The obesity crisis exploded in the 1960s when the food chain changed drastically. Fast food restaurants popped up everywhere. Addictive forms of calories became more accessible and as a result, waistlines began to expand. In 1950, an estimated 10% of Americans were obese or overweight. Today, that figure is a staggering 70%. This is a huge increase over the last 70 years and it looks like the number will increase. And this issue is not unique to the US. All over the world obesity rates are skyrocketing.
The issues associated with this are obvious when it comes to health.
One of the biggest healthy lifestyle habits I believe you can have is the habit of eating healthy. Besides, you have to do it several times a day, so it’s a good start. It can affect not only your weight, but the way you feel and your outlook on life. In my experience, being overweight made me feel like garbage. I had less energy and didn’t feel like doing anything.
Some people are perfectly happy being overweight, but if you’re looking for healthier eating habits, I think there’s a lot to learn from the people in Japan.
Although Japan has all the dietary luxuries we do in the West, its obesity rates are remarkably low. Only 4.3% of women are obese and only 6% of men are obese.
And it’s not just low obesity rates where Japan is winning. They also have the longest life expectancy of any country in the world. Men have a life expectancy of 81 years and women 87. Compared to the US, men and women can expect to live to the age of 79 on average.
So why;
The answer seems to lie in traditional Japanese healthy eating habits. Interestingly, in the 1960s, Japan actually had one of the worst life expectancy rates in the world due to obesity-related diseases. So while most of the world is moving in the wrong direction, Japan has managed to dramatically reverse its eating habits, and I find that fascinating as it could potentially be a road map for the rest of us.
Interesting fact: Residents of the Japanese island of Okinawa have a 40% chance of living to 100 than any other region of Japan, and lots of them.
So in this post, we’ll look at some of the healthy eating habits that have allowed Japan to continue to do so, and hopefully we can use them as inspiration for our own lives so that we can not just live longer but live also healthier.
1. Food preparation
It is not unusual for the Japanese to take longer than Westerners when it comes to preparing meals, almost treating the process as a rite of passage. The food is prepared without many sauces to preserve the natural taste of the ingredients and only certain ingredients such as unrefined salts and pastes are added to enhance the natural flavors of each dish.
Food preparation is treated as important and not rushed, adding to the conscious process of the whole experience.
2. The structure of the meal
Traditional Japanese meals consist of four different dishes, a bowl of miso soup, a main course consisting of meat or fish, a bowl of rice, and a bowl of vegetables. These are served in individual bowls and the portions are reasonably sized. Typically, foods will be eaten one at a time. That means a cup of soup, a bite of meat, a scoop of rice and a bite of vegetables. Time is taken to eat each food carefully, helping to eat the food at a much slower pace than if you were to grab a sandwich on the go, for example.
The fish is usually mackerel, tuna or salmon. Fish is a real staple of the Japanese diet and helps provide plenty of protein and healthy fats. Along with this, the meats served are lean and not overdone. Beans, carrots, soy and fermented vegetables contribute to a healthy gut. Overall, the structure of a typical unprocessed Japanese meal helps provide all the micronutrients and macronutrients you could want in a healthy diet.
3. Chopsticks
It’s no secret that the Japanese use chopsticks for many meals. While you may find them difficult to use (including me!), the Japanese have been using them from a very young age. Using chopsticks can help you create a healthy lifestyle habit slowing down between bites to pay attention to your hunger signals. Chopsticks help you eat one bite at a time, rather than using a spoon or fork to pick up large piles of food in one go.
4. Drinking tea
While soda is consumed in Japan like anywhere else in the world, the Japanese drink far more tea than those in the West, and not just any tea. Macha tea is usually consumed with every meal and has a unique sweet yet slightly bitter taste. But green tea doesn’t just taste good, it’s also packed with antioxidants that can help prevent it disease.
If you’re making a healthy eating habit a lifestyle change, try replacing a creamy coffee or soda with some green tea for a powerful antioxidant punch.
5. The 80% rule.
While it’s common for us in the West to shovel our meals (especially when we’re on the go), the Japanese eat much more carefully. Not only do they divide each of their food into different bowls, but they also eat until they are 80% full to avoid overeating. Your hunger signals can lag behind your hands, so if you eat quickly, you may overeat before suddenly feeling uncomfortably full.
However, by eating slowly, the Japanese know better when their satiety levels begin to reach capacity. By doing this, you may find that you have less bloating after eating.
6. Shokuiku
From a young age, children are immersed in Shokuiku or “food education” where they learn not only about healthy eating but also where food comes from, what different foods do for the human body, and how to prepare food. This helps them grow up already with the knowledge that allows them to have respect for the food they eat and the ability to make healthier choices. In fact, food education is a large part of the standard general curriculum in schools.
In Japan, there is a strong emphasis on sharing food, and this starts at school. Many schools encourage children to eat the healthy meals provided each day, rather than packed lunches and make them sit with their classmates to eat.
Emphasis on unprocessed foods
I don’t think the traditional Japanese diet is some kind of magical diet. Its longevity benefits seem to lie mainly in the fact that highly processed foods are largely avoided and mealtimes are treated as a time to slow down and be mindful of what you put in your mouth.
Here’s what I think you can take away from traditional Japanese eating habits and use in your own diet.
- Spend time researching and preparing fresh food to cook
- Aim for unprocessed single-ingredient foods instead of multi-ingredient processed foods
- Plan a recipe that includes some kind of meat or fish with vegetables, rice and possibly a low-calorie soup
- Take your time eating your food and stop when you start to feel full
- Swap beer and wine for natural teas
My own experience
In my own experience of losing weight and getting much thinner, I used some of the healthy lifestyle eating habits found in the traditional Japanese diet. Of course, I didn’t use chopsticks at every meal or increase the amount of time I spent eating each meal, but I had success with stopping when I started to feel full.
This helped my stomach feel “better” after meals and less bloated. I used to stuff my mouth until my stomach cramped, simply because I used to eat very tasty processed foods too often and I couldn’t stop until my plate was empty. Without a doubt eating less when I knew I was full helped me lose weight.
Another habit that has helped me lose weight is to focus on single ingredient foods that are minimally processed. This means not only eating lots of vegetables for dinner but also with my lunch, making these foods a habit and “normal” to eat for lunch. Usually my lunches now consist of lean meats with vegetables instead of sandwiches and chips. When I get grumpy, I’ll grab a handful of nuts and seeds.
I truly believe that putting mostly natural foods in your mouth makes you feel much better and can lead to a healthy weight. Your body understands these foods and knows what to do with them, not to mention the fact that you’re getting a load of vitamins and minerals from natural foods that could also make you feel less sluggish.
In summary, this way of eating is a sensible approach to nutrition, focusing on natural food sources and learning about them from a young age means that Japanese people have a head start on making healthy food choices throughout their lives.
