Aashu’s Curiosity
When Aashu searched the internet for a country with a population of higher life expectancy, he was surprised to see the name of Japan there.
He found that in Japan also, people in Okinawa have the longest life average. Okinawa is the largest among all islands of the Ryukyu archipelago & lies in the East Japan Sea between China & the Philippines.
What makes this place special is that Okinawa is declared a blue zone, an area where residents live an exceptionally long life compared to other countries. Some studies point towards the Okinawa diet for the longevity of Okinawans.
Now, Aashu wants to know more about this Japanese diet’s structure, its benefits & even some drawbacks. So he visits know ur diet to get information about it:
What do we mean by Okinawa Diet?
The answer is simple. A traditional diet followed by the residents of Okinawa island that comes under Japanese control. This diet has earned a reputation for giving an exceptionally long life to the residents of this island who strictly follow this diet.
Okinawa diet can be linked to the consumption of a meal that is low in calories & fat but high in carbohydrates. It emphasizes on vegetables as well as soy products but at the same time allows a small intake of noodles, rice, lamb meat & fish.
As per Dietitian Brigitte Zeitlin, RD, the founder of BZ Nutrition, “Most people on this island live into their 100s, studies show that the low-calorie, high-antioxidant (from plants) factor is one of the main reasons for the long life.”
Although it’s a traditional diet, modern eating habits have influenced it a lot & traditionally being a low-calorie & carbohydrate diet, it is now allowing the intake of proteins & fats.
This Japanese diet is greatly influenced by Chinese medicines, so you can find the recommendations of including spices & herbs like turmeric, cinnamon & cardamom while preparing meals.
Like all other health-oriented diets, Okinawa also emphasizes physical activity & mindful eating practices.
In recent years, the Western world has been adopting the Okinawa diet plan as an eating habit beneficial for longevity. Also, a version influenced by Western diets is highly popular & promotes the intake of nutritious foods.
What to Eat & What to Avoid
If you want to get health benefits then you should adhere to the Japanese foods recommended in the Okinawa diet that are high in antioxidants & carbohydrates but low in calories.
Okinawans have very little rice in their meals & they have replaced it with sweet potatoes, whole grains & fibre-rich vegetables.
Foods To Be Eaten:
Foods that are allowed in the traditional Okinawa diet plan are: –
| Category | Food |
|---|---|
| Vegetables (30-35%) | sweet potatoes, seaweed, bamboo shoots, radish, melons, cabbage, carrots, pumpkin, and green papaya. |
| Fruits(25-30%) | Including citrus fruits such as mango, oranges, papaya, pomegranate, guava, pineapples, strawberries, apples, melon, and pears. |
| Grains (30%) | millet, oatmeal, brown rice, and noodles. |
| Soy foods (5%) | tofu, soy milk, soy chunks, and edamame. |
| Meat and seafood (1–2%) | mostly white fish, seafood, and occasional chicken breast. |
| Oils (1%) | Virgin coconut oil & Desi ghee. |
| Other (1%) | red wine, tea, and organic honey. |
| Spices & Herbs (1%) | Turmeric & Cardamom. |
Foods to avoid
As we have discussed, the traditional Okinawa diet is quite more restrictive than all other modern diet plans. So it carries a good number of foods that should be avoided if you want to get health benefits as required:
| Category | Food |
|---|---|
| Meats | beef, poultry, and processed products like Kebabs, salami, hot dogs, and other high-fat meats. |
| Animal products | non-skimmed dairy, including high-fat milk, cheese, butter, and yogurt. |
| Processed foods | refined sugars, grains, snacks, artificial sweeteners, and processed cooking oils. |
| Legumes | most legumes, except soybeans. |
| Other foods | a good variety of fruits, as well as nuts and seeds. |
| Junk Foods | Pizzas, Burgers, French Fries etc. |
7-day Okinawa Diet Plan
Based on above mentioned list of Japanese foods, we have designed a 7-day Okinawa Diet Plan for you:
| As per global standards, A man should take 2200 calories & a woman should take 1800 calories a day but an Okinawan takes only 1200-1900 calorie in a day. |
| Day 1 | Monday |
|---|---|
| Wake up drink | 1 cup of Jasmine tea. |
| Breakfast (Men- 600 kcal, Women- 500 kcal) | 1 full bowl of Miso soup with greens and tofu (210 kcal) & 2 slices of purple yam bread (350 kcal). |
