A BALANCED AND HEALTHY DIET

The Japanese diet is healthy and well balanced. A traditional Japanese meal features fish, lots of vegetables, miso soup often made with seaweed, tofu and other nutrient-rich ingredients, and a small portion of rice. This combination is delicious, nutritious, and low in calories.  The ever-present seaweed, for example, is full of healthy minerals and is known to help lower blood pressure. 

Japanese cuisine uses little sugar or refined foods, which can bring on heart disease. Thie Japanese diet is responsible for the country’s very low obesity rates and its famed long lifespans. 

Fermented foods also play a big role in Japanese cuisine. Miso, soy sauce, natto, and tsukemono are all examples of fermented foods that are commonly featured on Japanese menus and in family kitchens. These fermented products are probiotic, making them especially good for our immune system. Other benefits of fermented food found through research include an ability to dissolve blood clots, improve liver functions, and even suppress the growth of cancerous cells.