The macrobiotic diet reached a very high popularity a few months ago, and everyone wanted to see if it really was as good as they said. In a few words, this diet was understood as a very strict diet based on the principles of Yin and Yan. You have to take into account the way of cooking the food, the food, the schedules and an infinity of information. Today we will leave doubts, and we will see if it is as good as it seems.
Diets abound, that’s a great truth, and the macrobiotic diet has several versions, some stricter than others. Each person who follows this diet does it in their own way, and that gives rise to different versions, although the original is the one that we will focus on.
At the end of the text we will see who can and who cannot take this diet in their day to day, since it puts their health at risk. Keep in mind that it is a strict diet that prohibits many key foods.
What is it and what is it for
It is a diet based on the principles of Yin and Yan, which belong to Eastern philosophy. A strict diet that reduces food, controls schedules, types of cooking, food groups, etc. With diets you have to be very careful because they can trigger an eating behavior disorder.
This food is useful, according to Eastern tradition, to balance body, mind and soul. It can help us lose weight, of course, as we break everything and start fresh by depriving ourselves of certain foods and even entire food groups, depending on which version of the macrobiotic diet we choose.
Being such an inflexible diet, it is not recommended for the whole family, since it could lead to malnutrition in some cases in children and it is also not suitable for diabetics. A priori, it may seem like a good idea to restrict certain food groups, but not knowing how to combine foods well can be harmful.
allowed foods
As in any strict diet there are allowed foods and prohibited foods. Among those allowed we have a great variety, apart from a series of strict conditions so that this diet is fulfilled without problems.
On the one hand, we have the most recommended whole grains, which are brown rice, millet, quinoa, buckwheat, barley, oats, rye and spelled. On the other hand, there are the vegetables, and here the list is broader:
- Celery.
- Chard.
- Watercress.
- Endive.
- Spinach.
- turnip greens
- Lettuce.
- Pumpkin.
- Onion.
- Cabbage.
- Cauliflower.
- Broccoli.
- Carrot.
- Parsnip.
- Burdock.
- Radish.
- Beet.
- Ginger.
Finally, the proteins and here there is a small print and that is that only fermented vegetables such as tempeh are allowed, or choose meat and fish, but that they are organic and only about 2 or 3 times a week.
Now we go with the proportions of each menu, and it is that in each dish there should be between 40 and 60% whole grain, between 10 and 20% protein (it is preferable that it be of vegetable origin), between 1 and 10% of salad, between 20 and 30% of vegetables, between 0 and 5% of fruits and nuts and between 3 and 6% of seeds, oils, algae, salt, soups, creams, etc.
Forbidden food
The foods that have no place in the macrobiotic diet are the following, and many will be angry, since there are basic foods such as tomatoes, potatoes, some fruits, flours and even coffee.
- Animal fats.
- Dairy products.
- red meats
- Tropical fruits.
- Flours.
- refined foods.
- Ultraprocessed.
- Preservatives and dyes (including foods that contain them).
- Coffee.
- Eggplants.
- Tomatoes.
- Potatoes.
- sugars.
- spices.
Benefits
This diet has very clear principles, and the idea is to balance body, mind and soul, and for this, internal health is very important. It is not proven that this diet helps to avoid health problems, but it does have certain benefits that promote good general health.
A much healthier stomach, that is how it will be if we follow this particular diet and that is thanks to the fact that this type of diet balances the body’s pH. We will also feel that our traffic has been regulated, due to the amount of fruits, vegetables and whole grains that we consume.
On the other hand, blood glucose levels will be stable. What will also be stable will be our body weight, as long as we combine it with exercise routines. Some experts suggest that mental fluidity and energy are improved.
Contraindications
This diet also has some drawbacks or contraindications. All diets have, and even individual foods have drawbacks. So the macrobiotic diet was not going to be less.
In this section we will see which population groups should not have this style of eating. For example, it is not recommended for children, since certain food groups crucial for their physical and intellectual development are lost.
A doctor should assess whether or not we are fit to eat this diet, since physical and health conditions are at stake. With the macrobiotic diet, we can suffer from important deficiencies such as iron, vitamin D, B12, etc.
It is advisable to carry out blood tests before starting this diet and during it, to check that all the values are in order and attack deficiencies as soon as possible. Above all, when it comes to iron and B12, which are an essential mineral for the normal functioning of the body and a vitamin of vital importance for our brain and other functions.
Another drawback of carrying out this feeding is that it can be more expensive than a normal feeding. In addition, if we want to lose weight, it is best to eat a healthy, varied and balanced diet, quit tobacco and alcohol and do aerobic and anaerobic exercise at least 3 times a week, instead of following this style of diet that is very restrictive. and that later we will suffer a rebound effect.
Not to mention the eating disorders to which we lend ourselves when we open the door to miracle diets and diets as restrictive as the macrobiotic diet and many others that exist today.
