What is a macrobiotic diet?
A macrobiotic diet is considered an adaptation of the traditional Japanese diet. However, aspects of this diet have been practiced and consumed in other parts of the world dating back thousands of years.
What are the health benefits of a macrobiotic diet?
The macrobiotic diet contains few fats, sugars, refined foods, and chemicals. Some foods featured in a macrobiotic diet are associated with reduction in cancer risk. There have been anecdotal claims that a macrobiotic diet has other health benefits in people with cancer, but no systematic research to date.
What foods are featured in a macrobiotic diet?
The diet emphasizes organic and local foods as much as possible and primarily within the following proportions.
- 50 to 70% whole grains
- 20 to 25% vegetables
- 5 to 10% soups with vegetables, seaweed, grains, beans, and miso
What foods are included in moderation?
Nuts, seeds, fruits, and fish are consumed occasionally.
What foods are excluded?
Red meat, dairy, and sugar are avoided.
What other factors are key in the macrobiotic diet?
- Balance between yin (stimulation) and yang (strengthening, but stagnating effects if overconsumed) through food choices and preparation.
- Season, climate, activity, gender, age, health condition, and other factors help define each person's diet.
- Variations of the macrobiotic diet are recommended based on the provider and the patient.
What is the history of the macrobiotic diet?
Although the term macrobiotic was used by Hippocrates, the father of Western medicine, in the context of people who were healthy and had long lives, he word macrobiotic in relation to food and health was first coined in 1796 by Chistoph Wilhelm Hufeland of Germany. Variations of the macrobiotic diet have been used in Asia for centuries. Japan is known for promoting macrobiotics as a form of health care, including Japanese military doctor Sagen Ishizuka and his patient George Ohsawa. In the early 1950s, Michio Kushi introduced macrobiotics into the United States.
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