Could an Enzyme in a Traditional Japanese Dish Hold the Key to Treating COVID-19?

Natto, a popular Japanese breakfast food, contains an anti-clotting, anti-spike protein powerhouse called nattokinase

A bowl of natto—a traditional Japanese dish of fermented soybeans / NOBUHIRO ASADA via Shutterstock

Japan is a country famous for the health and longevity of its citizens and boasts people with the longest life expectancy on Earth. It’s also home to the world’s largest population over 65 (at 28 percent) and some of the world’s lowest rates of cardiovascular disease and stroke. So what lessons can we learn from the Japanese that may help us thrive long into old age?

Part of the answer may lie in one of Japan’s traditional foods—called natto. Natto is made from fermented soybeans and has been part of the Japanese diet for hundreds of years. Natto was traditionally eaten for breakfast—often with rice and a raw egg. It has a strong odor and slimy consistency, making it unappealing to most people outside Japan.