Natto, the Soy Superfood may Help Us Destress
A new study on Caenorhabditis elegans worms compared the consequences of Bacillus subtilis var. natto (Japanese food) consumption on the life span and stress tolerance ().
Eat Natto and Live Longer
Health is wealth as the saying goes and new research now shows that it is possible to have a healthy, less stressed society through familiar and inexpensive foods. One such food might be the Japanese natto which is made from softened soybeans that have been boiled or steamed and fermented with a bacteria called Bacillus subtilis var. natto. Bacillus subtilis var. natto is found in soil, plants, animals, and the human stomach and intestines. Most of the natto consumed in Japan is made from the Miyagino strain.
The researchers found that Caenorhabditis elegans fed Bacillus subtilis var. natto had a significantly longer lifespan than those fed the standard diet, and further elucidated that the p38 MAPK pathway and insulin/IGF-1-like signaling pathway, which are known to be involved in innate immunity and lifespan, were involved in the lifespan-enhancing effects of Bacillus subtilis var. natto.
‘Eating fermented foods like natto is the key to healthy, long, and stress-free life. ’
Professor Nakadai concluded, "For the first time, we were able to demonstrate the possibility of lifespan-extending effects of Caenorhabditis elegans through the ingestion of Bacillus subtilis var. natto. We hope that future experiments on mammals and epidemiological studies will help to realize a healthy and longer-living society if we can apply this research to humans."
The research results were published online in the Journal of Applied Microbiology.
Reference:
- Impacts of Bacillus subtilis var. natto on the lifespan and stress resistance of Caenorhabditis elegans - (https:academic.oup.com/jambio/article-abstract/134/4/lxad082/7134075?redirectedFrom=fulltext)