Natto offers a unique probiotic boost to our immune system. The Japanese have consumed fermented soy for centuries and continue to this day. Is it any wonder they continue to top the list of the world’s healthiest countries?
Wondering about the toxic reputation of soy? In its natural state, soy contains anti-nutrients that are toxic to humans. The fermentation process neutralizes these, transforming the soy into a beneficial and immunity-boosting food.
Are you concerned about the goitrogens present in soy? Goitrogens, thyroid inhibitors, are not neutralized during fermentation. In fact, they are increased. Some suggest foods high in iodine while consuming natto. Others advise fermenting alternate beans such as navy beans. Others recommend keeping your natto consumption to a minimum. Since 40 grams of natto contains 500% of the RDA for Vitamin K2, it makes sense to limit natto consumption and keep it as a condiment.
Vitamin K2 is one of the outstanding benefits of natto. See Vitamin K2 and Natto.
Ready to try it? If you’ve never tasted natto, be prepared for a bit of a challenge. Natto is an acquired taste. The good news is you can learn to enjoy natto. I no longer grimace when I eat it. My body craves it.
You can find natto in the freezer section of many Asian grocers. Most come with flavor packets with undesirable additives. Consider tossing the packets and flavoring with your natural condiment or dressing.
I trust and enjoy the brand megumiNATTO available for purchase online. Find them here.
It’s far more cost effective to make it yourself. Here is the method that works for me.
Supplies:
1. Organic (or certified GMO free) soybeans. Other beans, such as navy beans, may be substituted, but the soybean offers unique nutritive benefits. Sources of organic soybeans include:
2. Starter culture. Store-bought natto may be used to inoculate the soybeans, or you can purchase a starter from these websites.
3. Pressure Cooker – optional. The pressure cooker hastens the cooking time for the soybeans.
Natto starter costs less than $20 and will last for many batches. Organic soybeans cost approximately $4.00 per batch. This means natto costs pennies per serving, offering an inexpensive, power-packed boost to your immune system.
Natto involves a lengthy process of soaking, cooking and fermenting the beans. The actual hands-on time is approximately 1 hour.
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Ingredients
- 2 cups organic soybeans
- 6 cups filtered water for soaking
- starter
Instructions
- Soak beans in filtered water overnight. (15-20 hours.)
- Strain beans.
- Place beans in large pot. (Use stainless steel, enameled or other non-reactive pot.)
- Fill with water and cook beans till soft, approximately 9 hours. The beans should be as soft as your earlobe. A pressure cooker hastens the process.
- Strain the beans and place in sterilized pot. From this point on everything must remain clean. If a bean drops on the counter, discard it.
- Dissolve spores in filtered water, as directed on the package. The starter from GEM cultures comes with a small spoon. A little goes a long way when inoculating the beans.
- Pour the natto spore solution over warm beans.You may also inoculate using natto from a previous batch.
- Stir the mixture with sterile spoon. Place beans in shallow containers.
- Keep beans in a thin layer approximately 3 beans high.
- Place a clean moistened cheese cloth over the top of the containers and place a lid over the cheese cloth. The trick is to maintain moisture but avoid excess liquid. I have found that a thin sheet of Cling Wrap works well to retain moisture. You may keep a bowl of water nearby to maintain the moisture in the air while fermenting.
- Place the covered containers in the oven, dehydrator or warmer for 20-24 hours. Maintain a temperature of 100 degrees F. (38 degrees C.) I use my dehydrator; others use heating pads, or heat lamps. Your oven with a pilot light may work fine.
- You will see a white film surrounding the beans. This is a positive sign that the fermentation has succeeded.
- Remove cover and stir. You should see numerous strings - another sign that you have created a microbial powerhouse.
- Store in fridge until ready to consume. The natto will remain fresh for at least two weeks. If you're happy with your batch, be sure to save 1/2 cup to inoculate your next batch.
- Store excess in freezer.
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Hmm… I might give it a try with navy beans first, since I know I can handle them. Where does the soy version fall in the gaps diet?
Raia,
Natto is not on intro. She says when healing has progressed natto, miso and soy sauce may be added. She has a lot of concern about the source for the soybeans. I have had success with navy beans. Go with your gut on it.
How do you eat this… I want to do garbanzo beans as I know the kids can handle them…but I have heard that they aren’t too kid friendly in the taste and smell department.
TIA
Aliyanna
Aliyanna,
Because I know how good it is for me I have no trouble taking several spoonfuls. I wouldn’t say I’ve developed a taste for it, but certainly have no trouble eating it. I used to put it with mustard and that helped. Now I don’t need it. I haven’t gotten my family on board, nor have I pushed it. But I am so glad it’s part of my diet. Garbanzo beans should work. There’s no escaping the smell or taste if don’t properly. But that’s what makes it so nourishing.
