Let's say right away. Most of the "Japanese" diets on the web are not related to Asian cuisine or to the diet discussed below.. Typically, the pseudo-Japanese dietsThey recommend that you eat "bird-sized" portions of boiled cabbage, a few eggs and 100 grams of meat or fish per day, reduce the number of meals to three and live this method for as much as 2 weeks. No! Such a scarce diet is not suitable for an active working person.
Why is the Japanese theme and everything that charges about it so popular?
The Land of the Rising will always be attractive and incomprehensible to Europeans. Perhaps this stems from the fact that Japan was for a long time a closed state for Western civilization. What, in our view, are the Japanese? They are technological but they believe in spirits; conservative, but invented the "Ganguro" style; restrained, but capable of wild separation; respect for life even in a small step, but suicide has historically elevated to the stage of an honorable ritual. The islanders brought the wonderful engravings and the best Pokémon in the world. Also, they are slim and live long. Why?
You can talk about genetics and physiology, or you can answer like this: we are what we eat.
The article is based on the book The Japanese Diet by Elisa Tanaka.
Traditional components of Japanese cuisine
I lay down in the shade
My rice puts pressure on me
Mountain stream.
Rice
For the Japanese, rice, like bread for us, is "one thing. " It is a healthy source of non-existent carbohydratesgluten free. Japanese residents eat different types of rice, but prefer to eat brown rice cooked with sesame oil.
Fish and seafood
Fish dishes are second in terms of volume in the daily diet of the inhabitants of Land of the Rising Sun. Fish meat protein structures are complete, easily digestible and contain essential amino acids that are essential for human consumption. However, the Japanese do not eat smoked or salted fish - only fresh sea or fresh water. The fat contained in the fish is fused and not deposited on your thighs with vile cellulite, but will give the body full-bodied polyunsaturated fatty acids.
Seaweed
Seaweed (aka kelp, brown seaweed) is widely used in Japanese cuisine: it is added to rice, fish dishes or soy dishes. Laminaria is a good prevention of thyroid disease, atherosclerosis and heart attack, rich in iodine, minerals and macronutrients. Also, the inhabitants of the Japanese islands use dry kelp instead of the usual table salt.
Vegetables and legumes
Real Japanese cuisine is impossible without vegetables. Here, of course, all kinds of cabbage, radish, garlic, green onions, cucumbers and tomatoes, eggplant, carrots, peppers, legumes, asparagus, spinach, celery and all kinds of lettuce.
Sprouts and shoots
Valuable sources of nutrients, since sprouts are eaten in "live" form - that is, their benefits are not killed by heat treatment. In addition, sprouted grains are more useful than "sleeping" grains, because all feed processes are activated.
Advice: Sprouts can be purchased at any large hypermarket, or you can sprout the grains yourself on your window. Take 2 tablespoons of seeds or grains, place them in a container and fill with water at room temperature so that the liquid level is 6 cm above the surface of the grains. Leave for 7-12 hours, covering the container with gauze. Then drain the water and rinse the beans thoroughly. Sprouts should be kept in the dark, and can be eaten with salads, soups, and as a substitute for greens for a second course. Do not make large stocks for future use.
Fruit and berries
Instead of traditional pastries and confectionery for us, Asians eat fruit as a dessert. At the same time, it is important to eat fruits and berries in season, that is, no strawberries in winter.
Spices and seasonings
Many dishes are commonly added to curry, black, red and cayenne peppers, anise, turmeric, garlic, horseradish, dill, ginger (fresh and pickled), basil, mustard seeds, cilantro, cinnamon. But the bay leaf is not used, on the contrary. Salt is also not highly valued, but dry kelp powder (as already mentioned), soy sauce or sesame oil are used instead.
Tae glas
Tea is believed to have many healing properties: it strengthens teeth, packs the soul, treats heart disease, neutralizes toxins and helps achieve longevity. The basic principle of Japanese tea drinking is: "Drink - shares, refills - drink. " The second cup of tea is considered the most valuable (especially if you brew tea in the cup itself).
