Japanese health food!

Many of us look forward to that steaming bowl of miso soup—with its delicate cubes of tofu and bits of green onion—before a good Japanese meal. Did you know that, besides being delicious, miso is also one of the six healthiest staple foods in Japanese cuisine, according to www.sixwise.com? Miso—a fermented soybean paste—contains many immune-system-strengthening trace minerals, such as zinc, manganese and copper; studies have also found it reduces the risk of breast cancer.

Others on the list of six include seaweed, which is rich in minerals as well as pantothenic acid, riboflavin, vitamin C, fiber and beta-carotene; mushrooms, which are loaded with B vitamins, calcium and minerals, and promote heart and immune-system health, among other things; and that scrumptious raw-fish dish called sashimi, which is a great source of protein and omega-3 fats (see “Knowledge is power,” page 16, for more on sushi consumption).

Go to www.sixwise.com for the complete list and health benefits of each item.