At our Seattle Korean restaurant, we have a long list of menu items that feature the traditional Korean soybean paste, doenjang. This paste is very much like the Japanese miso. The trained palate would notice a few differences between the two; doenjang features a thicker and richer taste, for example, containing actual chunks of the soybeans mixed into the paste. The two are the same where it is most important, however, in that they both share the incredible health benefits of fermented soy.
Though soy products have been widely criticized in recent years, it’s become more and more clear that the real champion of your health is soy in its fermented forms. While unfermented soy is difficult for the body to digest, the fermentation process breaks up complex sugars and protein enzyme inhibitors to make the soy’s valuable nutrients more available to the body. The health benefits of such foods are many, and include the inhibition of certain cancers, the reduction of inflammation, increased bone durability, improved metabolism, and lower cholesterol.
If you’d like to experience the many benefits of doenjang, order up a bowl of soy paste soup at Old Village! You’d be hard pressed to find a more delicious way to do your body a favor.