I’m a nutritionist from Japan, home to the world’s longest-living people—here are 6 American foods I never eat (2024)

FAQs

What foods do okinawans eat? ›

Okinawan cuisine consists of smaller meal portions of green and yellow vegetables, soy and other legumes, relatively small amounts of rice compared to mainland Japan, as well as occasional fish and pork. The center of the Okinawan cuisine is the sweet potato.

Their unique diet and lifestyle are credited with giving them some of the longest lifespans on the planet. The traditional Okinawa diet is low in calories and fat while high in carbs. It emphasizes vegetables and soy products alongside occasional — and small — amounts of noodles, rice, pork, and fish.

Sushi is full of anti-inflammatory ingredients. Seafood like tuna, salmon, or mackerel; seaweed and brown rice; vegetables, included pickled ones; and even wasabi, are all anti-inflammatory.

It turns out that it's whole plant foods, not fish, that make up 90 percent of the traditional Okinawan diet: Less than 1 percent of the diet was fish; less than 1 percent was meat; and less than 1 percent was dairy and eggs.

In fact, a 2022 research review found that diets with moderate to high levels of carbohydrates were associated with longevity—but only if they were unrefined carbohydrates (think: whole and minimally processed plant foods like vegetables, fruits, legumes, and whole grains).

A balanced diet of survival food will ensure that your body is getting all the protein, carbs, minerals, and vitamins it requires to remain healthy. If you could only select five foods to survive on, potatoes, kale, trail mix, grains, and beans would get you pretty far.

Certain eating patterns such as the Mediterranean Diet, healthy plant-based diets, or the Okinawan Diet, are rich in whole foods and have been linked to reduced disease risk and improved longevity. Hu said that people can mix and match elements of these diets—or use their basic principles to create something new.

People who live in Okinawa, Japan have a wise strategy when it comes to maintaining a healthy weight. They call it “hara hachi bu”, which means to stop eating when you are 80% full. Studies show that cutting back on calories can lead to better heart health, longevity, and weight loss.

The Morning Banana Diet, also known as the Asa Banana Diet, was created by a Japanese pharmacist to help her husband lose weight. By following the simple plan of eating a banana every morning, he dropped 38 pounds.

What do Japanese eat for breakfast? ›

Typical Japanese Breakfast:

At the heart of a typical Japanese breakfast lies a bowl of steamed rice, often accompanied by miso soup. Miso soup, made from fermented soybean paste and dashi (a broth made from dried bonito fish flakes and kelp), is a cornerstone of Japanese cuisine and adds depth and umami to the meal.

1. Avocados. Avocados are often sought after for their creamy texture and satiating taste. But they are also powerhouses when it comes to fighting inflammation.

Representative dishes include stir-fries like goya champuru (a bitter melon stir-fry that includes tofu and other veggies), and ashi tibichi, pigs feet slow cooked with kelp and daikon. Many of these dishes can be found at restaurants around Okinawa to this day.

'Hara hachi bu': Everything in moderation

If you've ever been lucky enough to eat with an Okinawan elder, you've invariably heard them intone a Confucian-inspired phrase before beginning the meal: “Hara hachi bu” — a reminder to stop eating when their stomachs are 80% full.

Limited Protein Sources: The Okinawa diet is predominantly plant-based, which means protein sources are primarily derived from plant foods such as legumes, soy, and whole grains.

The traditional Okinawa diet also consists of one serving of fruit per day. Citrus fruits native to the island are most common, such as papaya, passionfruit, bananas, mangos, and pineapples.