Get out Your Chopsticks for a Longer Life! By Suzanne Laurie

April 30, 2012 | In Health, News

The statistics speak for themselves - Japan has the lowest obesity rates in the developed world (1.5% as opposed to over 20% in Ireland), a life expectancy of 82 years (longer than anywhere in Europe) and a population than can anticipate an average of 75 years of healthy and disability-free living. Sushi anyone?!

Japanese health and longevity is due to a healthy and active lifestyle – including some very specific food choices and specific ways of eating and appreciating food. Just incorporating a few of these into your daily life could help improve your own health and have the added bonus of making meal times a whole lot more interesting!. The basic dietary principles are as follows:

  • Rice is the staple of Japanese cuisine: However, the vast majority of rice eaten in Japan is now refined polished rice, so opt for whole grain instead.
  • Buckwheat noodles are also very popular and offer a multitude of nutrients – these can be found in the international section at supermarkets and also in many health food shops alongside other tasty and healthy pasta alternatives.
  • The Japanese eat about 70kg of fish per person per year, that’s four times as much as the average person elsewhere in the world.
  • They also eat 10 times more soya produce than any other nation. However the soy they eat is always from the whole bean and is very often fermented unlike the highly processed soya milks, etc. that are most often available in the West. Get down to your local health food shop and check out their selection of tempeh, miso, tamari, oomboshi plums etc. – then experiment with them to develop delicious new dishes.
  • The Japanese also LOVE their vegetables. The most popular Japanese dish for home cooking is mixed vegetables simmered in seasoned broth. The most commonly added vegetables are red and green bell peppers, green beans, courgette, aubergine, onions, burdock, tomatoes, lettuce, carrots, spinach, bamboo shoots, beets, turnips, daikon (or giant white radish), shiitake mushrooms, sweet potatoes, and seaweed (or sea vegetables), such as kombu, nori and wakame. As many as four or five different varieties of vegetables are served in a single meal (including breakfast!).
  • Recent studies suggest that Japanese people eat an average of 100 different foods a week, compared to just 30 in many western countries.
  • A premium is also placed upon freshness and natural flavour; people like to eat seasonally in Japan and often choose local produce over imported alternatives.
  • Portions of food tend to be smaller in Japan and each meal is eaten slowly and savoured thoroughly. It is this portion control that helps stop binging and over eating. The average Japanese person eats about 25% fewer calories per day than the average American. In Japan, food is served on separate small plates and bowls instead of on one big plate. Food is shared with everyone taking turns in having little tastes of everything. Research shows that when we’re served more, we tend to eat it - whether we planned to and were hungry for it or not.
  • Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, giving a boost of energy and preventing hunger pangs later. The Japanese do not eat typical ‘breakfast’ foods such as cereals, instead opting for steamed rice, miso soup with tofu, spring onions or maybe omelette or grilled/steamed fish washed down with a cup of green tea.
  • In the Japanese diet, food is usually steamed, pan-fried, simmered or stir fried over intense heat. These cooking methods help the food retain more of the nutrients, particularly antioxidants.
  • The traditional Japanese diet would also contain many fermented and pickled foods, such a vegetables, for when fresh food was not available. Naturally fermented and pickled foods are packed with probiotic bacteria which help maintain a healthy gut and immune system.
  • And the best news? The Japanese diet actually contains quite a few sweet treats. The difference is that they view them as an integral part of their lifestyle and therefore do not overdo the portions due to a vicious cycle of self denial, binging and guilt!





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