Miso

Overview

Miso is a fermented soybean paste providing live probiotics, postbiotic compounds, and umami flavor, supporting gut-brain axis communication.

Within the BRAIN Diet framework, fermented foods such as sauerkraut, kimchi, kefir, miso, and kombucha provide live microbes + postbiotic peptides; improved SCFA pools; vagal signaling [1][2].

Key Nutritional Highlights

• Fermented soy products such as miso modulate gut–brain signalling through microbiota pathways [1]
• Traditional fermented soy pastes deliver live microbes and fermentation-derived metabolites [2]
• Miso is a fermented soybean paste providing live probiotics, postbiotic compounds, and umami flavor, supporting gut-brain axis communication. [1]
• Fermented foods such as sauerkraut, kimchi, kefir, miso, and kombucha provide live microbes + postbiotic peptides; improved SCFA pools; vagal signaling. [2]
• Miso is a fermented soybean paste providing live probiotics, postbiotic compounds, and umami flavor, supporting gut-brain axis communication.

Food Context

Synergies

• Part of fermented foods strategy

Sourcing

• Choose unpasteurized for live probiotics

Preparation

• Use in moderation due to sodium content
• Add at end of cooking to preserve probiotics

Essential Amino Acid Profile

Miso provide a relatively complete plant protein (higher in lysine than most grains). Pairing with grains or other legumes still supports dietary variety and amino acid balance.

Recipes

no recipes found

Nutrient Tables (per 100 g)

Core nutrients

Nutrient	Amount per 100 g	% RDA per 100 g
Energy	198 kcal	—
Protein	12.8 g	—
Total fat	6 g	—
Saturated fat	1 g	—
Carbohydrates	25.4 g	—
Fibre	5.4 g	—

Key micronutrients

Nutrient	Amount per 100 g	% RDA per 100 g
Iron	2.5 mg	13.8%
Zinc	2.6 mg	23.3%
Magnesium	48 mg	11.4%
Selenium	7 µg	12.7%
Calcium	57 mg	5.7%
Potassium	210 mg	6.2%
Choline	72.2 mg	13.1%
Folate	19 µg	4.8%
Vitamin B12	0 µg	0%
Vitamin B6	0.2 mg	11.7%

Bioactive compounds

Values below are often from specialist compositional databases or literature, not the standard USDA panel. Asterisks (*) refer to source notes at the bottom of this section.

Compound / class	Amount per 100 g	Notes
ALA	500 mg	—

Note: Bioactive-compound values vary substantially by cultivar, species, cocoa or oil percentage, processing, and brand formulation. Show quantitative values only where a defensible source exists; otherwise prefer qualitative presence statements or ranges in source notes.

Reference intakes: US Dietary Reference Intakes for adults (19–50 years; using the higher of male/female values where they differ).

Data provenance (core / micronutrient panel): USDA FoodData Central, Miso, FDC ID 172442, API, per 100 g edible portion, last checked 2026-03-14

Substances

Substances in this food: editorial (Overview / literature) plus analytical (nutrition table).

11 substances in this food

Na⁺

Sodium

Electrolyte for fluid balance and nerve function

Fe²⁺

Iron

Oxygen transport; dopamine synthesis (tyrosine hydroxylase cofactor)

Zn²⁺

Zinc

Cofactor in neurotransmission and antioxidant enzymes; dopamine modulation

Mg²⁺

Magnesium

Enzymatic cofactor (>300 reactions); neurotransmitters; mitochondria; redox balance

Se^2-

Selenium

Antioxidant enzyme cofactor (GPx); supports redox balance

Ca²⁺

Calcium

Bone health; neurotransmission; interacts with vitamin D and K2

K⁺

Potassium

Electrolyte for nerve transmission, muscle function, and blood pressure regulation

Choline

Acetylcholine precursor; methyl donor; phospholipid synthesis for membranes

Vitamin B9 (Folate; 5-MTHF)

One-carbon metabolism; methylation; homocysteine recycling

Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine → PLP)

PLP cofactor for neurotransmitter synthesis; relies on brain PDXK activation

ALA (Alpha-Linolenic Acid)

Essential omega-3 precursor; limited conversion to DHA/EPA

References

[1] Fermented soy products such as miso modulate gut–brain signalling through microbiota pathways. Bravo et al. 2011. Ingestion of Lactobacillus strain regulates emotional behavior and central GABA receptor expression in a mouse via the vagus nerve

[2] Traditional fermented soy pastes deliver live microbes and fermentation-derived metabolites. Jakobi et al. 2024. The gut-microbiome in adult Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder - A Meta-analysis