10 keys to Japanese cuisine
There are many scientists and nutritionists who turn their eyes towards Japanese gastronomy in search of the food keys that are hidden behind one of the longest-lived populations on our planet. However, what is most surprising about the figures for this country is not so much the large number of centenarians as the low rates of obesity, cardiovascular problems or cancer and cholesterol Restaurant. The answer to these figures is not only in the amount of healthy ingredients that this kitchen treasures, but in the way of combining food, its eating habits and the way of understanding human nutrition loaded with wisdom and respect for the body. Below we review some of its fundamental pillars.
1- Absence of dairy
Can you imagine starting the day with a miso and spinach soup instead of a latte? Well, that’s what they do in Japan, where the presence of milk, butter and cream is almost anecdotal, which is a decisive factor in the low levels of cholesterol in a population that uses few fats and, almost always, vegetable origin.
2- Green tea, a basic
Currently, this Japanese ingredient already occupies a prominent place in Western culture and can be found in any supermarket or hotel, although few still incorporate it into their daily diet. One way to give it more space is to include it as a drink at meals. With this practice we will improve our digestion and recharge antioxidant levels, helping our body to regulate itself and function better.
3- Small portions
The Japanese daily diet does not usually exceed 2,000 calories for women and 2,300 for men; that is, between 200 and 500 calories less than those consumed by an adult in the West. The secret is to concentrate the best of a meal in compact portions to accustom the stomach to eating just enough, ignoring the eyes and avoiding the inadvisable feeling of total satiety. A good way to achieve this is to reduce the size of our tableware to bring it closer to the Japanese style and replace the plates with small bowls. At the very least, the psychological effect is guaranteed.
4- Soy, his favorite
If there is a diet with a vegetarian vocation, this is the Japanese one, since it gives vegetables a leading role in most of its recipes. And when looking for a protein to accompany them, soy is their favorite. In the form of tofu, it is present every day, whether for breakfast, lunch or dessert. In fact, many experts attribute precisely to soybeans the responsibility for Japan’s good health and its low rate of certain cancers, such as breast cancer, or for being one of the populations with the highest estrogen level. But beyond its therapeutic effects, it must be said that tofu is a perfect food that provides a large part of the fundamental nutrients to function, without saturated fats or sugars. In addition, its neutral flavor allows it to be included in any dish.
5- Rice comes first
We will find little gluten or yeast in this kitchen and that is because a large part of the dough is made with rice flour, which gives it a light and sticky texture. Such is the passion for this cereal in the Asian diet that it includes on average up to six times more rice than ours, something that ensures Asians an excellent intake of fiber.
6- Strengthening mushrooms
There are many nutritionists who maintain that mushrooms are responsible for such a healthy and centuries-old population, because in addition to giving an exquisite taste to soups, noodles and stir-fries, they have been used for centuries in this country for their medicinal properties. One of the favorites is, without a doubt, the delicious shiitake mushroom, to which regulating effects on hypertension and strengthening the immune system are attributed. In addition, lately the reishi mushroom has been breaking out with great force, which, on the other hand, is emerging as a fundamental food for the fight against various cancers.
7- The fermented
To those who are unaware of the countless properties of umeboshi and miso, we will tell you that the first consists of fermented plums that have a beneficial alkalizing effect on blood pH and are highly purifying. As far as miso is concerned, it is a soybean paste that is sometimes combined with other cereals. Of course, you have to be careful not to boil it too much, since in this case we would kill the enzymes responsible for regulating our intestinal flora.
8- Sugar-free desserts
In the original Japanese desserts there are ingredients as unusual as red beans. What we do not find too much, however, is the sweet taste, because in their diet a cup of green tea is the best ending to a meal. A mild sweetener that is widely used and worth trying is amasake, a naturally sweet fermented rice.
9- Algae of all kinds
From Japan we also get the best seaweed and methods to prepare it. Not in vain one of the emblems of Japanese gastronomy is the popular sushi, which in a way replaces Western sandwiches and uses nori seaweed as a wrapper. In addition, it has others, such as arame, kombu, hijik, wakame or agar-agar to delight the palate and regulate the hormonal, nervous and lymphatic system. They will lead us, like the Japanese, to achieve extraordinary levels of nutrients in our diet.
10- Well presented dishes
The role played by the presentation of the dishes in our way of eating may seem irrelevant to some, but the truth is that the arrangement and beauty of the presentations radically change our way of eating. To begin with, we will treat the dish with more respect and we will give it all the time it deserves, enjoying its nuances and giving our digestive system more time to extract all the nutrients from each bite. Finally, if there is something in which Japanese cooks are artists, it is in creating small works of art that only catch the eye. We see an example of this in bentos or takeaway meals, which can be transformed into authentic symphonies of color and textures.