You Are What You Eat In Japan

Posted on 11/22/2022 Last updated on 11/22/2022

Literally. The Japanese stable diet is primarily rice, and not just any rice – sticky rice which is consumed morning, noon and night. And yet, people are still able to remain slim!

A Changing Diet

The consumption of American long grain rice, basmati, brown and Thai rice were all parts of my diet once. But not on a daily basis! As an ex-boxer and Wing Chun practitioner in my earlier years, and an assistant instructor of Filipino martial art for the past 12 years, staying healthy hasn’t always been easy for me.

Due to differing food culture and life styles, the problem I seem to encounter is controlling my weight. Ever since I left the UK, I’ve steadily gained weight, which has taken its toll over the years.

I say all this as a person who’d trained 4 to 5 times in a week in a boxing gym plus cycling around the London capital to and from work. My immediate family members are dotted around the greater London area, so I was always on the move. I can say with a hand on my heart that I’m double the weight I was throughout during the 80’s, 90’s and early 2000’s.

It’s Always the Carbs

Carbs are an essential part of any diet, but when you reach a certain age, carbs can have the opposite affect. All of my favorite foods thet ara carb-based are best eaten in moderation. Based on my personal opinion, the consumption of Japanese rice is the cause of my weight gain, as well as the consumption of alcoholic beverages which I’d only consume during social events. After all, when in Rome do as the Romans do, right?

Shopping for healthy food here based solely on the Japanese one-size-fits-all diet may work for Japanese folks, but not for one used to the Afro-Caribbean diet. Even taking the usual approach to “healthy eating” doesn’t always work. Fried foods like fried chicken or karaage, tempura & such, while delicious, are not something I eat on a daily bases.

I try to avoid too much sugar and sweets. I consider my diet to be in the healthy zone- there’s fish, poultry, lamb, vegetables, fruits, nuts, berries, soybean curd noodles and so on which my wife so lovingly prepares (and on occasion I’ll prepare). But in the end, it all comes back to carbs.

So what am I to do? Brown or whole grain bread isn’t as popular as white bread, but they are sold in most supermarkets. Often they come in three-to-four slice packages so they can’t be considered a loaf. I mentioned in the opening of my article about American long grain, basmati, brown and Thai rice. They aren’t widely sold and are considered imported food items in a higher price bracket. Long story short, for less carbs, you have to do more legwork to get them.

Conclusion

Or maybe having to resort to going to such international delicatessens or purchase such foods and ingredients online is just the deterrent we need to eat them at all? You decide! I hope my article was informative as to help you make the right courses in your daily diet. after all, we are what we eat, right?

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Top Photo: FineGraphicsさん on PhotoAC