DistantNews
Support us
🇹🇼 Taiwan /Health & Science

Doctor Reveals Japanese Longevity Secret: One Food Boosts Bone Strength and Protects Blood Vessels

From Liberty Times · () Chinese

Translated from Chinese, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Context piece
  • Japanese people have a high average healthy life expectancy, with diet playing a significant role in their longevity.
  • Natto, a fermented soybean dish, is highlighted for its high content of Vitamin K2 (MK-7), which aids calcium storage in bones and prevents arterial calcification.
  • Consuming about half a pack (20 grams) of natto daily can provide the recommended intake of MK-7, contributing to bone health and vascular well-being.

The secret to the Japanese people's renowned longevity and high healthy life expectancy may lie in their diet, particularly in a fermented soybean dish called natto.

According to family physician Dr. Chen Xin-mei, natto is rich in Vitamin K2, specifically the MK-7 variant. This essential nutrient plays a crucial role in directing calcium within the body. It helps ensure that calcium is effectively stored in the bones, strengthening them, while simultaneously preventing its accumulation in blood vessel walls, a condition known as arterial calcification.

Calcium is the building material for bones, but it's not that the more you eat, the better. The key is sending it to the right place, and K2 plays the role of a calcium delivery person.

— Dr. Chen Xin-meiThe family physician explains the function of Vitamin K2 in calcium metabolism.

"Calcium is the building material for bones, but it's not that the more you eat, the better. The key is sending it to the right place, and K2 plays the role of a calcium delivery person," Dr. Chen explained. She elaborated that Vitamin K is divided into K1, found in dark leafy greens and responsible for blood clotting, and K2, derived from fermented foods and animal products, which governs calcium distribution.

MK-7 has a long half-life, about 3 days, so eating a small amount can lead to stable accumulation and exert its effects.

— Dr. Chen Xin-meiDr. Chen highlights the sustained action of Vitamin K2 (MK-7) found in natto.

The MK-7 form of K2, found abundantly in natto, has a long half-life of approximately 68 hours. This means that even a small, consistent intake can lead to stable accumulation and beneficial effects. Dr. Chen suggests that consuming about half a pack of natto, roughly 20 grams, daily can meet the recommended intake of 90–180 micrograms of MK-7, potentially contributing significantly to maintaining health into old age.

Japan's healthy life expectancy, which hovers around 73 to 74 years, is among the highest globally. While many factors contribute to this, the inclusion of nutrient-dense foods like natto in the traditional Japanese diet is considered a key element in promoting long-term health and well-being.

If the goal is to consume 90–180 micrograms of MK-7 daily, consuming about half a pack of natto (about 20 grams) can meet the target.

— Dr. Chen Xin-meiThe physician provides a practical recommendation for incorporating natto into the diet for optimal Vitamin K2 intake.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Liberty Times in Chinese. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

More Stories

From Our Blog