Okinawa Diet

Some of the Okinawa islands near the coast of Japan have inhabitants whose life span is longer than most others in the world and they have extremely good health too. The Okinawa diet which the inhabitants live on is based on Okinawa food which is a traditional diet of the people and because of this diet there are very few people who suffer with heart problems or cancer. Most of the inhabitants do not gain weight with increase of age. The diet which is rich in antioxidants ensures that people loose weight easily, become healthier and even their skin looks younger as the wrinkles are reduced.

There are four groups which the Okinawa foods are categorized into according to the density of calories in them.

Those which fall into the heavy weight category are desserts and fried foods, next comes the middleweight category with red meat which is lean and hummus, the light weight category is brown rice and fish and the feather weight has asparagus and green tea. The main concept of this diet plan is to have a maximum amount of feather weight as well as lightweight foods, while restricting the others. Foods which have high density are balanced with an intake of lightweight so that the caloric intake is always in balance.

Okinawa Food Recipes

Okinawa diet recipes are based on their staple food which is fish for proteins and a lot of low calorie fresh vegetables in their daily menu. The fish is a non fatty one and is eaten grilled, boiled or raw like in sushi. The sugar consumption is limited and so is alcohol and foods like cookies and sweet meats are almost nil in their consumption. The consumption of salt is reduced as their diet includes a lot of herbs and certain spices which cut down the need for salt in the food. The drink large amounts of water and tea which eliminates toxins from their system and keeps it well hydrated. The recipes for the foods which are staple in their menu are cooked on these bases.

Okinawa Diet Plan, Recipes

The Mediterranean diet is very similar to the Okinawa diet plan and is based on a diet of low calorie foods with little or no oil in it. Five meals a day are recommended instead of three large ones with a proportion of 50% carbohydrates, 30% fats and 20% proteins. Apart from the normal breakfast, lunch and dinner two snacks at 11 AM and 6 PM make up for the day’s food. This increases the metabolism and there are no hunger pangs as the meals are placed at closer intervals.

The cooking style of the Mediterranean diet is according to their lifestyle with Olive Oil being the staple oil used for cooking their food. The main principles of these diets is to combine meat and carbohydrates; use hone instead of sugar; drink at least six glasses of water in a day and a glass full of red wine at each meal; the use of yogurt and cheese is restricted; white meats like fish and poultry is only eaten once a week; very little red meat is eaten and more of legumes, vegetables and fruits are consumed. The Okinawa diet plan which is as per the Okinawa diet food pyramid has been scientifically proved to be one of the world’s healthiest diets. The diet is inline with the traditional food habits of the people of these islands which is excellent to maintain good health and longevity. If this food pyramid is followed it will help you to maintain your weight and also remain in good health. All the foods are nutritious and the content of consumption per day is based on the level of calories in ach food.

The Okinawa diet recipes are low in calories and also in fat content. This is because they prefer boiled and grilled foods and hardly have any recipes in their cuisine which are fried or consume too much of oil. They do not have the tendency to overeat and they do not stuff themselves at any meal but ensure that they are only 80% full when they get up from a meal. In case the person is still hungry after a while they can eat some of the foods which are recommended as a snack. To sustain their energy they include low glycemic food which is beneficial to dieters and keeps them from feeling hungry until the next meal.

Okinawa Diet Menu, Breakfast, Food List

Soups and broths are eaten prior to every meal so that overeating is not required and the person feels full with the soup. Okinawa diet menu includes sweet potatoes which are rich in antioxidants as well as green tea, brown rice, fish, tofu, sea weed which is edible and a lot of green vegetables.

Okinawa diet breakfast is a light and healthy one with combinations like green tea and pancakes made of Okinawan blueberries after which an apple can be had as a mid morning snack. The breakfast is rich in antioxidants and fiber. Similarly the rest of the meals are also highly nutritious and contain very little calories. Lunch consists of a baked potato, green salad, asparagus which is steamed and a baked tofu dish; the afternoon snack is once again a dish made of raw vegetables and dinner is a soup with a baked dish of fish or shrimp.

The Okinawa diet food list is based lean proteins, essential fats and low glycemic carbs. The normal numbers of protein servings which are from vegetables in a day are ten while they eat at least two fruits per day. A lot of vegetarian and vegan foods are preferred while breads, desserts and dairy products are restricted in their consumption. The caloric intake is restricted and is not given great importance in the Okinawa daily diet like inmost other cuisines however, nutritional value is of major importance in their diet.

Submitted on January 16, 2014