Have you ever wondered why almost all Japanese women have such a distinctive body shape and look like a young woman? In addition, Japan has the highest percentage of people over the age of 100 in the world. According to experts, food plays a very important role in Japanese people. It should be based on the principle of longevity and health. In other words, in Japan, food is not only eaten for taste, but they actually believe that their health mainly depends on the dishes they eat on a daily basis.
Today I’m going to show you 10 reasons why Japanese women are slim and young.
Big fan of fermented foods.
Fermented foods such as kefir, sauerkraut, kombucha, tempeh, kimchi, etc. are very popular. In the process of making fermented foods, normal bacteria feed on the sugar and starch in the food to produce lactic acid. Fermentation preserves the natural nutrients in foods and makes omega-3 fatty acids, B vitamins, beneficial enzymes, and many strains of probiotics.
Fermentation helps promote good bacteria in the intestines and breaks down foods into a more digestible form. This helps in improving the digestion process, which also helps in losing weight. Moreover, it is helpful in flushing out heavy metals and harmful toxins from the body. Don’t skip this tip if you’re looking for reasons why Japanese women are slimmer and younger. According to a study in the Journal of Physiological Anthropology in 2014, fermented dairy products greatly aid the growth of beneficial microbes in your gut.
eat less.
It can be said that eating small portions is a typical part of Japanese culture. As you know, smaller portion sizes make you eat less, which in turn helps you lose weight quickly. Therefore, it helps prevent unintentional overeating and high calorie intake.
If you’re trying to control your body weight, eating small portions is probably more important than the type of food you eat each day. There are some basic principles for serving home cooked food in Japan. For example, he often does not completely fill the dishes and does not eat a large portion. In addition to choosing fresh foods, they do not decorate foods and often arrange the items on the menu properly to show the natural beauty of the foods.
Don’t eat fast.
In Japan, mealtimes are considered a sacred time to energize the body. So there is no fast eating. If you eat quickly it is considered impolite even though it is acceptable in Japan. This also explains the reasons why you will rarely see anyone eating on the street or on public transportation.
In addition, the Japanese do nothing else at their meal times. They also eat slowly, which gives their stomach enough time to process the foods they eat and sends a signal to the brain that it is full. The Japanese also use chopsticks for their meals, which actually hinders the amount and speed of eating.
martial arts.
In Japan, there are common types of martial arts that are practiced by both men and women. These include karate, aikido, judo, and others. These types of martial arts effectively help in improving the level of physical fitness and overall health.
Besides, most martial arts help improve cardio fitness and endurance, build muscle strength, and enhance muscle flexibility. It is also useful in losing body weight and slowing down the aging process. According to a pilot study in Clinical Medical Optometry in 2013, martial arts exercises help improve body composition and reduce inflammation in overweight or obese perimenopausal women. It also helps favor biomarkers of bone turnover (increased bone formation and decreased bone resorption).
healthy sweets.
When it comes to dessert, we often think of ice cream, cake, or other unhealthy treats. However, the Japanese use the candy to cleanse and freshen the mouth after a meal. In general, Japanese desserts include fruit and other available ingredients such as rice and sweet beans that are very low in sugar.
In Japan, a popular dessert is mocha, which is a rice cake made by crushing a type of rice called moshijim until it becomes a sticky dough. People often stuff mochi with various fillings such as strawberries, ice cream, and sweet red bean paste. Besides, dorayaki is another healthy dessert in Japan. In Japan, you’ll easily find fruit sandwiches, butternut squash, pumpkin pie, and green tea meringue desserts in dessert. Therefore, in order to keep your body fit and looking young, you should enjoy dessert after your meal like Japanese women. However, candy in the West is often high in sugar, caramel, refined flour, and other fattening ingredients, all of which are classified as unhealthy ingredients.
In fact, there are various ways to make candy healthier by replacing bad ingredients with good ones. You can choose brown sugar instead of white sugar, whole wheat flour instead of refined flour, cacao nibs, or cocoa powder instead of chocolate. You should also use a milk alternative such as almond, rice or coconut milk in place of whole milk. These simple choices will also gradually improve your overall health and improve your quality of life.
Drink green tea.
Did you know that the most favorite drink among Japanese women is green tea? It is because green tea is well known for its medicinal properties. The Indians used it to speed wound healing, control bleeding, improve heart health, aid in digestion, and control body temperature. Green tea is very rich in antioxidants and nutrients and also has a strong effect on human health. Green tea is made from leaves that contain bioactive compounds and phytonutrients such as flavonoids and antioxidants. These are powerful antioxidants that may help reduce inflammation caused by free radicals. This tea also contains a specific catechin – epigallocatechin gallate (EGG), which helps reduce bad cholesterol, support healthy arteries, reduce platelet activity, and protect you against certain cancers by blocking tumor production.
