A Beginner’s Guide to Amazake (甘酒): Japanese Sugar-free Superdrink

Want to eat sugar-free but struggling to figure out a plant-based solution?

I get what you mean. As a health-conscious person with a plant-based lifestyle, I was wondering “Is there such a magical alternative?”

The short answer is…YES, amazake! This article will elaborate on what amazake is, the secret of its sweetness, some health benefits, how to enjoy amazake, and where you can get one. After reading this, you’ll grasp the big picture about this healthy beverage.

What is Amazake?

Amazake (甘酒, a.k.a., Koji Amazake) is a traditional Japanese sweet fermented rice drink made with rice koji. Rice koji refers to rice malt fermented by a mold named Koji culture (a.k.a. Aspergillus Oryzae).

Although “Amazake” literally means “sweet sake” in Japanese, it’s non-alcoholic and non-added sugar. Yet Amazake has a natural sweet and aromatic flavor in the porridge-like texture. This is thanks to the fermenting power of koji culture, which breaks down rice’s starch into smaller pieces of glucose (simple sugar) when soaked in 50-60℃ water for a while.

Health benefits of Amazake

As a result of its fermentation process, Amazake has plenty of advantages in terms of nutritional values and gut health.

This traditional sweet drink is packed with B vitamins (i.e., V. B1, B2, B6) as well as glucose, all of the essential amino acids, biotin, and folic acid. Those goodies are released by digestive enzymes produced by koji culture during the process of fermentation. Here are two primary enzymes.

• Amylase: breaks starches into sugars.
• Protease: breaks proteins into amino acids.

This nutrition-rich aspect is why Amazake is known for promoting immune systems, keeping hair and skin healthy, boosting metabolism, promoting anti-aging, alleviating fatigue, helping muscle recovery, and so forth.

Not only that, multiple studies show that this fermented drink is rich in fiber and gut-friendly bacteria improving the intestinal environment, which leads to boosting digestion and elimination.

How to make amazake at home

Norio

Fermented food? Sounds complicated to make on my own…

Nico

No worries! Homemade amazake is quite simple and easy. Here is all you need to do.

How to enjoy Amazake

You might imagine Amazake simply as a beverage. Yes, it’s yummy to drink amazake just as is. Yet, amazake is not confined to just beverages: you can use it as a natural sweetener for your homemade meals, dressing, smoothies, and desserts.

Personally, I would recommend using amazake as an alternative sweetener for your favorite Matcha sweets recipes. Just swap sugar or other sweetener to amazake, equivalent or a bit more amount of the original recipe. The natural rice-oriented sweetness goes perfectly with the Japanesy bitter aroma of Matcha!

From here you will find versatile Amazake recipes, a wonderful resource to get some ideas.

Where to buy amazake

Can’t obtain rice koji or a yogurt maker? Too busy for home-making?

Here’s some good news. Amazake products are available at Japanese retail stores!

Here is a variety of Amazake from the most common brand “Marukome.” You can get them at Japanese supermarkets, or even convenience stores!

Whereas commercial Amazake products are convenient (especially if you want to try Amazake during your trip), they have fewer health-promoting effects because of the heating process for stopping fermentation before shipping to last longer.

Due to the heat, it is argued that in Amazake products, enzymes have been deactivated and some nutrients have been lost.

Nico

That being said, this doesn’t mean they have no good at all. It’s still worth trying!

Summary

Amazake is…

• An ancient Japanese rice-fermented drink
• Non-sugar, non-alcoholic, and naturally sweet thanks to koji fermentation
• Rich in nutrients and gut-friendly
• Versatile in use
• Easy to make by yourself
• Commercial Amazake products are also available at Japanese supermarkets and convenience stores (Convenient and yummy, but fewer health benefits)

Have a nice amazake time!

Nico

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A 24-year-old female worker born and raised in Japan.

[Backgrounds]
・Raised by a foodie family in Nagano (a rural region known for top longevity around Japan)
・1-year exchange experience in the Netherlands as a high school student
・Starting up a plant-based cooking club at college
・ Working experience in a Japanese fermented food company