Advice: to make the tea fragrant and as useful as possible, first rinse the teapot with boiling water and close the lid to heat it. Then rinse the tea leaves in warm water and place in a teapot at the rate of 1-2 tsp. for a cup of tea, fill the tea leaves with water no hotter than 80 ° C. First, pour water into one-third of the teapot and let it steep for 3-5 minutes. After, top up to half and leave again, but for 1 min. Then add as much water as you need for drinking tea, and let it brew for one minute. Tea is ready.
tofu (bean curd)
It is bean curd that provides complete protein for Asian vegetarians: 240 g of tofu contains as much protein as two chicken eggs. 100 g of tofu is 20% richer in calcium than 100 g of cow's milk. Soybean protein is 95% digestible, rich in lysine, calcium, iron, vitamins B, E and K. Tofu is an excellent dietary product and, for its high nutritional value, bean curd is very low in calories. He has littlecarbohydratesand no cholesterol. Unlike meat, which is acidic, tofu is alkaline. And nutritionists say an alkaline environment is more beneficial than an acidic environment and advise eating at least 25 grams of soy protein daily.
Benefits of the Japanese diet
Many people cannot tolerate a diet regime because diets are very restrictive in taste, sometimes they are too restrictive in what we eat. The pleasure of the taste of food is that joy that cannot be abandoned for a long time and without damaging your well-being or mood. The real Japanese diet consists of delicious dishes made from products that are healthy for the body and low in calories.
Disadvantages of the Japanese diet
The diet assumes that you have to master some recipes of Asian dishes, and also requires certain adaptations. This diet is technically more complicated than many others, where you take a few foods and eat for a while or until you get sick of them.
The study of Japanese culinary techniques can be considered as another skill in your arsenal, as the ability to sit on a string - this can be surprising, this can be proud of.
So, from the kitchen inventory you will need:
- Wok, or wok for quick frying or stewing;
- Pans with non-stick coating;
- double boiler (instead of a double boiler, you can insert a metal colander into the pan);
- Food processor, mixer;
- Wooden tools made from beech, cherry or maple to stir cooked food: wood does not absorb odors and lasts a long time;
- wooden skewers or skewers.
For cooking you will need:
- different types of rice;
- Noodles;
- Mushrooms;
- Spices and herbs;
- Sauces: soy, teriyaki, fish, oysters.
Japanese food products should not be a big problem for you, now you can buy them in any hypermarket or you can easily replace some of our ingredients. Don’t be afraid to give it a try.
Japanese diet: basic principles
The Japanese diet menu includes many soups and vegetable dishes. . This is a great weight loss strategy, because such dishes are low in calories and good for digestion. And vegetable dietary fiber in vegetable composition will give your stomach the necessary saturation, so you will not feel excruciating bouts of hunger.
The number of calories on the menuperformances without adding sugar or cream to beverages. Therefore, do not forget to add 16 kcal per 1 tsp to your daily calorie intake. sugar and 36 kcal per tablespoon of cream (if you use them). In other words - sweetened coffee - reduce the amount of the main food administration. Instead of cow's milk, it is recommended to use soy.
The optimal number of calories consumed per day should be in the range 1200-1400 kcal (for women). This number of calories is sufficient for the lifespan of the body at rest, before eating and at an average ambient temperature. On the one hand, reducing calories to 1200-1400 does not cause pathological changes in metabolism, on the other hand, it allows you to live your day completely (without feeling broken down), and energy will be provided for fitness classes byyour burning. own fat reserves.
Danger of Low Calorie Diets Below 1200:
- With rapid weight loss, you will quickly gain the lost kilograms or even more;
- A reduced diet will negatively affect the condition of the skin, hair and nails, resulting in loss of muscle mass;
- The more muscles you lose, the slower your metabolic rate slows down, making it harder to lose or maintain weight.
The main rules of the Japanese diet
- Do not try to artificially speed up the process of losing weight, reducing the number of calories (we wrote about the consequences above). You should not lose more than 1 kg per week.
- Stay in the 1200-1400 calorie range per day. Be sure to supplement with vitamins and minerals.
- Maintain energy balancebetween energy received and consumed. From food we get calories, with the help of exercise we consume. Violation of the balance, unfortunately, leads to overweight.
