Live Long With The Macrobiotic Diet

The macrobiotic diet has become increasingly popular due to a number of celebrities that credit their bodies to this type of eating. The word macriobiotic comes from the Greek work “macro” which means  long and “bios” which means life. The macrobiotic diet was developed by a Japanese educator named George Ohsawa, who believed that simplicity was the key to optimal health .

The macrobiotic diet focuses on eating grains as a main food as well as vegetables and legumes while avoiding processed and refined foods. The basis is on low fat and high fibre in your diet with very little meat and rich in soy products. It also emphasizes eating small portions and chewing food thoroughouly.
Here are some simple guidelines of the macrobiotic diet:

Whole grains: This diet really emphasizes the importance of whole grains such as whole wheat bread,  brown rice, millet, barley, buckwheat and other whole wheat products. These shoud comprise about 50 to 60% of each meal.

Soup. Soup is encouraged on this diet, but preferrably home made soups or miso soup whcih is made from soybeans. It is suggested that one have one to two cups or bowls of soup per day.

Vegetables. Vegetables should mbe around 30% of your daily food intake but up to one third can be raw. It is suggested that the vegetables te steamed, boiled or baked.

Beans. High in fibre, beans are encouraged to make up 10% of the daily food intake. This includes cooked beans or bean products such as tofu, tempeh, and natto.

Animal products.  Meat, poultry, eggs, and dairy should be avoided but a small amount of seafood can be eaten a few times a week.

Fruit. Fruit can be eaten numerous times throughout the week. Most fruit is permitted but tropical fruits such as papayas and pineapples are not be eaten.

The macrobiotic diet can have a positive impact on health for many reasons. For one it is mostly plant based which means you will get less trans fats and it also contains lots of fibre whcih most people are lacking. Also, it is high in phytoestrogens can help to balance female hormones and help with menopause, premenstrual syndrome, and prevention against breast cancer and endometriosis. On the down side, the macrobiotic diet may be too restrictive and you may not get enough nutrients, protein, calcium or iron.