A Japanese scholar, George Ohsawa, created the Macrobiotic Diet not just as a diet but as a philosophy where a healthy lifestyle and diet should be simple. The diet has come under much controversy due to its strict values whereby at one stage in the diet you are only allowed brown rice and water. Other versions have evolved from Ohsawa’s macrobiotic diet and the Kushi diet has since taken over as the popular alternative. Michio Kushi, in 1978 made the diet popular in North America and published many books on the subject.
Why Are People Interested In The Macrobiotic Diet?
People interested in diets such as the macrobiotic are looking for a new simple, healthy way of eating that doesn’t just focus on food but on spiritual and planetary health. It is low in fat, high in fibre and mostly vegetarian, focusing on vegetables and whole grains. It is also high in phytoestrogens from soy.
It has been popular with cancer patients as they are often recommended to have low fat, high fibre diets and the phytoestrogen products may help reduce certain oestrogen cancers such as breast cancer. Although low fat, high fibre diets are beneficial there is inadequate evidence to back up that this is the ideal diet for curing or preventing cancer.
What Are You Allowed In The Macrobiotic Diet
Over half of a macrobiotic diet would consist of wholegrains. These include brown rice, barley, rye, buckwheat, millet and other whole grains. Ocasionally you can eat, pasta, noodles and bread. The remaining half of the daily intake is vegetables raw, steamed or boiled as an accompaniment or as a bowl of soup and beans such as tofu and natto.
Fish can be eaten two or three times a week but accompanied by wasabi, ginger or mustard to act as a bodily detox from the effects of the fish. Red meat, poultry and dairy are excluded.
Natural sea salt, brown rice vinegar and roasted seaweed can be used as seasonings. For cooking, dark sesame oil , corn oil and mustard seed oil.
Fruit can be eaten but only a few times a week such as pears, peaches, grapes, melon and berries and should be locally grown. Exotic fruit such as mango and pineapple are excluded as it is not considered suitable to eat produce from hot climates in temperate climates. Seeds and nuts are eaten only ocasionally and can be roasted with sea salt.
Sweets are excluded such as sugar, honey, chocolate and carob but natural sweeteners such as rice syrup and barley malt are acceptable in moderation. Desserts are permitted two or three times a week such as apples or dried fruit.
Guidelines for diet are unique for every person and are based on age,gender,activity,climate,the season and particular health requirements.
The Advantages Of The Macrobiotic Diet
The advantages of the macrobiotic diet are it promotes healthy eating through high fibre, low fat ingredients such as vegetables, beans ans whole grains. It avoids high fat and saturated fat but includes high phytoestrogens to help female imbalance of hormones and can help with menstrual problems and prevention of breast cancer. It is low in sugar but avoids all dairy, eggs and meat which may carry high fat and chemicals.
The Disadvantages Of The Macrobiotic Diet
As dairy is avoided, there is a distinct lack of calcium so this needs to be made up with nuts and leafy green vegetables. Without red meat, the main iron source is neglected and a lack of energy can result from the lack of animal protein and dairy. Nutritionists believe it is a very restrictive diet and shouldn’t be encouraged.
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