Nuclear War Fear? The Food That Protected Japanese People Against Atomic Bomb Radiation in Nagasaki

Talk about a powerhouse food.

Like anything within its radius, food can also be susceptible to the effects of nuclear contamination, even decades after an event.

But one food may actually protect against the effects of radiation from an atomic bomb, according to research and stories from those in Nagasaki.

One common Japanese food may protect against the harmful effects of nuclear events, such as cancer.

It’s no surprise that radiation exposure brings on a number of health risks, from mild skin burns and nausea to life-threatening cancer.

However, the Japanese turned to miso, a soybean paste fermented in salt, to treat the sick and wounded after the atomic bomb.

After the second bomb dropped, physician Tatuichiro Akizuki was working at a hospital located only one mile from the center.

However, neither Akizuki nor any of his staff or patients suffered any acute radiation disease.

Eating miso every day was thought to protect those near the Nagasaki atomic bomb from harmful effects of radiation.

The doctor believed this was due to eating miso soup with a garnish of wakame seaweed every day, making him the first person to note the radioprotective effects of miso in maintaining health.

Further research on the extent of radiation protection from miso on mice, however, showed that a certain concentration of the food must already be present in the body.

Miso that’s been fermented for longer may also result in an extended lifespan after nuclear activity.

But it’s not just those in the presence of nuclear war who are exposed to radiation.

Cancer patients may also benefit from consuming more miso, as it was effective in suppressing lung, breast and liver tumors in the mice.

This is thanks to genistein, a phytochemical that cuts off blood flow to cancerous tumors and suffocates them.

This process, called anti-angiogenesis, could be an ideal form of cancer therapy as it attacks the cancer cells but leaves normal cells unaffected.

Not only could this soybean paste offer radiation protection, but it’s also rich in friendly bacteria to help digestion and high in protein.

Adding miso to your diet, along with seaweed, green tea, pickles and mushrooms, could stave off dementia and help an aging brain.