Japanese Diet Review

 

Japanese-born author Naomi Moriyama knows that the traditional Japanese diet is one of the healthiest diets in the world, and that (historically, anyways) Japanese people have been among the thinnest and healthiest people around. Living in the U.S. with an American-born husband, her observations on the American diet and the American obesity crisis inspired her to write ''Japanese Women Don't Get Fat or Old: Secrets from My Mother's Tokyo Kitchen," which suggests that Americans who adhere to the more traditional (less healthy) Standard American Diet (SAD, for short, should tell you something) should take a look at the elements of the traditional Japanese diet - and they may find that incorporating some or all of them will help them get thinner and healthier too.

Though most people - when they think of a "Japanese" diet - probably think first (and maybe only) of sushi, the Japanese eating tradition is actually much richer and more comprehensive than that, incorporating a whole range of foods and cultural guidelines. Moriyama describes the highlights as: The Japanese diet is primarily fish, vegetables, rice, soy, noodles, tea and fruits. In every meal, they eat small amounts of nearly all of these foods, while Americans, of course, are noted now more than ever for our giant portions and woeful amounts of fruits and veggies. The Japanese do not eat bread. They eat large breakfasts. The Japanese table is set - and food is served - not with one large dish like in the U.S. , but with multiple small dishes, effectively decreasing portion size. The Japanese cook lightly - no butter, little oil, etc. - they tend to flavor their foods with broths, and they are not a dessert culture - if at all their desserts tend to be fruit. And finally, Japan is a walking and bicycling culture - both in its rural regions (due to economy) and its cities like Tokyo, which is so packed, cramped and traffic-ridden that you'd avoid driving if you could.

Could you live on a Japanese diet? Consider that the Japanese eat up to six times more rice that the average American - and rice is served with every meal, including breakfast. Think about how filling rice is, and its ability to curb hunger....and remember that brown rice is healthier than white. The other dietary changes you'll need to make include incorporating 4 or 5 different vegetables into each meal (common in Japanese cooking are cabbage, broccoli, snow peas, bean sprouts and mushrooms), incorporating fish into 2 of your 3 meals per day (salmon, tuna, mackerel, etc.) and incorporating soy products (tofu), tea and fruit into every meal. Nutritionally, the Japanese diet is balanced and very low calorie....though one word of caution regarding the fish intake: in recent years mercury levels in wild ocean fish like some species of tuna, sea bass, swordfish and others have been found to be dangerously high and a health risk if consumed too often or in too high a quantity. Grocery store canned tuna even falls into this category - so be sure to research the fish you will be eating with any regularity to avoid potential problems.

Author Moriyama stresses the importance the Japanese place on beauty and harmony with food - hence the artistic presentations and beautiful little dishes - and that you should eat slowly to soak in and appreciate the beautiful presentations. And, of course, eating more slowly also gives your brain more time to process signals from the body that you are full - ultimately resulting in you eating less and not feeling bloated and stuffed post-meal. Moriyama states that when consuming a meal, you should only eat until you are about 80% full, and then push the plate away. Good advice - though it requires strict discipline and is probably not happening much in the U.S., if the never-ending advertising for antacids we're subjected to here is any indication. Will you lose weight on a Japanese diet? Eating primarily fish, vegetables and fruit in smaller portions is bound to lead to weight loss. Combining that nutritional plan with exercise will surely lead to weight loss that's sustainable for the long term. Downsides: expenses could be higher because the food is fresh, and some of the more exotic elements may not appeal or may not even be available in your area. Still, the fundamentals are totally sound.

(Note: It's interesting to observe that as the Japanese diet has evolved away from its traditional roots - due to influx and availability of western culture and American-style fast food - the Japanese, particularly younger generations, are not all as healthy and thin as they once were. Let that be a lesson to us.)