| Lunch (Men- 800 kcal, Women- 650 kcal) | 3/4 bowl of avocado lime brown rice (305 kcal) with 1 portion of spinach Ohitashi (375 kcal). |
| Healthy snack (Men- 250 kcal, Women- 200 kcal) | 1 ounce of Kaki no Tane (120 kcal) with 200gm of strawberries (70 kcal). |
| Dinner (Men- 550 kcal, Women- 450 kcal) | 1 wrap of tofu peanut lettuce wraps (375 kcal) with 1 serving of Ponzu sauce (221 kcal). |
| Goodnight Drink | 1 cup of Aloe Drink. |
| Day 2 | Tuesday |
|---|---|
| Wake up drink | 1 cup of Jasmine tea. |
| Breakfast (Men- 600 kcal, Women- 500 kcal) | 1 bowl of Sweet potato hash (300 kcal) & 100g of natto (210 kcal). |
| Lunch (Men- 800 kcal, Women- 650 kcal) | 180g of Okinawa soba (420 kcal) with 100g miso paste (199 kcal). |
| Healthy snack (Men- 250 kcal, Women- 200 kcal) | 1 ounce of Wasabi Peas (125 kcal) with a large banana (120 kcal). |
| Dinner (Men- 550 kcal, Women- 450 kcal) | 1.5 bowl of Roasted Kabocha Squash Soup (290 kcal) with 2 servings of broccoli blanched with sesame oil (110 kcal). |
| Goodnight Drink | 1 cup of Aloe Drink. |
| Day 3 | Wednesday |
|---|---|
| Wake up drink | 1 cup of Jasmine tea. |
| Breakfast (Men- 600 kcal, Women- 500 kcal) | 2 cups of Congee (380 kcal) with 1 bowl of marinated carrots salad (185 kcal). |
| Lunch (Men- 800 kcal, Women- 650 kcal) | 250g of tuna patties (345 kcal) with 1 cup of teriyaki sauce (260 kcal). |
| Healthy snack (Men- 250 kcal, Women- 200 kcal) | 50g of Kenpi-candied sweet potato (250 kcal) |
| Dinner (Men- 550 kcal, Women- 450 kcal) | 4 pieces of vegetarian nori rolls of brown rice (290 kcal) with 1/2 serving of Zucchini Corn Stir-Fry (110 kcal). |
| Goodnight Drink | 1 cup of Aloe Drink. |
| Day 4 | Thursday |
|---|---|
| Wake up drink | 1 cup of Jasmine tea. |
| Breakfast (Men- 600 kcal, Women- 500 kcal) | 1 bowl of Asian Cabbage Salad with Miso Dressing (250 kcal) with 1 cup of sweet potato smoothie (130 kcal). |
| Lunch (Men- 800 kcal, Women- 650 kcal) | 6 crispy baked Salmon Nuggets (425 kcal) with 1 bowl of Warm Mushroom Salad with Sesame Dressing (210 kcal). |
| Healthy snack (Men- 250 kcal, Women- 200 kcal) | 2 servings of Japanese-style sesame Green Beans (180 kcal). |
| Dinner (Men- 550 kcal, Women- 450 kcal) | 2 servings of stuffed cabbage rolls (320 kcal) with 1/2 cup of papaya juice (71 kcal). |
| Goodnight Drink | 1 cup of Aloe Drink. |
| Day 5 | Friday |
|---|---|
| Wake up drink | 1 cup of Jasmine tea. |
| Breakfast (Men- 600 kcal, Women- 500 kcal) | 3 large Egg Cabbage and Onsen Tamago (230 kcal) with Miso soup (109 kcal). |
| Lunch (Men- 800 kcal, Women- 650 kcal) | 250g of soy chunk with brown rice (310 kcal) & 5 pieces of miso-glazed eggplant (275 kcal). |
| Healthy snack (Men- 250 kcal, Women- 200 kcal) | 1 ounce of Wasabi Peas (125 kcal) with 12 pieces of sliced apple (70 kcal). |
| Dinner (Men- 550 kcal, Women- 450 kcal) | 1 serving of cucumber and chicken marinated in olive oil (370 kcal). |
| Goodnight Drink | 1 cup of Aloe Drink. |
| Day 6 | Saturday |
|---|---|
| Wake up drink | 1 cup of Jasmine tea. |
| Breakfast (Men- 600 kcal, Women- 500 kcal) | 1 bowl of Zucchini pesto with 2 pieces of grilled chicken breast (410 kcal) & 1 cup of cucumber melon salad (160 kcal). |
| Lunch (Men- 800 kcal, Women- 650 kcal) | 150g of stir-fried vegetables with mushrooms (160 kcal) and 3 servings of teriyaki tofu ( 390 kcal). |
| Healthy snack (Men- 250 kcal, Women- 200 kcal) | Hazel nuts- 10 pieces (175 kcal), Sesame seeds- 1 tbsp (60 kcal). |
| Dinner (Men- 550 kcal, Women- 450 kcal) | 3 rolls of Kimbap (Korean seaweed roll) with sliced meat (350 kcal). |
| Goodnight Drink | 1 cup of Aloe Drink. |
| Day 7 | Sunday |
|---|---|
| Wake up drink | 1 cup of Jasmine tea. |
| Breakfast (Men- 600 kcal, Women- 500 kcal) | 1 serving of Japanese rice ball-onigiri (240 kcal) with 3 slices of Whole grain bread (210 kcal). |
| Lunch (Men- 800 kcal, Women- 650 kcal) | 3 servings of Tuna sushi Burrito (447 kcal) with 1 serving of Ponzu sauce (220 kcal). |
| Healthy snack (Men- 250 kcal, Women- 200 kcal) | 1 ounce of Kaki no tane (120 kcal) with 2 pieces of Chickoo (140 kcal). |
| Dinner (Men- 550 kcal, Women- 450 kcal) | 1 serving of Japanese rice ball-onigiri (240 kcal) with 3 slices of Whole grain bread (210 kcal). |
| Goodnight Drink | 1 cup of Aloe Drink. |
Health Benefits of Okinawa Diet
Okinawa promotes consumption of foods that are low in calories & high in antioxidants, So, there is no surprise that you can have plenty of health benefits for adhering to it:
Longevity
A health benefit for which this Japanese diet is known throughout the world is its positive impact on the life span of individuals who follow it.
