healthy nerd

I am a big fan of Japanese food, something that rubbed off to my son as well. In fact, we just had shrimp tempura, gohan (steamed rice), kani (crabsticks), tuna sashimi, tamago (egg) and kani salad for lunch. For some reason, I always feel satisfied, full yet still healthy without the supposed guilt of eating too much after every Japanese meal.

Japanese food makes use of fresh and healthy ingredients in every meal, be it raw or cooked. Health experts believe that the use of half-cooked or raw fish, rice, fermented soybean paste, tofu and seaweed as basic components in Japanese cooking may be the reason behind better health in Japan. This is further strengthened by the life expectancy rates in Japan, which have been the highest worldwide for more than a decade now.

Looking at the menus at Japanese restaurants will give us an idea of the special nutrition structure that Japanese cuisine has. Japanese diet includes delicious gastronomic fare with low cholesterol content. Since it is primarily fish-based, Japanese cuisine has limited red meat offerings that make it almost free from saturated or bad fat. Instead, they are abundant in seafood, rich in polyunsaturated or good fat. Kombu and nori, seaweeds from warm and cold waters respectively also contribute to the distinct flavor in Japanese cooking. They also contain high amounts of iodine, minerals and microelements for better health.

Vegetables are also a salient part in Japanese cuisine and are prepared in a variety of ways. Mushrooms, carrots, beans, onions and eggplants may be pickled, sautéed, battered then fried (ala tempura), or steamed and eaten with dips. Steamed rice (gohan) or flavored rice with vegetables (kamameshi) makes Japanese meals more filling. Rice also provides the necessary carbohydrates to sustain energy through the day. Wash all these up with Japanese green tea for a guilt-free filling meal!

Good health, wide availability and sumptuous flavor spiced with rich culture: It’s no wonder more and more people are going Japanese, at least during meal times.

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