It's getting warmer out and everyone is dreaming of summer. Some of us are even working on that elusive unrealistic beach bod! It seems that this is the time of year when we, as a society, are easily drawn to new “diets” and drastic lifestyle changes, with unrealistic expectations of fitting into tiny pieces of cloth. This year there is some buzz about the not-so-new craze of the macrobiotic diet, where grains are a staple and chewing is emphasized.
The macrobiotic diet came onto the food scene at the end of the 19th century, it was rooted by a Japanese army doctor who established a theory of nutrition and medicine based on traditional Japanese diet. Dr. Sagen Ishizuka heavily criticized the adoption of western modern medicine and nutrition and encouraged a diet full of unrefined whole foods, with little to no animal foods. The diet didn’t really become known in North America until the writings of George Ohsawa popularized them 80 years ago. Ohsawa suffered from many so-called “incurable” illnesses from a very young age and learned of Ishizuka’s macrobiotic diet from his disciplines. Ohsawa adopted the diet himself and miraculously managed to restore his health, going on to write more than 300 books on the subject.
So let’s break down the actual word: “macro” means big and “bios” means life, giving macrobiotic the meaning of “the act of great life.” It is not just a diet, but more of a food philosophy.
A macrobiotic diet consists of exclusively cooked foods, the idea being that raw foods are felt to be difficult to digest and too cooling to the body. Fruits are kept to a minimum and often cooked, and dairy foods and eggs are avoided. The only animal product is whitefish and it is kept to a minimum, consisting of less than five per cent of the diet, making this diet/lifestyle primarily vegetarian. Another interesting part of the macrobiotic lifestyle is the avoidance of foods in the Nightshade family that are said to create or increase inflammation in the body, such as tomatoes, potatoes and eggplant.
Another component of the diet is the balance of yin and yang elements of food. Yang qualities are considered compact, dense, heavy and hot, whereas those with yin qualities are considered expansive, light, cold and diffuse. These terms are considered relative and are discussed in relation to other foods.
According to Dr. Elson Haas, author of Staying Healthy with Nutrition, although there is limited research on macrobiotic eating, the few studies that have been done point to the possibility of problems with vitamin D and B12 deficiency in infancy, childhood and adolescence. On the other side of the spectrum, Haas also feels that the diet has an overall balance and provides a great deal of minerals, vitamins, fibre and complex carbs.
Traditional macrobiotic approach dictates that food and food quality have a powerful effect on health, wellbeing, and happiness, and that locally-based foods provide greater benefit. A modern goal of macrobiotics is to become aware and mindful of the effects of foods have on health and overall wellbeing, developing sensitivity and an intuitive sense for what sustains health within you.
Having a balanced whole foods diet is of great wealth to you and your wellbeing, but remember that we are all snowflakes, and no single diet is fit for all. Everything in moderation folks, even moderation.
Roasted Chickpeas
Ingredients:
2 cups of chickpeas*
1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
Sea salt
Garlic powder
Chili powder
Black Pepper
Instructions:
1. Dry chickpeas well with clean cloth/towel.
2. Bake at 375 F for 45 minutes or until they are crispy.
3. Toss with olive oil and spices/herbs. Add just a pinch of each and taste it to see if it is to your satisfaction.
*For dried chickpeas: Put in slow cooker submerged in water on low overnight. For canned chickpeas: Make sure to rinse well after opening.
