The Macrobiotic Diet

One-quarter of what you eat keeps you alive.
The other three-quarters keeps your doctor alive.
(Hieroglyph found in an ancient Egyptian tomb.)


The Macrobiotic Diet

Ok, so I was surfing some creative blogs when I came across this poem a young lady wrote and in the poem she speaks of a man’s skin and how it glows reflecting the healthiness that only a person dedicated to a Macrobiotic Diet could radiate. So naturally it made me wonder. What is a Macrobiotic Diet?

Here is a little bit of what I found out…

The Macrobiotic Diet was developed by George Ohsawa, a Japanese philosopher. Ohsawa cured himself of tuberculosis of the lungs and intestines by eating a diet which was based on brown rice, soup and vegetables.

The Macrobiotic Diet primarily consists of whole grains, beans, seeds, nuts, fruits and vegetables. Many cancer patients use this diet and some claim that it has actually helped them recover from cancer. These foods help to create a balance inside our bodies. This is why when on a Macrobiotic Diet you must factor in your region, season, and climate. Eating only organically grown foods and locally grown fruits is also a very important factor.

The Macrobiotic Diet varies from person to person but is closely aligned with The Standard Macrobiotic Diet designed by Michio Kushi. The diet can easily be made vegan by simply not eating fish. The amount of fat consumed on this diet is very low and comes from grains, beans, seeds, nuts and the use of a little cooking oil or sesame oil. Most meals eaten have grains such as pasta, noodles, couscous, rolled oats, sourdough bread, wheat, rice or barley flakes. Around 25-40% of the macrobiotic diet is composed of fruits and vegetables. The preferred cooking method is stir-frying, boiling or steaming.

Yes, you can actually have desserts on this diet, however they are usually fresh fruit, fruit jelly, fruit crumble, or cooked fruit with a soya custard. Seeds and nuts are frequently roasted to make snack, or they can be eaten as nut or seed butter or used with desserts. The most popular beverages are spring water, apple juice, twig, mu or bancha tea, and grain coffees.

Everyone can create their on version of this diet by keeping in mind the essentials of the macrobiotic approach. Anyone who chooses to follow a macrobiotic diet should do their own research on the diet and nutritional facts.