Published: 13:04 BST, 20 August 2026 | Updated: 13:13 BST, 20 August 2026
Forget Kombucha, Miso and Matcha. The latest superfood export that's hot property at Asian supermarkets everywhere is nattō – fermented beans which are quickly becoming a TikTok sensation.
Sticky and slimy, the meal may just be the world's most polarising breakfast due to its unpleasant ammonia-like smell.
However, it's eaten by nearly 80 per cent of the Japanese population, usually over a bowl of steaming rice.
For centuries, it's been hailed as a nutritional powerhouse – believed to be linked to reduced risk of stroke, bone diseases and, most intriguingly, tooth loss.
Trade data shows Japan's exports of nattō have tripled since 2017, with taste test videos on TikTok raking in hundreds of thousands of views.
While a growing body of research seems to have proven the dish's supposed health benefits, experts have told the Daily Mail of significant risks for specific cohorts.
So should you be swapping your scrambled eggs for breakfast nattō? Here, experts reveal all about the stinky superfood…
Stinky, sticky and slimy, fermented bean dish natto may just be the world's most polarising superfood
First introduced in Japan in the 700s, nattō became a popular dish amongst aristocrats and warriors alike during the 1100s – later serving as an important part of Buddhist vegetarian cuisine from the 1300s–1500s, alongside tofu.
By the Edo period, from 1603–1867, nattō was a staple in most Japanese households – appearing in cookbooks and usually prepared at home.
To make the dish, soybeans were soaked in water, boiled or steamed, and blended with bacteria to ferment them.
Historically they were then wrapped in straw and left to ferment for about a day – depending on the season and temperature.
Today, however, nattō can be purchased ready–made from convenience stores and supermarkets across Japan.
In the UK, nattō is often sold at Japanese or Asian supermarkets, and can be ordered online. Around 100g of the beans – or two servings – costs around £5.
