Benefits of Miso Soup for Weight Loss: Dropping Pounds the Japanese Way

What are the benefits of miso soup for weight loss? Miso soup has made its way from the East to Western countries and is praised by some as a perfect meal for weight loss. However, is this true or is it just another fad?

What Is Miso Soup?

Miso soup is made from miso, a popular traditional Japanese seasoning that is fundamental in a lot of Japanese cuisine. This seasoning is the main ingredient in the soup and it’s said to have a distinctive savory flavor and aroma (1). In addition to being used to make miso soup, miso paste can also be used as a substitute for soy sauce.

Fun facts (1); 

• While miso is largely associated with Japan and Japanese cooking, it actually originated in China around 600 AD. 
• Miso is also used in cuisines in East and South East Asia. If you’re reading a recipe and happen to see Chiang, tauco, Jang or doenjang, taochieo or tao‐si, these all refer to the names of miso in China, Indonesia, Korea, Thailand, and the Philippines, respectively.

What Is Miso Soup Made of?

If you’re trying to make the soup at home, you will most likely use the miso paste that comes in a plastic or glass jar. But what is the paste actually made of? Miso paste is made from fermented soybean paste. The production of miso takes two fermentation stages (1)

1. The preparation of Koji – a substrate of soya beans and grains, which is inoculated with the mold Aspergillus oryzae and then fermented.
2. Once the Koji is ready, it is then mixed with salt and soybean mash and left to ferment again, this time by yeast and bacteria. This second fermentation process is what gives miso its unique flavor, texture, and nutritional composition.

An important fact to note is that not all miso pastes are classified in the same way. These pastes come in four different categories namely (1)

1. Rice miso, which is made from rice, soybeans, and salt.
2. Barley miso, which uses barley or naked barley in place of the rice mentioned above.
3. Soybean miso only uses soybeans and salt without the use of a grain.
4. Mixed miso is made from a combination of the above. Mixed miso pastes can be made with a combination of rice, barley, and/or soybean Koji.

Regardless of the kind of miso paste, all pastes will be fermented once with Koji mold. 

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If you want to try out a weight loss miso soup recipe but happen to see that the pastes are categorized by color here’s what each color means/represents (2)

• Red Miso – It gains its red color and name due to a longer fermentation process. Also known as Aka miso, it may sometimes look black, has a deeper flavor, and is more salty than white miso. Genmai miso is one type of red miso that you may come across at the grocery store.

• Yellow Miso – Also known as Shinsu miso, it looks either light yellow or light brown. This kind has a more acidic taste but is less salty than red miso.
• White Miso, also known as Shiro, is the most common flavor that originates from Kyoto, Japan and has a mild sweet taste. This paste is made from rice, barley, and soybeans.

• Mixed Miso – This is so named because it’s a combination of both white and red miso. Also known as Awase miso, it combines both flavor profiles and is rich in flavor while being mildly sweet.

• Barley Miso – Aka Mugi miso is made from barley malt and soybeans. Its color can be a reddish-brown to a dark brown and it has a sweet taste and a distinctly malty smell.

• Mame Miso – Made purely from soybeans, it has a reddish-brown color and a rich, pungent flavor due to its longer aging process (up to 3 years). 

• Kome Miso – This variety is made from white rice and comes in colors ranging from white to yellow and red. Kome pastes don’t have one distinct flavor as their taste is dependent on how the soybeans used for the fermentation were prepared. This variety is the most common that is found in grocery stores in the United States.
  

  What Are Some Miso Soup Health Benefits?

The benefits of miso soup for weight loss are what many of us are after when considering including it in our diets. Here are some other ways that this paste and the soup made from it could benefit your body and health:

• Miso Is Highly Nutritious

According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, eating foods that aren’t very nutritious puts you at an increased risk of obesity, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and other health problems (3). The World Health Organisation states that good nutrition helps protect you against many chronic non-communicable diseases, such as heart disease, diabetes, and cancer (4). A proper diet for healthy nutrition starts with choosing a variety of foods that are packed full of nutrients. Miso is one such food.

As previously stated, while this paste can be made with grains – namely rice and barley – the main product used is soybeans. Not only are soybeans rich in plant proteins, they also contain amino acids, polyunsaturated fatty acids‐rich lipids, vitamin E, lecithin, saponin, and isoflavones.

All these factors working together make miso incredibly nutritious and potentially beneficial for your body.

Read more: The Japanese Diet Holds The Key To Weight Loss: Here’s Why

• May Improve Your Gut/Digestive Health

Research has suggested that the consumption of all kinds of fermented foods can be beneficial for your gut and digestive health. Adding such foods to your diet may help support the friendly bacteria in your gut, which makes digestion and overall gastrointestinal health better in a number of ways (5, 6, 7).

