Macrobiotic Diet Review
"Macrobiotic" is a word that comes from the Greek "macro" (long) and "bios" (life). The macrobiotic diet is originally a Japanese concept, combining the principles of Zen Buddhism with a Western-style vegetarian diet to create a lifestyle of peace, spirituality and health of mind and body - which should lead to a "long life."
Macrobiotic is rooted in the Eastern philosophy of balance - yin and yang - and encompasses both the physical and spiritual. Dietary balance is achieved by choosing your foods based on their salty, sweet, sour or bitter characteristics. Yin foods are cold, sweet and low key. Yang foods are hot, salty and aggressive. Equal parts of each keep the balance. Followers believe that food origin and quality have a direct effect on one's health, happiness, and well-being. As such, natural foods are healthier for the body and soul.
The diet is a natural, organic, primarily vegetarian affair (fish is permitted on some plans). It's low fat, high fiber with an emphasis on whole grains, soy products, beans and vegetables. It's supplemented with lesser amounts of fish, fruits, nuts and seeds. Strict adherence to a macrobiotic plan would mean only consuming locally grown, organic foods prepared by baking, steaming or boiling. Processed foods, meats, dairy, sugars, coffee, caffeinated tea, alcohol, chocolate, refined flour, starches and very hot spices are off limits. These things are barred because they are deemed to be too extreme - too stimulating, too toxic or too concentrated - and as such will throw off the balance.
The earliest, Japanese versions of macrobiotics became progressively more restrictive in their quest for yin and yang, evolving ultimately into diets of nothing more than brown rice and water. But macrobiotic principles gained notice, and ulimately popularity, outside of Asia when Japanese expats Michio and Aveline Kushi founded their Kushi Institute in Boston in 1978, and published their jointly authored handbook "Macrobiotic Diet." This book has come to be considered by many to be the bible of macrobiotic living.
The Americanized macrobiotic diet is what you'd call a "flexitarian" plan - mostly vegetarian and allowing occasional meat or fish. A rough nutritional breakdown would be 50-60% whole grains (particularly brown rice), 25-30% vegetables and seaweed, 5-10% beans and 5-20% fish, nuts, seeds, fruits and brothy soups. Those percentages can be adjusted depending on the season, the climate, your activity level, age and gender.
Because of its low fat, high fiber, chemical/toxin free nature, the macrobiotic diet is often prescribed for people suffering from cancer and chronic diseases, including immuno-deficiency afflictions like AIDS. There is some speculation that the high volume of soy products in the diet may reduce the risk of estrogen-related cancers like breast cancer - as soy is high in phytoestrogen (an estrogen-like chemical found in plant foods.) A diet this natural and healthy probably does offer protection against disease to some extent, however there is still no scientific evidence proving that it's effective for the prevention and treatment of breast and other cancers, AIDS, etc.
Still, the macrobiotic diet has at its core (super healthy) foods that are typically lacking in most western diets, and it will in all likelihood improve your overall health. Will you lose weight on a diet like this? Of course. But bear in mind that a program this restrictive requires tremendous discipline and dedication - if adhered to correctly this is no walk in the park. You will, to paraphrase an old cliche, be eating like a rabbit. Downsides? It's possible you'll develop nutritional deficiencies - iron, protein, calcium, Vitamin D, etc. - if you don't follow a plan created by a nutritionist or dietitian. Our advice: the fundamentals of this philosophy are solid, and you can still reap benefits without having to commit full board. Just make a conscious commitment to make healthier choices at every turn.