I love miso but it does have alot of sodium. Sodium makes your body retain water among other things.. I found that i don have to compleatly elimidate things like miso, shoyu, ponzu. but i do limit them and once a month(every 3 months lately) i do what is called a sodium buster diet. For 4-5 days is eat in the morning NO SODUIM added cottage cheese and a orange or grapefruit.(takes some getting used to) I dring a big glass of green tea (But brew it your self. not the flavored kind in a bottle) The tea is like a diuretic. Then for lunch i have chicken breast boiled with lemongrass and ginger and salt substitute. Add salt sub just before eating because it does not hold up in cooking. I also have steamed or raw broc(cant spell it) with a little balsamic vinagar. as a snack i have orange or grapefruit Then for dinner I have the same as lunch but i add brown rice. I drink the tea all day. after 4-5 days i usually lose 2-3lbs just in water. I live in hawaii and we love to eat here. Miso everything. Miso fish, soup, miso peanut i am surprised there is no miso cake!