Miso is one of Japan’s staple food ingredients. It’s a fermented paste made from soybeans, salt, and a mould called koji (fungus Aspergillus oryzae) and is often used in many dishes, sauces, and soups.
Miso paste has many benefits especially for health and beauty. (Photo from: https://publicdomainq.net/miso-0018849/, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons)
It has various types depending on the ingredients used with it, giving it a variety of flavour profiles, from sweet to salty to fruity to savoury and more. Miso also comes in different colours based on the flavour profile it comes in. A darker colour means the miso is more mature and stronger in flavour (i.e. red miso) and a lighter colour means a milder and sweeter flavour (white miso).
But aside from satisfying the tastebuds, did you know that miso is also good when it comes to beauty?
Miso beauty benefits
One Japanese beauty secret that we often hear about, apart from using J-beauty products, is keeping a mostly healthy diet for a natural glow. Miso is a champion ingredient when it comes to this area, providing not only a burst of umami (savouriness) to many dishes but also helping one’s skin and overall health.
Here’s a roundup of some of miso’s beauty benefits.
1. Rich in antioxidants that help with anti-ageing and overall skin health
Just like many fermented ingredients used to promote good beauty and skincare practices, miso also carries a lot of antioxidants that are great for skincare. These antioxidants help reduce early signs of ageing and promote skin health from within through increased collagen production.
Miso comes in many colours, with varying flavour profiles. (Photo from: PhotoAC)
2. Helps improve skin moisture
According to a study conducted in 2018, miso intake also helps improve skin moisture and stimulate ceramide growth in the outer layer of the skin, strengthening the skin’s natural protective barrier.