According to a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association in 2006, Japanese adults who drink more green tea have a lower risk of death from cardiovascular disease.
They love seafood.
The Japanese tend to choose seafood in their diet rather than red meat. This is because red meat is actually linked to many health issues, such as obesity, high cholesterol levels, inflammatory diseases, and so on.
In addition, the most common choice for Japanese meals is rice or noodles along with various types of seafood. In fact, fish and shellfish, including tuna, salmon, shrimp, and mackerel, are very popular in Japan. Seafood is rich in nutrients as it is full of vitamins, minerals, omega-3 fatty acids, proteins, etc.
Seafood is very low in saturated fat, which helps promote heart health. Besides, the omega-3 fatty acids in seafood offer a lot of benefits to human health. It may be associated with a reduced risk of cardiovascular diseases such as stroke, heart attack, and arrhythmias. It is also effective in relieving pain caused by rheumatoid arthritis, supporting brain development in children, reducing the risk of age-related macular degeneration, and treating depression.
Seafood contains a high source of nutrients that make many people insatiable. Salmon, trout, tuna, and sardines are the healthiest because they contain higher sources of fat-based nutrients. You should eat at least two servings of seafood per week to get the nutritional benefits. You can prepare fish in different ways such as raw, boiled, steamed, baked, fried, or grilled.
Consider performing a ritual.
Walking is very popular in Japan and is a simple type of exercise to keep fit. Moreover, it is beneficial for your health, including controlling your ideal weight. In addition to reducing traffic congestion, walking is also a Buddhist ritual. About 90 million Japanese identify themselves as Buddhists, and many of them practice meditation on foot. This meditation is a simple exercise to do as it requires no equipment.
You need to equip a pair of shoes to walk comfortably. You should think carefully about your steps instead of walking around without concentration. So you should focus on lifting your foot, moving it forward, and putting it on the ground. Then, focus on lifting your other foot, moving it forward, and taking the next step. Remember to notice how your weight changes as you begin to walk.
In other words, you can simply slowly follow your gait and pay attention to your every move. Walking helps maintain ideal weight, increase heart and lung fitness, reduce the risk of stroke and heart disease, and control various health conditions such as high blood cholesterol, high blood pressure, diabetes, and muscle and joint pain.
Walk at least half an hour daily to increase muscle strength and endurance, lose or control weight, and gain strong bones. In addition, you can start your walking habit by taking the stairs instead of using the elevator or getting off public transportation and walking or walking instead of riding your motorcycle.
Healthy cooking methods.
The technique used to cook food plays a major role in preserving the nutrients. The Japanese have always used healthy ways to cook food. In general, they use four main cooking methods. They are agemono (similar to deep frying), moshimono (steamed food), yakimono (a form of barbecue), and nimono, which is boiled food.
In these cooking methods, steaming the food appears to be the healthiest option as it can help remove excess fat used during preparation. Steaming also helps preserve nutrients better than other cooking methods. You should choose this cooking method for cooking fish and other seafood, as it does not dry out the meat. You only need a simple saucepan or bamboo steamer, and you can easily whip up a meal with vegetables and meat.
Grilling is also one of the healthiest cooking methods you can choose from. For the dry heat cooking method, you don’t need to use water or oil. You can grill lean cuts of meat such as beef and chicken. Besides, vegetables like zucchini, onions, and bell peppers are delicious when grilled. Although blanching vegetables isn’t your favorite, this cooking technique brings a lot of health benefits.
You are using water to boil the vegetables so they are fat free. When added to your diet regularly, it can help you lose body weight. It contains a rich source of fiber, which makes it easy to digest in the stomach. Moreover, boiling can help prevent kidney stones, because this method of cooking removes oxalates from foods.
Take hot spring baths.
The Japanese are big fans of hot spring baths, which help to extend life. Hot springs have many types and you can distinguish them by the minerals dissolved in the water. Each mineral provides a different benefit to our health. Soaking in the hot springs is considered a balneotherapy and offers many health benefits. It can help relieve pain, stress, skin problems, etc. Bathing in hot springs can help boost blood circulation because minerals such as magnesium, niacin, sodium bicarbonate, and calcium are absorbed into your skin. This, in turn, increases circulation and increases the flow of oxygen to the muscles, much like when you exercise. In addition, this helps keep your heart and other organs strong and healthy.
Besides, spa treatment can relieve stress and promote sound sleep. Heat helps relax contracted muscles, reduce pain, and increase body temperature, which improves your sleep and treats insomnia. Bathing can relieve some skin-related problems, such as dryness, psoriasis, and eczema. Although hot springs are safe for most people, if you are elderly, pregnant, or have cardiovascular problems, you should consult your doctor first.
Leave a Reply