In a study based on Japanese diets, has noted that most of the people who are centenarians in Japan adhere strictly to the Okinawa diet.
There is no doubt that there are other factors such as genetics & the surrounding environment that influence a person’s life span but it is also a proven notion that the diet of a person also greatly affects his survival years.
Research has noted that foods rich in antioxidants can help in combating all those radicals that are responsible for triggering stress & damaging the cells. These compounds are factors of the fast-aging process.
Okinawa foods are those plant foods in your meal that are rich in antioxidants & have anti-inflammatory capabilities to tackle stress & cell damage.
Animal research on a rat, in which food with high-carbohydrate but low-calorie increased the lifespan of the rat. This proved the positive effects of this diet for longevity.
Lowers Risk of Fatal Diseases
When we talk about fatal diseases, then cancer, stroke & diabetes are some of the diseases that will come first in our mind. Okinawa being a traditional Japanese diet has skillfully avoided those western dishes or foods that are high in calories & carry bad cholesterol.
Foods such as processed ones, added sugar & fatty animal products such as beef & poultry are being avoided in the diet plans of Okinawa.
Sweet potatoes & organic honey have been used as natural sweeteners in the Okinawa diet since early ages. Organic honey carries antioxidants that are effective against cancer cells as well as regulate the sugar level in your body.
Sweet potatoes have carotenoids that are effective against type-2 diabetes & even have anti-inflammatory benefits.
Another reason for choosing this diet against chronic diseases is that it adds a good quantity of soy foods to our meals. Soy foods are known for reducing the risk of chronic diseases among their consumers.
Should I opt for the Okinawa Diet?
There is no doubt that the Okinawa Diet is popular for its longevity & many other health benefits but then also many people fail to adhere as they like to have a less-restrictive diet.
Anyone can reap the health benefits that are associated with the Okinawa Diet plan. If you properly follow the diet plan which focuses on plant foods & restricts from high-calorie & fatty foods.
But, you should have physical exercise regularly as well as mindful eating to get better results.
Possible Downsides of Okinawa Diet
If you opt for a traditional Okinawa diet then you might have to compromise even with some healthy foods that are excluded from it.
Researchers have already claimed that adherents of strict Okinawa diet are more likely to have deficiencies of some essential nutrients especially those that are found in high-calorie foods. Even it restricts some forms of fruits, nuts, seeds & dairy that are a major source of some essential nutrients.
If not replaced by alternative sources or by a well-planned diet chart, then you might have health problems that are related to deficiencies of these nutrients.
Higher Sodium Intake
Sodium is an essential mineral that our body needs for normal functioning but in very small quantities. Much of our sodium needs are fulfilled by table salt, which we consume in our daily meals.
But foods in the Okinawa diet are infamous for having higher quantities of sodium as much as 3200mg which can be problematic for some dieters.
A spike in your blood pressure is directly associated with high sodium intake. Interestingly, the Okinawa diet also has foods that have high quantities of potassium that can rebalance your blood pressure to normal.
But then also the Okinawa diet is not much preferable for those who are already suffering from high blood pressure.
Conclusion
Aashu is impressed with the Okinawa diet. It traces its origin to the eating habits of residents of Okinawa Island located in Japan.
This diet primarily focuses on the consumption of high-fibre vegetables & lean protein sources such as seafood & soy products. Considered the best diet for longevity, Okinawa has numerous health benefits. A drawback of having high sodium content makes it problematic for hypertension patients.
As its traditional format is much more restrictive, in recent years, western formats of this diet have been adopted with certain liberties about foods & for the weight loss benefits.