- The key to weight loss in the Japanese diet is variety of foodand small portions, the transition from fatty meat dishes to a healthy diet based on fruits, vegetables and seafood.
Asian nutritionists have developed a healthy eating pyramid that can be used as a guide when planning your diet and the ratio of certain foods.
tips for effective weight loss on the Japanese diet
- Keep track of your physical activity and diet (calorie counting). This makes it easier to see progress;
- Strictly adhere to the chosen meal plan and serving sizes;
- Don’t think of food as "good" or "bad", enjoy the eating process;
- If on any of these days you allowed yourself high-calorie foods, be sure to cut the calorie content in your diet the next day;
- Do aerobic exercise.
You may initially lose more than the recommended one kilogram per week. This is due to fluid loss in the body. Then weight loss will slow down, but don't despair - this is a normal healthy weight loss process.
Sample menu of Japanese diet for 14 days (table)
Day | Menu for the day | |||
Breakfast | lunch | Snack | lunch (dinner) | |
aon |
|
|
Apple. calories: 80. |
|
Total daily calorie intake1428 kcal | ||||
2 |
|
|
1 cup of sugar-free coffee. calories: 5. |
|
Total daily calorie intake1386 kcal | ||||
3 |
|
|
1 glass of soy milk. calories: 150. |
|
Total daily calorie intake1334 kcal | ||||
four |
|
|
calories: 30. |
|
Total daily calorie intake1424 kcal | ||||
5 |
|
|
1 orange (fruit salad) calories: 141. |
|
Total daily calorie intake1443 kcal | ||||
6 |
|
|
|
|
Total daily calorie intake1433 kcal | ||||
7 |
|
|
1 glass of soy milk. calories: 150. |
|
Total daily calorie intake1392 kcal | ||||
eight |
|
|
1 glass of vegetable juice. calories: about 70. |
calories: 576. |
Total daily calorie intake1424 kcal | ||||
9 |
|
|
120 g fruit yogurt. calories: 60. |
|
Total daily calorie intake1440 kcal | ||||
ten |
|
|
10 young carrots. calories: 38. |
|
Total daily calorie intake1303 kcal | ||||
eleven |
|
|
|
|
Total daily calorie intake1290 kcal | ||||
12 |
|
|
|
|
Total daily calorie intake1441 kcal | ||||
13 |
|
|
1 bowl of cherries. calories: 31. |
|
Total daily calorie intake1430 kcal | ||||
fourteen |
|
|
10 young carrots. calories: 38. |
|
Total daily calorie intake1272 kcal |
If you are a little scared about the names of the dishes (which you probably have never cooked) - then do not worry, there are recipes for all the dishes that appear in the Japanese diet.
We save the results
You need to abandon the diet, gradually increasing the number of calories to a level at which you could maintain your weight unchanged. Add just 100 calories to your diet for 14 days. At the same time, weight must be controlled. If the scale continues to show weight loss, add another 100 calories in the next 2 weeks and check the scale again. Once the weight stabilizes, you decide for yourself how many calories are needed to maintain a stable weight.
100 calories is:
- pork, beef - 80 g;
- 1 boiled chicken breast;
- 150 g fish;
- one egg or 2 yolks, or 5-6 protein;
- glass of milk;
- yogurt - 125 g;
- glass of kefir;
- a small slice of bread;
- beans - 25 g (3-4 tablespoons);
- fresh cabbage - 1 kg;
- fresh cucumber - 750 g;
- 3-4 large carrots;
- one large potato tuber;
- 590 g of tomatoes;
- 625 g sauerkraut;
- banana - less than 1 pc;
- apricots - 210 g;
- fresh strawberries - 325 g;
- 1 large apple;
- 1 large orange;
- 2 kiwis;
- peaches - 250 g;
- 4 tangerines;
- plum - 200 g;
- 1 grapefruit;
- watermelon - 285 g;
- 1 large pear;
- melon - 190 g;
- 15-20 large grapes;
- no nuts (2 tablespoons) - 15 g;
- noodles - serving palm size;
- muesli, oatmeal - 1/3 cup;
- porridge on the water - 5-6 tbsp. l. per serving.
We hope you succeed! Good luck!