Macrobiotic Diet: Healthy Or Bizarre?

Tuesday, February 28, 2012, 12:22

A healthy diet plan not only helps you lose weight but also keeps you fit by providing nutrition and proteins. Nutritious foods are beneficial for the body as you need strength to stay fit when the intake of food is less. There are many diets which can be tried and can be avoided. Macrobiotic diet is one of the diet which is considered healthy but for many it is unhealthy for the body.

What is macrobiotic diet?

Also known as 'grain based' diet, the macrobiotic diet is is an approach to physical and emotional wellness . the dieter consumes foods that are balanced energetically and is nutritious. The diet has a well balance of high fibre, low fat, lots of vegetables and grains, vegetable protein, and limited meat, with an emphasis on eating seasonal organic food.

Macrobiotic diet is not just a diet. It strengthens emotional stability too! Food is not just consumed to stay healthy but also to stay happy. This ancient diet was introduced in Japan. The diet has a mix of Buddhism and western vegetarian diet.

In macrobiotic diet, you eat food which balances yin and yang. Yin foods are cold, sweet, and passive while yang foods are hot, salty, and aggressive. Foods in macrobiotic diet are paired based on their sour, sharp, salty, sweet, or bitter characteristics. Macrobiotic diet is considered healthy and not bizarre because it protects the body from cancer and other chronic diseases.

Food to eat in macrobiotic diet for weight loss:

Natural food which are locally grown form this diet. Foods are eaten in the traditional manner which are, baking, boiling, steaming and grilling.
Lots of grains, vegetables, beans, fermented soy, and soups are included in the macrobiotic diet.
Brown rice, nuts and seeds and fruits are also included in the macrobiotic diet for weight loss.
It is basically a vegetarian diet but if you are a non-vegetarian, you can occasionally have fish, meat and chicken.

Why macrobiotic diet is bizarre?

Few dietitians feel this diet is bizarre because smoking is a part of the diet. This makes the healthy diet a strange and confusing one. According to researchers of macrobiotics, non-macrobiotic foods leads to cancer and not smoking! Michio Kushi, who introduced macrobiotics in US, had a colon surgery in 2004 where his lungs were found clean even after smoking for years. This makes the macrobiotic diet a bizarre diet!