Amazake (Japanese fermented rice beverage) and its potential health benefits

Amazake is a sweet and non-alcoholic beverage with a long history in Japan. There are two types of amazake, koji amazake produced from rice koji and sakekasu amazake made from sake lees. Amazake has been suggested to be a functional food with various health benefits and cosmetic effects. The efficac...

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Main Authors: Klaus W. Lange, Yukiko Nakamura
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Tsinghua University Press 2025-01-01
Series:Food Science and Human Wellness
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.sciopen.com/article/10.26599/FSHW.2024.9250076
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author Klaus W. Lange
Yukiko Nakamura
author_facet Klaus W. Lange
Yukiko Nakamura
author_sort Klaus W. Lange
collection DOAJ
description Amazake is a sweet and non-alcoholic beverage with a long history in Japan. There are two types of amazake, koji amazake produced from rice koji and sakekasu amazake made from sake lees. Amazake has been suggested to be a functional food with various health benefits and cosmetic effects. The efficacy of both koji amazake and sakekasu amazake in improving bowel movements and defecation has been well studied. Amazake may be useful as a food with constipation relieving effects. Furthermore, beneficial effects of amazake on skin barrier function and skin water content in humans have been well established in randomized controlled trials. The findings of amazake effects on gut microbiota, intestinal environment and gut barrier function, mainly demonstrated in animal models, suggest a role of substances contained in amazake as prebiotics. Preliminary evidence indicates the potential value of amazake in the management of obesity, metabolic syndrome and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. Long-term and excessive intake tests have demonstrated that the consumption of koji amazake is safe. There are few concerns regarding weight gain or increases in blood sugar levels. The functional compounds and mechanisms involved in the health effects of amazake need to be identified in future research.
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spelling doaj-art-3d7703122fec4e47a91c91aca193e24e2025-08-20T02:47:52ZengTsinghua University PressFood Science and Human Wellness2097-07652213-45302025-01-01141925007610.26599/FSHW.2024.9250076Amazake (Japanese fermented rice beverage) and its potential health benefitsKlaus W. Lange0Yukiko Nakamura1Faculty of Human Sciences, University of Regensburg, Regensburg 93040, GermanyFaculty of Human Sciences, University of Regensburg, Regensburg 93040, GermanyAmazake is a sweet and non-alcoholic beverage with a long history in Japan. There are two types of amazake, koji amazake produced from rice koji and sakekasu amazake made from sake lees. Amazake has been suggested to be a functional food with various health benefits and cosmetic effects. The efficacy of both koji amazake and sakekasu amazake in improving bowel movements and defecation has been well studied. Amazake may be useful as a food with constipation relieving effects. Furthermore, beneficial effects of amazake on skin barrier function and skin water content in humans have been well established in randomized controlled trials. The findings of amazake effects on gut microbiota, intestinal environment and gut barrier function, mainly demonstrated in animal models, suggest a role of substances contained in amazake as prebiotics. Preliminary evidence indicates the potential value of amazake in the management of obesity, metabolic syndrome and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. Long-term and excessive intake tests have demonstrated that the consumption of koji amazake is safe. There are few concerns regarding weight gain or increases in blood sugar levels. The functional compounds and mechanisms involved in the health effects of amazake need to be identified in future research.https://www.sciopen.com/article/10.26599/FSHW.2024.9250076amazakegut microbiotabowel movementskin barrierfunctional foodhealth
spellingShingle Klaus W. Lange
Yukiko Nakamura
Amazake (Japanese fermented rice beverage) and its potential health benefits
Food Science and Human Wellness
amazake
gut microbiota
bowel movement
skin barrier
functional food
health
title Amazake (Japanese fermented rice beverage) and its potential health benefits
title_full Amazake (Japanese fermented rice beverage) and its potential health benefits
title_fullStr Amazake (Japanese fermented rice beverage) and its potential health benefits
title_full_unstemmed Amazake (Japanese fermented rice beverage) and its potential health benefits
title_short Amazake (Japanese fermented rice beverage) and its potential health benefits
title_sort amazake japanese fermented rice beverage and its potential health benefits
topic amazake
gut microbiota
bowel movement
skin barrier
functional food
health
url https://www.sciopen.com/article/10.26599/FSHW.2024.9250076
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