An Inside Look Into a Healthy Japanese Diet

One of the reasons why Japanese people live a longer, happier life

A typical Japanese healthy diet. Illustration by Neyle.box

A well-rounded and wholesome diet is the key to a longer life. It’s one of the Japanese secrets to expanding their life expectancy. A traditional Japanese diet is low-fat with a balanced nutritional content.

Okinawa is a far south and isolated island of mainland Japan. The National Geographic explorer Dan Buettner calls the island a “blue zone”. That’s where people live the longest, happiest life. And not surprisingly, Okinawans consider their foods as medicine.

When diet is wrong, medicine is of no use. When diet is correct, medicine is of no need — Ayurveda proverb

Japanese cuisine is famous for its freshness, vitality, and vigorous characteristics. Like other Asian neighbors, Japanese people consume a high quantity of rice. Along with a variety of soy-derived protein and fish.

In a scorching summer back in 2017, my Japanese friend invited me over for a lunch. It was an intriguing story of how I discovered Japanese cuisine principles. It didn’t take place at a fancy restaurant with prestigious wagyu beef. But rather in a small apartment with a familiar setting.