We are going to try to provide our readers a diet or an exercise from time to time, so they can choose what they think it is best for them.This is not so much a diet, but a national way of eating - after all 127 million Japanese can’t all be on a diet and they all look pretty slim to me!
The Japanese diet is about as different from a Western diet as it is possible to get. It is relatively low in fat, high in fibre, high in omega-3’s from eating lots of fish. Protein from meat is modest as meat is eaten in small quantities, while vegetable intake is high.
Some foods are significantly different, for instance seaweed, which is very high in minerals, is an intrinsic part of the diet, fermented soya (tofu) is a staple, and other mineral-rich foods like sesame are included regularly. Also of great importance is that their cooking methods are extremely healthy: steaming or flash-frying in a minimum of oil or on a hibachi (grill). The Japanese use a lot of strong flavours, like ginger and radish, which reduces the need for using fats. In general it is a very ‘clean tasting’ cuisine. Dairy foods do not feature in the Japanese diet.
Because this is not a regular diet, the time needed for it is indefinite. Just use it as long as you think you have to. You don’t have to worry if you practice it too long, because it is a way of eating.
checklist
restaurants: Yes, if you have a Japanese take away or restaurant near you.
alcohol: Yes, rice wine, but the Japanese (and Chinese) are mostly physically unable to process alcohol in the same way as those in the West, meaning that very little is actually drunk.
caffeine: Green tea.
need to buy special foods: Yes
ok for vegetarians: Yes, but fishitareans might fare best.
You probably can’t get a better balanced diet (apart from salt levels), but the likelihood of a Western person adopting this approach full-time is questionable. Instead it may be useful to learn to adapt it to commonly available Western foods, for instance eating more fish and vegetables and employing healthy cooking methods.
The Japanese diet is about as different from a Western diet as it is possible to get. It is relatively low in fat, high in fibre, high in omega-3’s from eating lots of fish. Protein from meat is modest as meat is eaten in small quantities, while vegetable intake is high.
Some foods are significantly different, for instance seaweed, which is very high in minerals, is an intrinsic part of the diet, fermented soya (tofu) is a staple, and other mineral-rich foods like sesame are included regularly. Also of great importance is that their cooking methods are extremely healthy: steaming or flash-frying in a minimum of oil or on a hibachi (grill). The Japanese use a lot of strong flavours, like ginger and radish, which reduces the need for using fats. In general it is a very ‘clean tasting’ cuisine. Dairy foods do not feature in the Japanese diet.
Because this is not a regular diet, the time needed for it is indefinite. Just use it as long as you think you have to. You don’t have to worry if you practice it too long, because it is a way of eating.
checklist
restaurants: Yes, if you have a Japanese take away or restaurant near you.
alcohol: Yes, rice wine, but the Japanese (and Chinese) are mostly physically unable to process alcohol in the same way as those in the West, meaning that very little is actually drunk.
caffeine: Green tea.
need to buy special foods: Yes
ok for vegetarians: Yes, but fishitareans might fare best.
You probably can’t get a better balanced diet (apart from salt levels), but the likelihood of a Western person adopting this approach full-time is questionable. Instead it may be useful to learn to adapt it to commonly available Western foods, for instance eating more fish and vegetables and employing healthy cooking methods.
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