Hi, I’ve gotten my 3yo to eat this now. She’s used to weird food though. I mix it with some sea salt and lemon juice. Didn’t really like mustard and soy sauce. Also nice to smother it with mascarpone! I had it with mascarpone, lemon, salt and seagrapes today – sooo awesome 🙂 Bribing with some honeyed ginger was what got her into it. I wouldn’t say she ‘likes’ it… but will do anything for something sweet afterward ;D
What an awesome mom you are! Natto is so healthy for her. Thanks for sharing.
Treat it as a savory. The Japanese mix a little (1/4 cup/serving?) with a little high quality soy sauce (I use nama shoyu), mustard, and serve it on hot rice. Top with chopped green onions. Think “camembert” because they contain the same enzymes.
Why do I want a shallow pan with 3 beans high and not in jar with an airlock? Is this Aerobic or Anaerobic?
Thanks,
~Jimm
Jimm, It’s the process with an alkaline ferment like this. Sauerkraut requires all the cabbage to be under the brine. NATO requires that each bean be covered with the microbes to do their work. If you stack them too high they will not be exposed and could rot. At least that’s how I understand it. It is technically aerobic, but covering (but not too tight) worked better for me then complete exposure to the air. There is a natto yahoo group that can explain this much better than I can.
https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/nattosupport/info
Thanks so much for your question!
wow this is a great recipe! I love natto, and always buy at the japanese store, but this time I want to make my own with real non gmo, organic soy!! Thank you!
Let me know how it turns out, Vivica!
I used moth beans and it seems to be good. Has anyone used moth or other beans. Is it almost as nutricious? I’m eating it now for 6 weeks anyway.
While there is something unique about the protein of organic soybeans and the interaction with these microbes, any beans should create something good. I’ve not heard of moth beans! I just looked them up and they look awesome!
I am making natto every week in small quantity. Been doing it only with mung bean.coming out good.since soya interfere s with thyroid meds did not so far do with soya bean. Next black eyed peas
S
I use chic peas but every morning it wasa struggle eating them, now I have solved the problem ,I get some kale,watercress,parsley and along with the natto peas ,put it through the blitz machine ,no taste of natto just the benefit I now look forward to my breakfast john
Great suggestion, John. Thanks for sharing for others who wonder how to get it down!
I eat natto over rice with tamari and green onions. Just something passed on from my Japanese Grandma.
Tamari sounds perfect!!!
Read about natto as the source for nartokinase which is good for the heart and blood pressure. I was, however, disappointed when I found natto came from Japan which is suffering from radiation. Thank you for the recipe to make it myself.
Thank you for this post and all the useful tips.
I am somewhat weary of using plastic wrap for fermentation, as it is full of toxic plasticizers which produce metabolites that are even more toxic than they are (some by the factor of 1000x).
My understanding is that commercial natto manufacturers ferment beans in styroform containers, which is even worse than using plastic wrap.
Plastics wrecked my endocrine system about a year ago… I am still recovering. I’m not going to put plastic wrap on anything anymore, let alone on my food…
Plasticizers flood your body with xenoestrogens.
If you are female, they will ruin your progesterone production and give you PMS. If you are male, they will override your testosterone receptors, interfere with your synthesis of testosterone, giving you not just a major case of ED, but making you overall lady-like due to their pseudo-estrogenic effects. In either case, plasticizers will also damage your thyroid. It’s not worth it.
Any other ideas what we could cover natto with (other than plastic wrap or aluminum foil)? Has anyone tried banana/cabbage/avocado leaves? Thanks!
I think the cabbage leaves is a great idea! I’d like to try that.
Yes! I am covering it with aluminium foil all my 4 batches. Just as good. Never had a problem!
Aluminum foil should never touch acidic food when cooking not even bake potatoes. The Aluminum leaches our much more then aluminum pots that has had water boiled in them. You should never scour a aluminum pot for the same reason. Just leave a dull finish, it protects against getting aluminum into food.
Thank you.
Can I use oven with 50°c ?
I don’t have anything lower.
That should work. You can try opening the oven a crack to further bring down the temperature. Some people point a fan into the oven too.
I make it in my Cosori pressure / multi – use pot. Cook the soaked beans for 30 minutes. Place a bowl on a trivet inside the cooker pot, set to yogurt for 24 hours. The beans are deeper than 3 deep, but it works everytime without occupying the oven.
Thanks for sharing your method!
Could you elaborate on “cook the soaked beans for 30 minutes”?
Do you cook the beans in the soaking water then drain or the other way around? Or do they get cooked inside the pressure cooker? Thinking about trying in my IP. Never made natto myself.
Thanks!
I drain the beans after they have soaked and then add more water to cook them in the pressure cooker. But I think you can use the soaking water.
I am a novice at making natto. I have made about a dozen batches so far. I love the tip for using it on your skin. I did a facial and rubbed in on with a small amount of water. My skin felt very soft afterwards. Thank you!
About the oven temperature. I found that placing a brooder lamp with a 40 watt bulb inside the oven with the door shut works perfectly. It maintains the required temperature. I make sure to point the light direction away from the ferment and not towards it.
Thanks for that tip, Kay!!