Japanese Diet
Can Following a Japanese Diet Increase Your Lifespan?
What is it about Eastern culture? According to research, Japanese individuals tend to live longer than anyone else on the planet. Maybe it has to do with their style of eating.
First of all it is called a diet, but that simply means the way of eating that is native to the Japanese culture. Their method of eating meals is so different from what we are used to in the Western world that it is considered as a diet method.
Let’s take a look at the culture. In Japan, eating is much like a ritual. Meals are given a definite place in the daily routine. Here, we skip breakfast as a matter of course if we are in a hurry. Fast food restaurants provide the needed nourishment for busy people on the go.
Because meals are part of the daily routine, it is a feast for the eyes as well as the palate. Japanese meals are served on many plates. Instead of piling food up on one already sizable plate, smaller dishes are used to serve many things. It is almost like a community smorgasbord. Each person can take from a dish and add it to their small plate. You are eating more, but less at the same time.
Now, examine what is on those plates. It is not uncommon for Japanese families to eat what we consider “dinner fare” for breakfast. Soup is not usually thought of as a breakfast item, but they may eat soup and vegetables as part of their earliest meal.
What are the benefits? Well, vegetables are full of vitamins and antioxidants that help to retard the aging process going on in the body. Some choices like burdock (a root vegetable) and bamboo shoots are not usually eaten here but they can be found at an Asian market. Most vegetables are prepared fresh and we can find them in any market: red and green peppers, green beans, edamame, turnips and carrots.
Another difference is the cooking method. Soups and even vegetables are prepared in seasoned broth. The broth infuses the food with flavor so no additional seasonings or sauces are needed. Much fat can be hidden in heavy sauces and creams which also mask the true flavor of the food.
Very little oil is used to prepare the food. A tablespoon may be used for stir fried dishes and it will be healthy oil like canola. Steaming is a preferred method to bring out the flavor without the fat.
When you limit fats and choose foods that are filling and full of fiber, you eat less. You also ingest less trans fats and calories. Vegetables can be eaten all day with very little caloric intake.
The Japanese lifespan is about six or seven years longer than the average American’s. The main reason is the way that they eat. Adopting a simpler eating style with lots of variety may prolong your life as well.
