The Okinawa diet – Is it the world’s healthiest diet?

The Okinawa diet

It is no secret that Japanese live healthy, vibrant and long lives. For years this was attributed to exercise, the Japanese water, weather and genes. Well now the secret is out. On the island of Okinawa, the people who live there know the secrets to health living. Okinawa is a small island located between the coast of Japan and Taiwan. On this tiny island, living to a hundred years is the norm and this is chiefly due to the dietary habits. Although eating an Okinawa diet will not always extend years to your life, it will certainly help you lead a healthy life. For the obese American, the best news is that this diet also helps you reduce weight and is often known as a low calorie Okinawa diet. Many studies have shown that okinawans not only age gracefully but have an average body mass index of only 20.4

So what is the Okinawa diet all about?

The Okinawa diet overall is low in calorie. The diet is very low in fat and sugars but high in quality proteins. Unlike the Mediterranean diet, the amount of sea food is also low. Further, the diet does not encourage consumption of eggs or other dairy products.

Vegetables are a key ingredient. Okinawans eat close to 5-7 vegetables a day which include onions, cabbage, zucchini, sweet potatoes and green peppers. Many other vegetables are also allowed. Like the Mediterranean diet, okinawans recommend enjoying the meal. Eating should be an experience and one should appreciate the different flavors and spices. Eating slow helps overeating and increases satisfaction.

The other aspect of Okinawa diet is to garnish the meals with spices like mint, rosemary, oregano, sesame seeds or chili flakes. These spices can add flavor, increase nutrition value, have zero calories and some even have health benefits.

Unlike the North American diet, the Okinawa diet has much smaller portions. There is no supersizing with the Okinawa diet. The aim is to eat small portions or eat half of what you are actually served. In the home, Okinawans usually have small plates and bowls and miniature cups. Downsizing is the way to better health- when it comes to the Okinawa diet.

Another major difference between the American and Okinawa diet is the lack of meat. Instead, Okinawa diet is a mixture of sea food or tofu. By getting rid of meat you eliminate saturated fats, high calories and replace it with protein content derived from tofu but with much fewer calories. Tofu is also known to have medicinal value and is used by Japanese to cure a variety of ailments.

It is never too late to start the Okinawa diet. While it has a lot of health benefits, the diet also tastes great.