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The Okinawa diet originates from the food habits of people living on Japan’s Okinawa island. Okinawa is an island located off the coast of Japan between the East China and Philippine Seas.
The Okinawa diet a low-calorie diet and is mainly carb-based, but nowadays, the protein and fat intake is higher. The term Okinawan blue zone diet refers to people living in blue zones, where longevity is exceptionally better compared to the rest of the world.
Experts reckon that there might be genetic, environmental and lifestyle factors behind this phenomenon. In this article, we bring you all you need to know about the Okinawa diet.
Foods to eat in the Okinawa diet
In the Okinawa blue zone diet, the following foods are included in their respective ratios:
- Vegetables (58–60%): seaweed, kelp, bamboo shoots, daikon radish, cabbage, carrots, okra, pumpkin, sweet potatoes and green papaya
- Soy products (5%): tofu, miso, natto and edamame
- Grains and cereals (33%): millet, wheat, rice and noodles
- Seafood (1–2%): mostly white fish and seafood
- Meat: Pork, mostly lean cuts
- Other (1%): alcohol, tea, spices, and dashi (broth)
Jasmine tea is an important component of this diet along with turmeric, a spice containing curcumin, an antioxidant-rich compound.
Foods to avoid in the Okinawa diet
The traditional Okinawa blue zone diet is quite restrictive than the modern version due to accessibility issues of food items.
As Okinawa is an island, many food items were not available in those times. Now, everything can be found in the market, but the main principles of the diet remain the same.
The following groups of foods are discouraged in this diet for better health and increased longevity:
- Meats and processed meats: beef, poultry, bacon, ham, salami, hot dogs and sausages
- Eggs and dairy: eggs, milk, cheese, butter and yogurt
- Processed foods: refined sugars, grains, breakfast cereals, snacks and cooking oils
- Legumes: most legumes, except soybeans
- Fruits, nuts and seeds: most fruit, as well as nuts and seeds
Okinawa diet meal plan
Although this diet can be followed in your own way using the aforementioned items, we bring you a sample 3-day menu that can be followed on this diet.
Check out the meal plan below:
Day 1
- Breakfast: 1 cup of miso soup with broth (dashi). tofu and edamame stir-fried
- Lunch: Baked sweet potato with white rice
- Dinner: Baked salmon, mushrooms and vegetables
Day 2
- Breakfast: 1 egg with edamame and broth
- Lunch: 1 cup of seaweed salad with rice and tofu
- Dinner: Rice with 1 cup of broccoli with pork belly
Day 3
- Breakfast: 1 cup of miso soup with broccoli
- Lunch: 1 cup roasted sweet potatoes with roasted pork belly
- Dinner: White rice with tofu and vegetables
Okinawa diet recipes
Here's how to make the simplest Miso soup for this diet:
Ingredients
- 4 cups water
- 2 teaspoons broth/dashi granules
- 3 tablespoons miso paste
- 8 ounces silken tofu, diced
- 2 green onions, sliced
Instructions
- Take water and dashi granules in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, and bring to a boil.
- Reduce heat and add the miso paste. Stir well, and add the tofu.
- Add the green onions to the soup.
- Simmer gently for 2 to 3 minutes before serving.
Here's the recipe for Kinpira Gobo (burdock root and carrot stir-fry), which is a popular part of the Okinawa diet:
Ingredients
- 1/2 pound gobo (burdock root)
- 1/4 pound carrot, peeled and cut into short, thin strips
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 1/2 tablespoons mirin
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1/2 tablespoon sake
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon sesame seeds
Instructions
- Peel the gobo’s skin with a peeler
- Soak gobo strips in water, and drain well.
- Cut carrots into thin strips.
- Heat vegetable oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat, and fry gobo for a couple of minutes.
- Add carrot strips, and fry them.
- Add sake, mirin and sugar, and stir till the liquid is evaporated.
- Season with soy sauce and sesame seeds.
The eating pattern is similar to other blue zone diets, aiming to increase life expectancy.
Indranil Biswas is a nutritionist and personal trainer with a diploma in dietetics and personal training with a specialization in sports nutrition and strength training.
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