こんにちは、ようこそ
Hello and welcome!
Japan: the land of the rising sun, cherry blossoms, sumo wrestling, politeness, and of course, healthy Japanese cuisine!
Japanese food emphasises seasonal produce - predominantly seafood and vegetables. The Japanese diet is nutrient rich with staples such as yams and green tea (antioxidants); cruciferous vegetables (cancer preventing properties); seaweed (iodine); seafood (omega-3); shiitake mushrooms (iron, potassium, zinc, copper, and folate); and whole-soy foods. It is no surprise then that the Japanese have the longest life expectancy, with Okinawa Island having the highest ratio of centenarians (34.7) to inhabitants (100,000).
Even though Japanese cuisine is considered one of the healthiest, there are many trappings that can trip you up. Sushi, despite it's healthy façade is predominantly made from stodgy white rice, which is heavily processed. It also has sugary rice vinegar added to it as flavouring meaning a "healthy" sushi meal may contain little more than mouthfuls of processed, sugary carbohydrates. To learn more about how sushi can make you fat, read: Sushi lovers BEWARE!
Hello and welcome!
Japan: the land of the rising sun, cherry blossoms, sumo wrestling, politeness, and of course, healthy Japanese cuisine!
Japanese food emphasises seasonal produce - predominantly seafood and vegetables. The Japanese diet is nutrient rich with staples such as yams and green tea (antioxidants); cruciferous vegetables (cancer preventing properties); seaweed (iodine); seafood (omega-3); shiitake mushrooms (iron, potassium, zinc, copper, and folate); and whole-soy foods. It is no surprise then that the Japanese have the longest life expectancy, with Okinawa Island having the highest ratio of centenarians (34.7) to inhabitants (100,000).
Even though Japanese cuisine is considered one of the healthiest, there are many trappings that can trip you up. Sushi, despite it's healthy façade is predominantly made from stodgy white rice, which is heavily processed. It also has sugary rice vinegar added to it as flavouring meaning a "healthy" sushi meal may contain little more than mouthfuls of processed, sugary carbohydrates. To learn more about how sushi can make you fat, read: Sushi lovers BEWARE!
So now onto the healthy stuff. Here are some authentic dishes you will find along your travels in Japan.
YUDOFU ゆどふ
Yudofu is a regional tofu delicacy of Kyoto. A popular winter dish, it consists of tofu pieces simmered in hot water or plain dashi soup. The simplicity of the dish allows the delicate flavours of the broth and the silky texture of the tofu to be savoured.
SHABU-SHABU しゃぶしゃぶ
Shabu-shabu is a very popular hot pot dish with thin strips of beef and seasonal vegetables placed into a pot of dashi and left until cooked. Not only healthy, shabu-shabu is also fun to eat, especially in groups - with a big pot of broth on an open flame placed in the middle of the table and platters of delicately sliced meat and fresh vegetables.
EDAMAME えだまめ (hiragana) or 枝豆 (kanji)
Eaten as a snack or appetiser, edamame are immature soybeans that are still intact in the pod. Packing plenty of nutritional punch, edamame are served boiled or steamed with a sprinkling of salt.
SASHIMI さしみ (hiragana) or 刺身 (kanji)
Sashimi is fresh, raw fish that is sliced very thinly and served uncooked. A traditional Japanese dish, it is usually served with daikon radish, pickled ginger, wasabi and soy sauce as the first course in a meal. A myriad of fish are used for sashimi including: tuna, salmon, sea bass, trout, sea bream and yellowtail. High in protein, many of the fish used for sashimi are also high in Omega-3 fatty acids - important protectants against heart disease.
SOBA そば (hiragana) or 蕎麦 (kanji)
Soba is the Japanese name for buckwheat. Soba noodles are a type of thin noodle made from buckwheat flour and are usually are served either chilled with a dipping sauce, or in hot broth as a noodle soup. Clockwise from top: sansai soba, soki soba, hiyashi soba.
There is a lot to learn from the Japanese diet. Clean and simple flavours with an emphasis on fresh produce, Japanese food is about discovering the true characteristics of ingredients through simplicity.
さようなら、幸せな食事!
Goodbye and happy eating!
Next stop, we head to.......ITALY!
JW
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