Amazake, Isn’t it an alcoholic drink?

2023年3月1日 2023年3月1日

taizoyokhamatotsuka

What is Amazake?

Amazake tends to be regarded as an alcoholic drink because of the name, but it has only less than 1% alcohol content and is categorized as a non alcohol drink or low alcohol drink.
So it is OK for children or non-drinker to consume except for those that have a higher alcohol rate and are categorized as alcoholic drinks.
We associate Amazake with the drink that is offered at shrines when we visit during the New Year.
Recently, it has attracted attention as a healthy drink and is becoming popular.
Amazake is a drink made of fermented rice. It has a long history which goes back to the Kofun period (250 to 538AD ).

Generally, Amazake is made by adding Koji(molted rice) to cooled whole grain rice to cause enzymes to break down the carbohydrates into simpler unrefined sugars.
There is another recipe of mixing Sakekasu(Sake Lee) with water and adding sugar.

The health merit of Amazake

Nutritious
It contains a lot of nutrients as below
- Glucose
- Dietary fiber
- Oligosaccharide
- Vitamin B family
- Amino acid
- Kojic acid
Diet effect
The glucose contained in Amazake is not only an energy source but also has function of promoting digestion and raising blood glucose level.
Raising blood glucose level leads to stimulating the satiety center of the brain and makes us feel full.That’s why Amazake is recommended for people who go on a diet.
Skin beautification effect
Amazake contains abundant vitaminB2 and B6.
The VitaminB family has a function to support metabolism of protein.
The protein metabolism of skin promote waste to flow away.
Good for constipation
Amazake contains abundant dietary fiber and it has a function to tune up the intestinal environment.
Good bacteria increase and stimulate the intestine. It helps easy evacuation.
Fatigue recovery effect
The fungus of malted rice has a function of helping digestion absorption and it contributes to raise immunity.
Recently, it is easy to buy them in supermarkets.