Macrobiotic Diet

Guide Note:Macrobiotic is a word taken from the Greek, meaning "big life". A Macrobiotic Diet encompasses more than a way of eating; its adherents view it as a way of life that focuses on the interrelationship of mind, body, spirit, and society. People who adopt a Macrobiotic Diet generally use the principles of yin and yang to obtain balance and harmony, both physically and spiritually. While most people think of brown rice as the foundation of a macrobiotic diet, the food choices are much more expansive. Ideal macrobiotic foods are those that are perceived to balance yin and yang, such as whole grains, beans, vegetables, fruits, and nuts, as well as brown rice. A macrobiotic diet is not an exclusively vegetarian diet; small amounts of animal products and fish may be consumed during the week. Some proponents of the diet say that it can cure cancer, although there is no scientific evidence to support that assertion. Although the principles of the diet were developed in Asia centuries ago, its modern popularity can be traced to Japanese educator George Ohsawa, who developed a macrobiotic diet that consisted of 10 stages. Ohsawa's last stage restricted the adherent to brown rice and water, and it is what many people think of when they think of the classic macrobiotic way of eating. Michio Kushi expanded and revised Ohsawa's macrobiotic theory in 1978, opening the Kushi Institute in Boston, and publishing several books on Macrobiotics. It is Kushi's work on Macrobiotics that laid the foundation for the Macrobiotic Diet most followers adopt today.

Fast Facts:

1. Low fat
2. High fiber
3. Primarily, but not exclusively, Vegetarian
4. Rich in phytoestrogens from soy products
5. 50-60% of each meal from whole grains
6. 25-30% of daily food intake is vegetables
7. 10% of daily food intake from beans or legumes
8. 1-2 cups of soup each day