Studies on the effect of miso on gut health show that (1):

1. It has properties that may help fight intestinal inflammation.
2. People who consume this soup daily may have a lower risk of developing stomach illnesses such as gastritis, gastric, and duodenal ulcers than those who consume it infrequently or never.
3. It contains properties that may inhibit Helicobacter pylori (aka H-pylori) (8), a bacteria that is involved in stomach ulcers and which may increase the risk of stomach cancer.

• May Reduce the Risk of Certain Types of Cancers

Fortunately, stomach cancer isn’t the only type of cancer where the risk may be reduced by adding miso to your diet. Research has suggested that miso soup and other soya-based foods may help reduce the risk of:

1. Breast cancer – A study published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute in 2003 found that Japanese women who consumed more miso soup and isoflavones had a lower risk of this disease than those who had less miso soup and isoflavones in their diet (9).
2. Liver Cancer – In 2005, a study published in the International Journal of Cancer found that the consumption of miso soup and other soya foods may reduce the risk of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), aka liver cancer (10).
3. Colorectal cancer – A more recent study published in 2020 in the Cancer Science journal found that the consumption of Japanese food, specifically miso soup and seaweed, may increase the odds of survival of both stomach and rectal cancer. 

Researchers found that patients who had consumed both seaweed and miso soup before suffering from either of these cancers had a better survival rate than those who consumed lower amounts. However, this point needs more research in order to be ascertained (11). 

• May Decrease the Risk of Stroke in Women

In a study published in the Circulation journal in 2007 researchers found that women, particularly postmenopausal women, who consumed soy products 5 times a week or more had a lower risk of cardiovascular disease mortality compared to those who consumed the same products just twice a week. 

Researchers concluded that a higher dietary intake of soy, miso soup, and beans and isoflavones was associated with a reduced risk of myocardial and cerebral infarction (heart attack and stroke, respectively). They stated that this reduced risk was even greater in postmenopausal women (12).

• May Strengthen Your Immune System.

Miso is a fermented food, and like many such foods, it’s naturally high in probiotics. While probiotics are known for their gut health benefits, they can also help with your immune system.

In a study published in the Current Opinion in Gastroenterology journal, researchers suggested that these live microorganisms may help regulate the functions of systemic and mucosal immune cells and intestinal epithelial cells. This means that a higher consumption of probiotic foods may support your immune system to help fight against allergies, eczema, and viral infections (13).

Research has also suggested that miso may have therapeutic potential against diseases as it has antidiabetic, antioxidative, anti‐inflammatory, anticancer, and antihypertensive properties (1). 

• Other Potential Benefits

Research has also found that this paste may help (1):

1. Reduce body radiation exposure.
2. Lower blood cholesterol as it has plant sterols, linoleic acid, and vitamin E, along with some others, and plays an important cardioprotective role. Lower blood cholesterol can mean a lower risk of heart disease.
3. Better skin – Miso may benefit skin by improving the skin’s stratum corneum water content, and its elasticity and texture. This is according to a study published in 2018 (14). 

In the study, women who consumed 3 bowls of miso soup a day for 2 weeks saw improvements in their skin compared to those who consumed 3 bowls of soup without miso for the same duration. Researchers concluded that miso soup may help your skin improve its moisture content and stimulate increased ceramide production (14).

How Does Miso Soup Benefit Weight Loss?

Miso soup may help with weight loss through the presence of soy. Research has suggested that soy has isoflavones, which work with other factors in the body to help reduce fat formation and adipose tissue distribution (1). 

Miso soup is also quite high in protein thanks to the soybeans that are used in its production. Higher protein meals are known to (15):

1. Help boost satiety, which prevents overeating.
2. Temporarily increase calorie burning through digestion. 
3. Help with increasing fat-free mass (muscle), which improves your metabolic rate and calorie burning – all factors that help with weight loss.

What Are the Disadvantages of Miso?

Perhaps the most concerning disadvantage of miso soup is its effect on blood pressure and heart rate. As miso is generally rather high in sodium, people are worried that it might negatively affect these two factors. However, this doesn’t seem to be the case according to scientific research:

• In a study on middle-aged and older Japanese individuals, researchers found the habitual consumption of this soup to have no significant effect on the blood pressure of these individuals. However, they found that the heart rates of those who had a higher consumption of this soup were lower than in those with a lower consumption (16).
• In a review published in 2020, researchers stated that miso soup doesn’t increase blood pressure and heart rate compared to the equivalent intake of salt. They stated that this effect was probably due to the lowering of the sympathetic nerve activity by this soup (17).

