By Kimiko Barber
3 January 2009
Financial Times (FT.Com)
In Chinese astrology, 2009 is the year of the Ox, a symbol of hard work, patience and stability - useful characteristics to get through the global financial and economic recession we find ourselves in. This is also a time for new year resolutions. Apparently the key to achieving these is, for a woman, to tell everyone of her intentions and for a man, make his declarations as practical and tangible as possible. For men and women on both sides of the Atlantic, diet and exercise goals for health and well-being ranked high among 2008 resolutions. These do not necessarily require financial investment, like a gym membership or a personal trainer. Simple, inexpensive changes to one's diet can also make a big impact.
When I was growing up in Japan during the 1960s, according to the tradition, on January 2 I sat down in front of a blank sheet of rice paper with a thick calligraphy brush and ink to inscribe my new year resolutions. More often I ended up drawing whiskers or a moustache on my brother's face.
As I get older (certainly) and wiser (debatable), I no longer compose a list of new year resolutions. Instead, I write down the things I like to do, books to read or places I wish to visit on the back page of a Chelsea Arts Club desk diary. This seems less daunting and more achievable than failing to keep up with more ambitious resolutions and feeling guilty and inadequate as a consequence.
Japan has one of the lowest obesity rates globally, while both Japanese men and women have the longest life expectancies in the world and suffer fewer cardiovascular diseases. It is a myth that Japanese women don't get fat - they are just as concerned about weight as women of any nationality. But Japanese women on the whole tend to be slimmer, keep their youthful appearance and enjoy active, healthy lifestyles for years longer than women in the west. It is not what we are but what we eat, and how we eat, that determines our health and figure.
I've longed to write a diet cookbook based on Japanese food, but because I did not have a medical background I was diffident about doing so. Then a few years ago, I was writing two Japanese cookbooks back-to-back. Testing all the recipes and eating everything with chopsticks to save washing up, I lost over 10kg and went down two dress sizes. Now I want to share the good news with my new book - The Chopsticks Diet.
Its essence is simple - eat delicious, balanced Japanese food with chopsticks. Chopsticks encapsulate the Japanese way of food - what we eat and how we eat. The traditional Japanese diet is built around the staple of rice with plenty of vegetables, fruits and fish, cooked and served to be eaten with chopsticks. Eating with chopsticks slows us down and therefore we eat less. It is said that there is as much as a 20-minute time lag between the stomach becoming full and the brain realising that you are full. If you eat fast, as most of us do nowadays, the brain cannot accurately monitor the amount of food your stomach is receiving and we end up eating more than we need. Slow eating is good for you.
Portions are much smaller in Japan. Japanese food is served in small dishes and there is a saying, hara hachibu, which literally means that you should eat until you are about 80 per cent satisfied and no more. Leave the table when you are still wishing to eat more but not when you are completely full. Eating smaller amounts of food is not only beneficial for your health but also keeps the costs of food down.
Eating with chopsticks not only physically slows you down, but it also requires more concentration and dexterity and makes you think about the food. A Japanese food saying, "eat with the eyes" captures the essence of The Chopsticks Diet. Take a moment to look and contemplate, and above all, enjoy engaging all five senses of the sound, scent, sight, touch and taste of the food. It will make you appreciate and respect food more.
One of the factors that sets the Japanese way of eating apart and makes the nation healthier and slimmer is the high component of carbohydrate-based energy. In the Japanese diet, carbohydrates, mainly in the form of rice and noodles, make up nearly a third of the total energy intake. In the west, however, carbohydrates are often portrayed as a villain among weight-watchers and many diets demonise them. What matters is the quality of carbohydrate. Good carbohydrates are those that are still in their natural state and less processed. They are nutritious, high in fibre, give you sustainable energy and leave you feeling satisfied for longer. Fibre-rich foods also help to lower cholesterols and are a great detox. Traditional Japanese meals feature many good carbohydrate foods such as fresh vegetables, rice, soba noodles, and beans. Also we don't add fat or dairy products to carbohydrates.
But the Japanese are eating more westernised, processed food today than ever. The most striking example is in Okinawa - the archipelago in the South China Sea, where septuagenarians were regarded as mere babies, octogenarians grew vegetables and being a centenarian was no big deal. Okinawa became the largest American military base after the end of the second world war. It took only a few decades for a new health profile to arise. Okinawans in their 40s and below who grew up on an American diet of animal protein and processed food instead of the traditional Okinawa diet are fatter and suffer from greater risks of cardiovascular disease, liver disease and premature death than mainland Japanese.
After a fortnight of festive eating and drinking, I am looking forward to writing my 2009 wish list, accompanied by a bowl of traditional Japanese new year ozoni - miso soup with a sticky rice cake. Miso, made of fermented soybeans, is an essential ingredient in Japanese cuisine. It is rich in vitamin E, calcium and minerals and the high quality protein of soyabeans, converted into digestible amino acid, is known to lower cholesterol, blood pressure and help to prevent arteriosclerosis. Miso also slows down the ageing process, it is anti-cancerous and, best of all, it is an amazing hangover cure.
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/a8452b00-d6c7-11dd-9bf7-000077b07658.html
Happy 4th!!
3 weeks ago
