Okinawa
diet
Okinawa diet plan off late has
taken the center-stage of discussion
among
nutrition-scientists and health conscious individuals alike.
What
is so
special about okinawan islanders' diet...?
You may wonder how Orientals, especially Japanese live longer than
their counterparts in other parts of the world. The indigenous Okinawa
islanders, situated over the
southern tip of Japan in the vast Pacific ocean, have an interesting
diet
plan. People here; reportedly have highest life expectancy than
anywhere else in the world!
Reports suggest that, on an average, a
typical Okinawan may live for about 110 years of healthy
productive life. This is partly
because of their genetic makeup. However,
recent community research
studies on okinawan population suggest that the most important factor
influencing their
longevity is the simple food they eat for centuries.
 |
| Okinawa
island circled in red. |
Salient
features of Okinawa diet:-
-
Calorie
restricted diet: The diet of the
islanders is 20% lower in calories than the Japanese average. Their
diet consistently averaging no more than one calorie per gram and the
average Okinawan has a BMI (Body Mass Index) of 20. It has been widely
recognised that the food we consume itself contains more free radicals
than external agents like bacteria, viruses etc. Calorie
restriction, therefore, thought to improve health and slow the aging
process in some model animals like rodents by limiting dietary energy
intake below the average needs.
-
Anti-oxidant
rich diet: Okinawa diet
contains mainly green/orange/yellow (GOY) vegetables, fruits, roots and
tubers. These are rich sources of anti-oxidant vitamins like
vitamin-C, vitamin-A and
flavonoid poly-phenolic compounds like beta carotenes,
luteins, xanthins, and minerals like calcium, iron and
zinc.
-
Low
in fat and sugar: The Okinawa diet is low
in fat and has only 25%
of the sugar and 75% of the grains of the average Japanese dietary
intake. Low fat and refined sugar in the diet can definitely help
prevent from coronary heart diseases and stroke.
-
Vegetarian
and sea food rich: The islanders' traditional
diet includes a
relatively small amount of fish and somewhat more in the way of soy,
low calorie vegetables like bitter
melon and
other legumes. Almost no meat, eggs, or dairy products are consumed.
Fish provides omega-3 essential fatty acids like alpha-linolenic acid
(ALA), eicosapentaenoic
acid (EPA), and docosahexaenoic
acid (DHA). Soy (in the form of tofu),
apart from being very good source of protein, contains many health
promoting compounds like soluble dietary fiber, antioxidants tannins
and plant sterols. These substances helps prevent from heart diseases,
stroke, colon and prostate cancers.
The advocates of okinawa diet divide food items into 4 categories
based up on their caloric
density as follows:
-
The "featherweight"
foods: Food
groups that
provide less than or equal to 0.8 calories per gram. Citrus
fruits like orange, low
calorie vegetables like spinach, cucumber etc... Falls into this
category. One can eat
freely many servings per day without major concern.
-
The "lightweight"
foods: Foods with a
caloric density from 0.8 to 1.5 calories per gram. Certain fruits like
banana and vegetables like potato falls into this category.
One should eat
these in moderation.
-
The "middleweight"
foods: Food items
with a caloric density from 1.5
to 3.0 calories per gram. Cereals like wheat, legumes come under this
category. It is advised one should eat only while carefully
monitoring portion size.
-
The "heavyweight" foods:
Foods which provide 3 to
9
calories per gram (300 to 900 cal per 100g). Many oils and
fats, nuts fall in this category which one should eat only sparingly.
Here is list of some interesting books on Okinawan diet plan available
from amazon.com store.
The
Okinawa Program : How the World's Longest-Lived People Achieve
Everlasting Health--And How You Can Too
Author:
Bradley J. Willcox
The
Okinawa Diet Plan: Get Leaner, Live Longer, and Never Feel Hungry
Author:
Bradley J. Willcox
50
Secrets of the World's Longest Living People
Author: Sally Beare
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