Let's say right away. Most of the "Japanese" diets on the net have nothing to do with Asian cuisine or the diet which will be discussed below.. These pseudo-japanese dietsthey suggest you eat "bird-sized" portions of boiled cabbage, a few eggs, and 100 grams of meat or fish a day, reduce the number of meals to three, and live in this mode for up to 2 weeks. No! Such a meager diet is not suitable for an active person.
Why is the Japanese theme and everything under it so popular?
The Land of the Rising Sun will always be attractive and incomprehensible to a European. Perhaps this comes from the fact that for a long time Japan was a closed state to Western civilization. What are they, the Japanese, in our traditional view? They are technological, but they believe in spirits; conservative, but invented the "Ganguro" style; restrained but capable of wild detachment; enjoy life even on a tiny stalk, but historically it has elevated suicide to the rank of an honorable ritual. The islanders have given the world the best and most wonderful prints and Pokémon. Also, they are thin and live long. Because?
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 lie in the shade
My rice pushes me
Mountain stream.
Rice
For the Japanese, rice, like bread for us, is "the head of everything". It is a healthy source of carbohydrates that does not containWithout gluten. Residents of Japan eat several varieties of rice, but prefer to eat brown rice cooked with sesame oil.
Fish and seafood
Fish dishes rank second in terms of volume in the daily diet of the inhabitants of the Land of the Rising Sun. The protein structures of fish meat are complete, easily digestible and contain essential amino acids for a person. However, the Japanese do not eat smoked or salted fish - only fresh sea or fresh water. The fat contained in the fish is fusible and will not be deposited on your thighs with vile cellulite, but will give the body full-fledged polyunsaturated fatty acids.
Seaweed
Seaweed (also known as 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 attacks, rich in iodine, minerals and macronutrients. Also, the inhabitants of the Japanese islands use dried seaweed instead of the usual table salt.
Vegetables and legumes
True Japanese cuisine is impossible without vegetables. That, of course, all kinds of cabbage, radishes, garlic, chives, cucumbers and tomatoes, eggplant, carrots, peppers, vegetables, asparagus, spinach, celery and all kinds of lettuce.
sprouts and sprouts
Valuable sources of nutrients, as sprouts are consumed "live" - that is, their benefits are not killed by heat treatment. Also, sprouted grain is more useful than "sleeping" grain, because all life processes are activated in it.
Addendum: Sprouts can be purchased at any large supermarket, or you can sprout the beans yourself in your window. Take 2 tablespoons of seeds or beans, put them in a container and fill with room temperature water so that the liquid level is 6 cm above the surface of the beans. Leave for 7-12 hours, covering the container with gauze. Then drain the water and wash the beans well. Sprouts should be kept in the dark and can be eaten with salads, soups and as a vegetable substitute for second courses. Just don't make large stocks for future use.
fruits and berries
Instead of traditional sweets and confectionery for us, Asians eat fruit for dessert. At the same time, it is important to eat seasonal fruits and berries, that is, not strawberries in winter.
spices and seasonings
Curry, black, red and cayenne pepper, aniseed, turmeric, garlic, horseradish, dill, ginger (fresh and pickled), basil, mustard seed, coriander, cinnamon are commonly added to many dishes. But the bay leaf, on the contrary, is not used. Salt is also not much appreciated, instead dried seaweed powder (as we mentioned), soy sauce or sesame oil is used instead.
Green tea
Tea is believed to have many medicinal properties: it strengthens teeth, pacifies the soul, treats heart disease, neutralizes poisons, and helps to achieve longevity. The basic principle of Japanese tea consumption is: "Drink - actions, replenished - drink". The second cup of tea is considered the most valuable (especially if you brew the tea in the cup itself).
Addendum: in order for the tea to be fragrant and as useful as possible, first wash the teapot with boiling water and close the lid to warm it up. Then wash the tea leaves in warm water and place in a teapot at the rate of 1-2 teaspoons. for a cup of tea, fill the tea leaves with water not exceeding 80°C. First, pour water into a third of the teapot and let it steep for 3-5 minutes. Then, fill up to half and leave again, but for 1 min. Then add the amount of water needed to drink the tea and let it brew for a minute. The tea is ready.
Tofu (beans)
It is bean curd that provides Asian vegetarians with complete protein: 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. Soy protein is 95% digested, it is rich in lysine, calcium, iron, vitamins B, E and K. Tofu is an excellent dietary product and, for all its high nutritional value, the curd is very low in calories. . there is littlecarbohydratesand cholesterol free. Unlike meat, which is acidic, tofu is alkaline. And nutritionists say that an alkaline environment is more beneficial than an acidic environment and advise eating at least 25 grams of soy protein daily.
Japanese diet benefits
Many people cannot tolerate a diet simply because diets are highly restrictive in taste, sometimes overly restrictive in what we eat. The enjoyment of the taste of food is that joy that cannot be abandoned for a long time and without harming well-being or mood. The real Japanese diet consists of delicious dishes made with products that are healthy for the body and low in calories.
