Is Miso Bad for a Low-Sodium Diet?

There are many benefits to a good bowl of miso soup. Indeed, Japan’s heavy consumption of this classic dish may account for much of the country’s good health. The one big concern that some people have when it comes to miso soup is the high sodium content; with the average teaspoon of miso featuring between 200 and 300 milligrams of this blood-pressure-raising element, it can easily scare away those struggling with high sodium levels.

The good news is that, according to recent studies, miso’s high sodium content may not be as bad as it seems. A research team fed miso to one group of lab animals, giving a second group a comparable amount of salt. They found that the animals who got their sodium from the miso did not experience an increased blood pressure. After repeating the test on humans, similar results were found. The reasons behind this are not well understood.

So, when you come to our Japanese restaurant in Lynnwood, don’t be afraid of trying one of our delicious miso soup options. We have both the classic miso and asaro miso, served with manila clam.