Why is the Japanese diet associated with high life expectancy?
You’re right. The Japanese Okinawa diet has repeatedly been associated with long life expectancies. In fact, the Japanese are the most likely individuals on the planet to live to the age of 100.
Essentially, the Okinawa diet, which is named after the small southern Okinawa islands, is high in natural and unprocessed food. The population eats fresh fish several times a week and their everyday diet is high in wholegrains and vegetables. Soy, tofu and seaweed are also consumed in large quantities with the local population benefiting from their various health benefits. Subsequently, the population consume less salt, sugar and saturated fats than their Western counterparts do.
As a result, there is less prevalence of the health issues that are associated with a poor Western diet, such as diabetes, cancer and hypertension. Another interesting factor of the Okinawa diet is that they tend to eat dairy products in small quantities.
Diet is probably not the sole reason for longevity. While it certainly pays to eat healthily, it’s also important to combine a good diet with plenty of exercise, as many Japanese do.
I’m obsessed with ice cream and I’ll easily devour an entire tub if nobody’s watching. Are there any healthier alternatives that will help control my cravings?
First and foremost, a healthy diet is about variety and moderation. If you’re eating an entire tub in one sitting then you need to try and be more disciplined and take a more controlled attitude to portions. Ice cream can be high in sugar and if you continue to binge eat it, you will run a risk of high cholesterol and in the longer term this could lead to health complications such as hypertension or diabetes.
Luckily there are alternatives. If you’re after a sweet snack, fresh fruit is a healthier option and equally delicious. Closer to ice cream in texture is frozen yogurt and if you read the ingredients carefully, you should be able to find a brand that’s far lower in calories and sugar content than your current favourite. For variation, try mixing the yogurt with your favourite fruit flavours and hopefully it should reduce your cravings.
You could also try making a smoothie with ice and fresh fruit for a healthy treat. It’s still important to regulate your quantities though, as fruit can be high in sugar so you need to take a disciplined approach to portions.
