Macrobiotic diet: definition, benefits and food (2024)

You have probably heard most of your fitness enthusiast friends talk about their macrobiotic diet with great passion, yet you still don’t quite grasp what it is. Although its focus is not necessarily weight loss, it is considered to be one of the safest ways of establishing and maintaining good health in mind and body. But what is this macrobiotic diet exactly about?

What is the macrobiotic diet?

Rooted in the ancient Asian philosophy of Zen Buddhism and Taoist principles of yin and yang, the macrobiotic diet is a culinary alternative that aims to find balance in how we eat and cook our food. It derives from the term macrobiota, which refers to a particular living microorganism that lives in our gut, also known as the gastrointestinal tract. Macrobiota is responsible for maintaining a balance in the entire gastrointestinal tract, making it possible to digest the most complex foods we ingest. Throughout the past two decades, numerous studies have shed some light on the connections between mood, mental and gut health.

Fundamental principles of the macrobiotic diet

A macrobiotic diet is mostly vegetarian and consists of whole foods that are naturally and organically grown. Here are the fundamental components in a macrobiotic diet.

• Water: When it comes to liquids, only spring or well water is encouraged, preferably boiled and cooled to room temperature. Having miso soup is also allowed. Drink only when you’re thirsty!
• Whole grain: Approximately 40% - 60% of what you consume daily should be whole grains that are grown organically, such as rye, brown rice, oats, teff, barley, millet, quinoa, spelt and corn.
• Legumes: 5% - 10% is reserved for legumes, which are great substitutes for meat because they are full of protein, fiber, and are either very low in fat or completely fat free. Chickpeas, dried peas, lentils and all types of beans are recommended.
• Fresh vegetables: 20% - 30% of your daily intake should be local and organic vegetables. Sea veggies such as dulse, agar, seaweed, nori and wakame are preferred due to their high iron content.
• Proteins: Fermented soya and algae should be some of the main sources of protein. Soybean options like miso, natto and tofu, may be regular options to eat during a week.
• Egg: Eggs should only be eaten sparingly while transitioning from your regular diet to a macrobiotic one.
• Fruit: Only organic fruits should be occasionally ingested. Hand-picked berries are preferred, while tropical fruits should be avoided entirely.

The food should be prepared through baking, steaming or broiling, with cooking utensils that should preferably be made out of naturally occurring materials such as glass or clay. Standard macrobiotic practices include expressing gratitude before taking a bite, as well as chewing every bite a minimum of 50 times.

Forbidden foods in the macrobiotic diet

As in all diets, the macrobiotic diet has a wide variety of foods that are not allowed because they make the yin and yang enter in an unbalanced state and cause imbalance in the pH environment in the gut flora. All kinds of meat, dairy produce, spicy ingredients and fruit juices are forbidden. Coffee, soda, canned food, refined products (including sugar), eggs and all kinds of processed foods are not allowed. In regards to alcohol, only mild forms of Japanese beverages like sake are allowed. Honey, chocolates of all types, and any stimulating leaves for teas like mint, are not allowed either.

Although it might make you think twice before switching to a macrobiotic diet, knowing its health benefits and why these ingredients and products should be avoided could help you convince yourself to try it.

Benefits of the macrobiotic diet

The macrobiotic diet, as its fellow plant-dependant diets, have shown to decrease the risk for heart, chronic and inflammatory diseases. Even though it is not its main goal, the macrobiotic diet could help you lose weight on the sole fact that processed and high fat meats are substituted by vegetables. Although there is not enough evidence to support it, it has been claimed that the macrobiotic diet helps prevent and also treat cancer.

Disadvantages of the macrobiotic diet

The macrobiotic diet seems to be the ideal answer to a balanced nutrition, but it is usually very difficult to maintain. It requires time to prepare food from scratch, a strict commitment to this way of living and cravings are usually very hard to fight off. There is also proof that humans are not well nourished if they lack intake of some vitamins such as B12, Vitamin D, fatty acids, and certain minerals. Some people advocate that it is not a good idea to start babies and children into this diet because their growth period gets seriously affected.

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