Cons of the Japanese Diet
The diet assumes that you have to master some recipes for Asian dishes, and it also requires certain adaptations. This diet is technically more complicated than many others where you just take a few foods and eat them for a while or until you get sick of them.
Studying Japanese cooking techniques can be considered as another skill in your arsenal, like the ability to sit on a string - this can be surprising, this can be a source of pride.
So from the kitchen inventory you will need:
- Wok, or wok for quick frying or stewing;
- Pans with non-stick coating;
- Water bath (instead of a water bath, you can insert a metal sieve into the pan);
- Food processor, mixer;
- Beech, cherry or maple wood utensils for stirring cooked food: wood does not absorb odors and lasts a long time;
- Wooden skewers or skewers.
To cook you will need:
- Various varieties of rice;
- Noodle;
- mushrooms;
- Spices and herbs;
- Sauces: soy, teriyaki, fish, oyster.
Japanese food products shouldn't be a big problem for you, now you can buy them in any hypermarket or you can easily replace them with some of our ingredients. Don't be afraid to experiment.
Japanese diet: basics
The Japanese diet menu includes many soups and vegetable dishes.. This is a great weight loss strategy because these dishes are low in calories and good for digestion. And the vegetable dietary fiber in the composition of vegetables will give your stomach the necessary saturation so that you do not feel excruciating hunger pangs.
The number of calories in the menuindicated without adding sugar or cream to drinks. So don't forget to add 16 kcal per 1 teaspoon to your daily calorie intake. sugar and 36 kcal per spoon of sour cream (if you use them). In other words - sweetened coffee - reduces the bulk of the main serving of food. Instead of cow's milk, it is recommended to use soy.
The ideal number of calories consumed per day should be in the range of 1200-1400 kcal (for women). It is this number of calories that is enough for the life of the body at rest, before eating and at average room 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 fully live your day (do not feel like a collapse), and fitness classes will be provided with energy by burning your own reserves. of fat.
The danger of diets that reduce calories below 1200:
- With rapid weight loss, you will also quickly gain the lost pounds or even more;
- An impoverished diet will negatively affect the condition of the skin, hair and nails and lead to loss of muscle mass;
- The more muscle you lose, the more your metabolic rate will decrease, making it harder to lose or maintain weight.
The main rules of the Japanese diet
- Do not try to artificially speed up the weight loss process., reducing the number of calories (we wrote about the consequences above). You shouldn't lose more than 1 kg per week.
- Stay in the range of 1200-1400 calories a day. Be sure to supplement with vitamins and minerals.
- Maintain energy balancebetween received and consumed energy. From food we get calories, with the help of fitness we spend. Violation of this balance, unfortunately, leads to excess weight.
- The key to weight loss on the Japanese diet is a variety of foods.and small portions, the transition from fatty meat dishes to a healthy diet based on fruits, vegetables and seafood.
Asian nutritionists have developed a healthy food pyramid that can be used as a guide when planning your diet and the proportion of certain foods in it.
Tips for Effective Weight Loss on the Japanese Diet
- Track your physical activity and diet (calorie count). This makes it easier to see progress;
- Strictly adhere to the chosen meal plan and portion sizes;
- Don't think of food as "good" or "bad", enjoy the process of eating;
- If on any of the days you have indulged in high-calorie foods, be sure to cut the calorie content of your diet the next day;
- Do aerobic exercises.
You may initially lose more than the recommended one pound per week. This is due to the loss of fluid in the body. Then the weight loss will slow down, but don't despair - this is a completely normal healthy weight loss process.
Japanese diet menu example for 14 days (table)
| Day | Today's menu | |||
| Breakfast | Lunch | Lunch | Lunch dinner) | |
| 1 |
|
|
Litter. Calories: 80. |
|
| Total daily calorie intake1428 kcal | ||||
| two |
|
|
1 cup of unsweetened coffee. Calories: 5. |
|
| Total daily calorie intake1386 kcal | ||||
| 3 |
|
|
1 cup 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 cup 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 of 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 cherry. Calories: 31. |
|
| Total daily calorie intake1430 kcal | ||||
| fourteen |
|
|
10 young carrots. Calories: 38. |
|
| Total daily calorie intake1272 kcal |
If you're a little freaked out by the names of dishes (which you've probably never cooked) - don't worry, there are recipes for every dish that appears in the Japanese diet.
We save the results
You need to come off the diet, gradually increasing the number of calories to a level where you can maintain your weight unchanged. Just add 100 calories to your diet for 14 days. At the same time, the 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 determine for yourself the number of calories needed to maintain a constant weight.
100 calories is:
- pork, beef - 80 g;
- 1 cooked chicken breast;
- 150 g of fish;
- an egg or 2 yolks, or 5-6 proteins;
- a glass of milk;
- yogurt - 125 g;
- a 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;
- a large potato tuber;
- 590 g of tomatoes;
- 625 g of 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;
- any nuts (2 tbsp) - 15 g;
- noodles - a portion the size of a palm;
- muesli, oatmeal - 1/3 cup;
- porridge in water - 5-6 tbsp. I. per serving.
We hope you are successful! Good luck!