as well, is actually Korean. Yes, I speak of kimchee! (warning, however: most commercial kimchees contain fish products and table salt…)

Natto is a fantastic source of protein (not that we actually need as much protein as we think), and as a raw, food made from soybeans fermented by natto bacillus, is chock full of live enzymes and all sorts of other goodies. Natto is a good source of vitamin B2, which keeps skin youthful, and is also rich in vitamin K2, which is helpful against osteoporosis. Furthermore, there is a fibrinolytic enzyme found in natto called nattokinase. Nattokinase is reported to reduce and prevent blood clots, so ultimately it can help prevent heart attacks and strokes. Natto has also been reported to reduce the incidence of cancers, particularly breast cancer in women.

Natto is an acquired taste, however, but once that taste is acquired, like me, you’ll be eating the stuff several times a week! These days in Japan it is easy to get organic varieties, but I would avoid the sauces, as they are likely highly processed and full of table salt. Slop on your own nama shoyu (unpasteurized soy sauce).

For more nutritional information on natto, visit the Benefits of Natto page and Nutrition Science News. The following video is an old commercial for natto. Neba-neba means slimy and sticky (in a good way!).

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