A macrobiotic diet for weight loss is not just a diet, but a way of life. The term "macrobiotic" has Greek origins and essentially means "great life" or "long life". The macrobiotic diet and philosophy were developed by a Japanese educator named George Ohsawa. Ohsawa's theory was further expanded by another educator, Michio Kushi.
The macrobiotic diet is based on a Chinese philosophy of balancing the forces of yin and yang. Certain foods are classified as yin foods and are considered to be overstimulating. They can exhaust the mind and body, and include: sugar, alcohol, coffee, chocolate, very hot spices, milk, soft cheese, cream, refined flour products and chemicals and preservatives. Yin represents expansion, coolness and passiveness, and are cold, sweet and passive. On the other hand, some foodstuffs are classified as yang and they are considered strengthening but heavy and dense. These include: poultry, meat, hard cheeses, eggs and refined salt. Yang foods are hot, salty and cause aggression as well as stagnation if over consumed. The macrobiotic diet tries to reduce the influence of both yin and yang foods, and propagates foods that create balance such as whole grains, vegetables, beans, fruits, nuts, seeds and sea vegetables.
Composition of the Macrobiotic Diet
The macrobiotic diet is based on the philosophy that people should eat natural, unprocessed, organically grown foods which are native to their region, climate and area. It is a predominantly vegetarian diet and consists of low-fat, high-fiber foods. However, this diet allows fish occasionally. Its general composition is as follows:
The macrobiotic diet is low in saturated fats, provides all the essential fats and prevents the consumption of processed foods, deep-fried snacks or excessively fried foods, meat, alcohol, sugary soft drinks, etc. Thus, weight loss is aided by the macrobiotic diet as calories consumed by the individual declines. This diet needs to be aided by regular exercise to produce the desired results. Its composition will vary depending on various factors like your age, body weight, medical condition, level of activity and also, other factors like your geographical location, climate and season.
However, it is a generally accepted belief that this diet is not followed only for weight loss but for other benefits like inner well-being. It improves your physical, psychological and spiritual health. By balancing the forces of yin and yang, it creates balance and harmony in your life. Macrobiotic diet propagates consumption of natural, organically grown foods, chewing food well, avoiding television and computers while eating, avoiding food prepared with microwave and electricity. These practices can bring you closer to nature and promote a holistic, healthy way of life.
Possible Side Effects of the Macrobiotic Diet
Side effects of this diet are few and can be prevented. Since this diet is very restrictive, it might lead to deficiency of protein, vitamin B12, iron, magnesium and calcium. Inadequate protein and other nutrients leads to a lack of energy. In spite of these negatives of the macrobiotic diet, fitness of a person doesn't get affected.
From the above, it can be concluded that a macrobiotic diet will serve many other purposes apart from just weight loss. It has the potential to enhance and improve your overall mental, physical and spiritual health significantly, which is why health conscious people are adopting it in a major way.
The macrobiotic diet is based on a Chinese philosophy of balancing the forces of yin and yang. Certain foods are classified as yin foods and are considered to be overstimulating. They can exhaust the mind and body, and include: sugar, alcohol, coffee, chocolate, very hot spices, milk, soft cheese, cream, refined flour products and chemicals and preservatives. Yin represents expansion, coolness and passiveness, and are cold, sweet and passive. On the other hand, some foodstuffs are classified as yang and they are considered strengthening but heavy and dense. These include: poultry, meat, hard cheeses, eggs and refined salt. Yang foods are hot, salty and cause aggression as well as stagnation if over consumed. The macrobiotic diet tries to reduce the influence of both yin and yang foods, and propagates foods that create balance such as whole grains, vegetables, beans, fruits, nuts, seeds and sea vegetables.
Composition of the Macrobiotic Diet
The macrobiotic diet is based on the philosophy that people should eat natural, unprocessed, organically grown foods which are native to their region, climate and area. It is a predominantly vegetarian diet and consists of low-fat, high-fiber foods. However, this diet allows fish occasionally. Its general composition is as follows:
- Whole grains comprise 50% of this diet. These include brown rice, barley, millet, wheat, corn, rye, buckwheat, and rolled oats. Small quantities of whole grain breads and pasta are allowed.
- Fresh, seasonal vegetables account for 25-30% of the diet. The highly recommended veggies include broccoli, cauliflower, green cabbage, carrots, parsnips, daikon radishes, watercress, collared greens, bok choy, onions, parsley, and kale. Vegetables to be avoided are eggplant, potatoes, tomatoes, spinach and beets.
- Beans, legumes and occasionally, fish account for 10% of the diet. Beans to be included are chickpeas, lentils and azuki. Tofu and tempeh are also to be included for proteins.
- Sea vegetables form 5% of the diet. These include nori, wakame, kombu, hiziki and arame.
- Remaining 10% of the diet is made up of 5% soups made with regular or sea vegetables or miso soup, and 5% fruits, nuts and seeds. Fruits should be the locally produced ones and can include apples, pears, peaches, apricots, grapes, berries and melons. Fruits to be avoided are mango, pineapple and papaya.
The macrobiotic diet is low in saturated fats, provides all the essential fats and prevents the consumption of processed foods, deep-fried snacks or excessively fried foods, meat, alcohol, sugary soft drinks, etc. Thus, weight loss is aided by the macrobiotic diet as calories consumed by the individual declines. This diet needs to be aided by regular exercise to produce the desired results. Its composition will vary depending on various factors like your age, body weight, medical condition, level of activity and also, other factors like your geographical location, climate and season.
However, it is a generally accepted belief that this diet is not followed only for weight loss but for other benefits like inner well-being. It improves your physical, psychological and spiritual health. By balancing the forces of yin and yang, it creates balance and harmony in your life. Macrobiotic diet propagates consumption of natural, organically grown foods, chewing food well, avoiding television and computers while eating, avoiding food prepared with microwave and electricity. These practices can bring you closer to nature and promote a holistic, healthy way of life.
Possible Side Effects of the Macrobiotic Diet
Side effects of this diet are few and can be prevented. Since this diet is very restrictive, it might lead to deficiency of protein, vitamin B12, iron, magnesium and calcium. Inadequate protein and other nutrients leads to a lack of energy. In spite of these negatives of the macrobiotic diet, fitness of a person doesn't get affected.
From the above, it can be concluded that a macrobiotic diet will serve many other purposes apart from just weight loss. It has the potential to enhance and improve your overall mental, physical and spiritual health significantly, which is why health conscious people are adopting it in a major way.