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The Vegetarian
/ Macrobiotic Diet
Is this the
diet for me?
Even people who say they are
“vegetarians” should understand that just because you avoid meat
does not make your diet “healthy.” We see a lot of vegetarians who
live on cheese pizza, noodles, and the ever-popular granola.
It is important that if you are eating vegetarian that you are not
overeating on grain products and that you must include
vegetables
and other foods for variety. As you will see from the description
below, many of the macrobiotic diet principles are those that we
should all be following. In our previous newsletters, we recommend
many of the same principles. However, we feel that every person does
not feel good on a vegetarian diet. Our bodies are individually
unique therefore we cannot assume that all of us should eat the same
way. That is why we recommend that every person be tested to
determine which diet is best for your particular body type. Some
people require a lot of protein in the form of animal protein (Hauser Diet #1), where others do well on a vegetarian
macrobiotic diet (similar to Hauser Diet
#5). Nonetheless, all of us could benefit from the basic
concepts of the macrobiotic diet. Read below for more information on
this eating style:
General guidelines:
The following guidelines explain the general ideas of a Vegetarian
Macrobiotic diet. The term Macrobiotics stems from the Greek words
macro meaning "great" or "long" and bios meaning "life."
The general principles of the Macrobiotic concepts are intended to
inspire people to improve their quality of life through diet and
lifestyle. The Vegetarian/Macrobiotic diet includes whole grains,
land and sea vegetables, beans, soy, soup, fruits, seeds and nuts,
natural sweeteners and seasonings.
Basic Concepts:
1. All foods consumed should be organically grown, locally grown,
and in season. (You can check which produce is in season through a
quick online search.)
2. Best are foods that will store without artificial preservation
or refrigeration.
3. Use solar-evaporated sea water salts to season and prepare
foods.
4. Use oils sparingly and only use unrefined, cold-pressed, and
organically grown seeds such as sesame, corn, safflower, sunflower,
and flaxseed.
5. As a primary source of protein, use
beans and bean products frequently, along with whole grain and
vegetable dishes. (*This may not be appropriate for your body type).
6. Chew each mouthful thoroughly before swallowing.
What to avoid:
1. Foods and beverages containing refined sweeteners, chemical
dyes, synthetic flavorings or seasonings, refined oils, chemical
preservatives.
2. Foods and beverages grown with chemical insecticides, herbicides,
fungicides, chemical fertilizers, produced by bio-engineering, or
grown under hot-house conditions.
3. Beverages which are carbonated, sweetened, or contain alcohol.
4.
Meat, poultry, animal fat, eggs,
dairy. (*As appropriate for YOUR body type)
5. All tropical fruits and other foods which must be imported from
warmer climates.
Beverages:
A variety of traditional teas are recommended., including bancha,
kukicha, barley tea, brown rice tea, organic green tea, Mu tea, or
corn silk tea. Other beverages include carrot, celery, or vegetable
juice, naturally processed amasake and soymilk, and organic fruit
juices. Natural spring or well water is preferred for cooking and
drinking.
Whole Grains:
The majority of the Vegetarian/Macrobiotic diet consists of cooked
whole cereal grains.
Whole cereal grains include brown rice, barley, millet, corn, whole
wheat, whole oats, rye, kamut, quinoa, and buckwheat. Whole cereal
grains that can be eaten occasionally include sweet brown rice,
whole grain noodles, cracked wheat, rolled oats, corn meal, and
couscous.
Vegetables:
Vegetables should be the second most frequently consumed food
group. Vegetables which should be used regularly include kale,
collard greens, watercress, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, onions,
squash, Brussels sprouts, carrots, turnips, daikon, burdock, and
scallions. Vegetables that can be eaten occasionally include
celery, chives, cucumber, mushrooms, lettuce, peas, and string
beans. Tomatoes, potatoes, and peppers should be eaten rarely.
Beans, Soy, and Sea Vegetables:
Beans will provide the highest amount of protein in the diet and
amount to approximately 10% of food consumption. Beans that can be
used regularly include azuki beans, chickpeas, lentils, and black
soybeans. Beans which can be eaten occasionally include kidney
beans, pinto beans, whole dried peas, and lima beans.
Soy products which are recommended for regular seasoning in soups
and other dishes include miso, a fermented soy paste, and shoyu, a
soy sauce. Beans and/or soy products such as tofu and tempeh are
recommended to be eaten occasionally.
Sea vegetables which are recommended include kombu, watame, nori,
hijiki, arame, dulse, irish moss, agaragar, and mekabu.
Various Foods:
Seeds and Nuts which can be included in this diet are pumpkin,
sesame, sunflower, peanuts, walnuts,
and pecans
Seasonal fruits which can be included in this diet are apricot,
peaches, apples, cherries, strawberries, pears, and grapes.
Natural sweeteners include rice syrup, barley malt, amasake, dried
chestnuts, and organic apple butter.
Condiments which can be used regularly include gomashio (sesame
salt), shiso powder, umeboshi (pickled salt plum), tekka, green
nori flakes, brown rice vinegar, umeboshi vinegar, organic shoyu.
As always, we recommend
that you consult with your natural medicine physician to determine
what diet is best for you.
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The
Hauser Diet is unique in that
it explains why there is not one diet for everyone. The Hauser Diet is
actually five different diets: