Many Japanese meals come with a bowl of miso soup, sometimes referred to as Japanese chicken soup due to its nutritional value. While dashi, a soup stock consisting of kelp, dried bonito flakes and sometimes mushrooms soaked in water, has little in the way of nutrition, the other ingredients -- wakame, miso, tofu and scallion -- offer up many benefits that it make it quite good for you.
Wakame
In addition to a briny flavor, wakame, a type of seaweed in miso soup, contributes small quantities of vitamins and minerals to your diet. Two tbsp. provides 0.1 mg of manganese, 20 mcg of folate and 11 mg of magnesium, less than 10 percent of the daily suggested intake. In addition, you take in trace amounts of your daily needs of vitamins A, C, E and K, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, iron, phosphorus and copper.
Miso
Miso, a fermented soybean paste, provides savory flavor to miso soup. It is high in sodium -- a 1-oz. serving provides 1,044 mg, more than two-thirds the recommended limit of 1,500 mg -- but it is also high in vitamin K and manganese, with approximately 8 mcg of vitamin K and 0.2 mg of manganese. Evidence published in the December 2010 issue of "The Journal of Nutrition" indicates that eating soy foods, such as miso, may relieve some menopause symptoms, although more research is needed.
Tofu
The chunks of tofu in miso soup are a good source of protein. Each 1.7 oz. serving of tofu provides 4.9 g of protein; while this is a small amount in comparison to the 50 to 175 g you require daily, it derives from vegetables, which makes it an option for vegetarians. It is also a complete protein, so it has all essential amino acids.This serving of tofu also provides 0.4 mg of manganese, a significant portion of the 1.8 to 2.3 mg you require each day. The manganese in tofu helps your body metabolize fat and carbohydrates.
Scallion
Sliced scallions typically float in miso soup broth, providing crunch and a fresh flavor. This raw vegetable also provides vitamin K, which your body uses to keep your blood coagulating normally. A 1-tbsp. serving of scallions contains 12.4 mcg of this vitamin; women need 90 mcg per day, and men require 120 mcg daily. In addition the scallion's role in blood clotting, it may also help with bone strength, also thanks to its vitamin K content.
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