It is also probably more important to focus on the amount of sodium in your diet in general, rather than one otherwise healthy food. Having a cup of miso soup as part of an otherwise low-sodium diet is unlikely to significantly impact blood pressure, although individual experiences may vary. 

A concerning disadvantage of miso soup may be allergies. Soy allergies are among the more common food allergies. Please note that if you’re allergic to soybeans and soy products, then miso soup will likely trigger your allergy and should be avoided.

Read more: Weight Loss Soup Recipes: Filling But Low Enough In Calories To Get Your Weight Loss Moving

Sample Miso Soup Recipe for Weight Loss

This is a simple vegetarian soup recipe that can be perfect for a “meatless Monday” dinner (18).

Ingredients

• 750 ml vegetable stock (or chicken if you don’t need it to be vegetarian)
• 3 cm grated ginger
• 2 cloves of garlic (crushed)
• 1 fresh red chili (deseeded and chopped)
• 1/2 savoy/white/green cabbage (shredded)
• 1 grated carrot
• 2 tablespoons miso paste
• 100 g silken tofu

Preparation 

• Pour the stock into a pan and bring to the boil.
• Add the garlic, ginger, and chili to the pot, cover, and simmer for 5 minutes.
• Add the shredded cabbage and grated carrot to the pot, then cover and allow to simmer for 3 to 4 minutes.
• Stir in the miso paste and add the cubed tofu.
• Allow to cook for 4 to 5 minutes before taking off the heat and serving.

Miso Soup Calories: 184, Fats: 4.4 g, Proteins: 18.8 g, Carbs: 17.7 g. Please note that this recipe makes 2 servings.

Is Miso Soup Healthy?

Yes, it is. As demonstrated above, miso soup is incredibly healthy, which makes it a great addition to your diet. This soup is part and parcel of the Japanese Shokuiku diet that advocates for healthy eating habits through the consumption of more vegetables, fruits, and fish. However, it’s important to remember that miso is higher in salt, so it may benefit you to look for brands that are lower in salt and consider the salt content of the rest of the foods you’re eating.

Is Instant Miso Healthy?

Yes, it’s just as healthy – just be sure to watch out for the sodium content in the instant miso that you purchase.

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Should You Try the Miso Soup Fast Diet for Weight Loss?

No, you shouldn’t. Soup-only diets, including a miso soup diet plan, aren’t healthy for you and shouldn’t be considered a viable option for weight loss. Such eating plans are very low in calories and will have you starving for most of the day. They’re all fad diets that put your health at risk with the promise of unsustainable, and more often than not, unattainable weight loss.

If you want to add miso and other low-cholesterol soups to your diet for weight loss, have them as an accompaniment to a more substantial meal, rather than by themselves. Remember that weight loss is attained through a healthy calorie deficit, not through extreme diets and starving yourself.

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How to Add Miso Soup to Your Diet

Adding this meal to your diet isn’t as difficult as you may think. You can have it before any meal as a starter, and you may eat less overall as it contributes to how full you feel.  

On the other hand, you could add an egg, some lean beef or tofu, whole-wheat noodles, brown rice, and/or vegetables to make it a more wholesome, complete meal you can enjoy anytime.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Is miso soup keto-friendly?

Yes, miso soup by itself is keto-friendly. 100g of miso paste – which is more than you would need to make the average meal – only has 25.4 g of carbs (19). A one-cup serving of miso broth only has 5.45 g of carbs (20). Both quantities are lower than the recommended daily intake of carbs to maintain ketosis.

• Is miso soup a carb or a protein?

Miso soup has both carbs and proteins, in addition to fats as it’s made from soybeans – a plant-based source of protein, healthy fats, and complex carbs.

• Is miso good for your skin?

As mentioned above, miso soup may be good for the skin as it may help boost it’s hydration.

• Why do the Japanese eat so much miso soup?

Miso is part of the traditional Japanese cuisine, which continues to be consumed in the modern day today. Miso soup also has many potential health benefits that encourage people to consume it.

• What temperature kills probiotics in miso?

Probiotic strains start losing viability at temperatures exceeding 110°F (43°C). Once the temperature reaches 120°F (49°C) or higher, the probiotics become severely compromised, or worse, they die. However, probiotics aren’t the only reason for miso’s potential health benefits. 

The Bottom Line

The benefits of miso soup for weight loss lie mostly in the fact that the paste is relatively low in calories and high in protein. Most miso soups are often made with vegetables and plant-based protein such as tofu, which keeps them lower in calories and increases the protein content. 

Adding this soup to your diet ensures that you’re eating many more vegetables, which gives you many nutrients that you may otherwise not consume in other meals. However, as the paste is quite high in sodium, you may need to watch your salt intake.