5 principles of healthy eating by Japanese people can apply

Japanese food is considered one of the healthiest food in the world. That's only true when you set yourself up for a traditional diet and avoid making some basic mistakes! That is why Japanese people are among the most lifelong in the world.

In a recent discovery, I had a conversation with some nutritionists and a few chefs to get an in-depth look at smart diets in Japan. And this is what I discovered: If you still want to enjoy good food but still stay healthy, follow the 5 eating principles below:

1. Follow the 'hara-hachibu' principle

The key to a healthy diet is to eat enough - don't eat too much.

Most of us are taught when we are young, eat everything that is served, and do not waste food. In other words, eat all that is served and not leave excess. But what would be better between putting down the plate before the last bite or trying to eat it all?

For the first time when looking at a meal in a Japanese restaurant, one of everyone's first thoughts is 'it looks bigger in photos'. The sizes of the rations are much smaller than those served overseas - this is a good point. Japanese people recommend that you should eat hara hachibu (hara hachibun-me) - eat about 80%. The amount of food on the plate is not scary; It allows you to enjoy the taste of food without having to be full afterwards. According to this principle, eating just needs enough and doesn't make you feel uncomfortable after that. Before eating the last piece, think that you really need to eat it. If you don't eat well, then leave it.

2. Avoid available food

You will find quite a lot of good food in supermarkets and grocery stores in Japan, but depending on them, it's really not good for health at all.

Limit shopping when you're hungry and avoid dinner when the supermarket starts to close.

Imagine that you come home at 9pm with work fatigue and you feel like nothing can make you more crazy with 30 minutes of cooking. Instead, you choose the fast food in the supermarket and feel comfortable with no longer having to cook because there is food available and discounted at this late evening.

Please stop! These foods are mostly equivalent to fast food, and if you store them just to satisfy your hunger and thirst, you will probably feel you will experience boredom or gain weight after a few. month. These prepared foods contain a lot more oil and preservatives than you think, so overuse will not be good for your waist and health.

Limit shopping when you're hungry and avoid eating dinner when the supermarket starts to close down - discounting some food items can lead you to fried foods, starches or an overly high-carb meal Don't help your health get better, it will even reduce your health over time. Instead, why don't you prepare a nutritious dinner for dinner before you leave for work in the morning? - I bet it won't take you more than 10 minutes.

3. Look for carb, sodium and sugar at meals

Three bad things in Japanese cuisine are carbohydrates, sodium and sugar. They are only needed for health in a certain amount, and we need to be careful with them to have a healthy diet.

Ramen, the soul of Japanese food is full of carb, sodium and also depends on sugar flavor.

Most Japanese meals have soy sauce (containing sodium), regardless of whether you see it or not. Miso soup, the main food on many menus in restaurants contains a good amount of sodium, some of which have nearly 1000mg of it packed in one meal. If you are relying on teishoku to stay healthy, be careful about sodium intake and pay attention to your blood pressure if you or your family has a history of heart disease. When buying food at stores, look for ingredients that help you determine the amount of sodium produced in the product.

Carbohydrates everywhere and even soba noodles are no longer safe because most soba stores use instant noodles made with refined flour up to 60% instead of buckwheat. If you are trying to not add carb in your diet, soba noodles (80% buckwheat, 20% wheat mix), or instant noodles from konnyaku or shirataki with plenty of fiber is the choice. the best for you.

At least we can see the road, but most of them can't see it. Did you know that most Japanese dishes have some sugar in one way or another to balance the flavor? I didn't know it until I watched a Japanese home cooking program - and one thing I found out was sugar in most sauces, stews, curry, some kind of karaage and even even in ramen. So, if you are trying to control the sugar, unfortunately you will have to sacrifice some authentic Japanese flavor in your healthful dishes.

4. Don't believe in a miracle diet

Banana diets from a few years ago are some of the examples of Japanese diets.

Every once in a while, you will have a wealth of information on how to eat in some foods that will probably make your life much better. During my time in Japan, I went through some diets from bananas, black garlic, natto, umeboshi (ginger sauce), kimchi / yakiniku, and some other strange regimes with the promise that it would be a miracle.

But none of the experts recommend buying a single food no matter how good it is. Tofu and green tea are often touted as a miraculous foreign food, but they are only a standard part of the traditional diet, and their effects are almost not as magical as People still praise it if they eat it too much or almost exclusively use them during meals without using any other dishes. That leads us to principle # 5.

5. The secret of diversity

A traditional Japanese meal is often made according to ichijyu sansai principle.

The variety of your meals will help you stay healthy and have a slender body. If you've ever had a chance to enjoy a traditional Japanese meal at a hot spring or when you visit Kyoto, you may notice a lot of dishes prepared from both the land and the sea.

A traditional Japanese meal is often made according to the ichijyu sansai principle (a soup with three vegetables plus rice and fish) to ensure a good balance for the body and that is the key to a regime healthy eating of Japanese people. Small portions have more than 15 different foods a day or even a meal, including beans, seafood, vegetables, with a little rice, noodles or meat - they provide enough vitamins and minerals substances that the body needs. For every meal of the day, try to eat each different type with a small amount.