Macrobiotics is a way of life based on ideas about the interconnectedness of all things and encompasses ways of eating, thinking and seeing the world.
This “Ideal Diet for Humans” is based in whole grains, with plenty of beans and vegetables, and small amounts of fat and sugar (coming from grain malt syrups). Animal foods are not generally included, although small amounts of fish are eaten by many practitioners in Japan. Cooking methods are gentle and simple, designed to maximise the natural flavours of the food and retain nutrition.
The guiding principle, as with so much Eastern philosophy, is balance. Foods have a “yin” or a “yang”, cooling or warming, contracting or expanding energy. Practitioners take into consideration their own personal constitution and needs as well as geographical location to establish what they should eat so that the energies within them remain in balance. Achieving this will bring peace and health.
An important part of macrobiotic eating is soup, consumed at least once daily, as it prepares the digestive tract for the assimilation of nutrients. Pickles also aid digestion and are served alongside most meals. Unusual macrobiotic foods include umeboshi plums and their pickling liquid (also known as ume vinegar), daikon radish, shiitake and maitake mushrooms and miso. These are traditional in Japan and, whilst local seasonal vegetables are ideal, have nutritional and culinary uses that are quite specific.
If you’re interested in trying some of the basic principles of macrobiotic eating, some simple ones to include might be:
- Cooking at least one meal a day from scratch (such as Miso Soup)
- Switching to whole grains (try our Grains, Pulses & Flours range)
- Basing meals around grains and vegetables
- Removing all processed foods from one’s kitchen (try our Snack Organic or Fruit Purées for those snack cravings)
- Eat only when hungry, eat slowly and chew thoroughly, take time to be mindful of each bite, where it came from and how it is now becoming part of you.
By Hannah Phoebe Bowen: Freelance Food Writer
Sources:
http://www.hipchicksmacrobiotics.com
http://www.macrobiotics.org.uk
http://www.christinacooks.com
http://www.mcafedechaya.com
