When I moved from Japan to the U.S. in the 1990s, it wasn’t always easy to get the ingredients I knew and loved. But there were some staples that were easier to come by, like whole grains and beans.
From there, I built my favorite breakfast: brown rice, beans, “natto” (fermented soybeans), “nukazuke” (pickled vegetables), wrapped with nori (seaweed) and topped with roasted sesame seeds. I have it with a bowl of miso soup and hojicha green tea.
I call this meal my “yakuzen zakkokumai,” or medicinal multigrain rice. It is a healing, restorative start to my day. As a nutritionist, I recommend it to my clients, too.
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beans and seaweed are all good sources of fiber. Thanks to the fermentation process, natto and nukazuke are also rich in probiotics. Fiber and probiotics are both helpful for your overall gut health and digestion.
My ideal breakfast, served with extra miso soup.
Photo: Michiko Tomioka
The nori and green tea both contain polyphenols, naturally occurring compounds in plants that are rich in antioxidants, help fight illness and inflammation, and manage blood sugar levels — the whole grain rice helps with that, too.
The tofu in my miso soup, and beans in general, are good sources of protein and essential amino acids, without the cholesterol and environmental impact that meat, dairy or poultry can have.
