The Okinawa diet derives its name from the traditional dietary habits of people living on the Okinawa Island of Japan, one of the world's blue zones, which are regions where people live exceptionally long and healthy lives. The Okinawa diet has evolved from a low-calorie, high-carbohydrate diet to one that incorporates more protein and fat. This article explores the traditional Okinawa diet, its key foods, benefits, and potential drawbacks, while also providing insights into Okinawan recipes.
Understanding the Okinawa Diet
The Okinawa diet refers to the traditional eating patterns of the people of Okinawa, Japan. Their unique diet and lifestyle have given them some of the longest lifespans on Earth. The traditional Okinawa diet is characterized by being low in calories and fat, and high in carbohydrates. It emphasizes vegetables and soy products, with occasional small amounts of noodles, rice, pork, and fish.
In recent years, modernization of food production and dietary habits has shifted the Okinawa diet's macronutrient content. Although still low-calorie and primarily carb-based, it now contains more protein and fat. Okinawan culture also treats food as medicine, using traditional Chinese medicine practices. As such, the diet includes herbs and spices known for their health benefits, such as turmeric and mugwort. Okinawan lifestyle also emphasizes daily physical activity and mindful eating practices.
Core Components of the Traditional Okinawa Diet
The Okinawa diet is characterized by its emphasis on whole, nutrient-dense, high-antioxidant foods. Essential nutrients are important for the proper function of your body, while antioxidants protect your body against cellular damage. Unlike other Japanese, Okinawans consume very little rice. Instead, their main source of calories is the sweet potato, followed by whole grains, legumes, and fiber-rich vegetables.
The staple foods in a traditional Okinawan diet are:
Read also: Is the Okinawa Diet Right for You?
- Vegetables (58-60%): Sweet potato (orange and purple), seaweed, kelp, bamboo shoots, daikon radish, bitter melon, cabbage, carrots, Chinese okra, pumpkin, and green papaya
- Grains (33%): Millet, wheat, rice, and noodles
- Soy foods (5%): Tofu, miso, natto, and edamame
- Meat and seafood (1-2%): Mostly white fish, seafood, and occasional pork - all cuts, including organs
- Other (1%): Alcohol, tea, spices, and dashi (broth)
What’s more, jasmine tea is consumed liberally on this diet, and antioxidant-rich spices like turmeric are common.
Foods to Limit on the Okinawa Diet
The traditional Okinawa diet is quite restrictive compared to a modern, Western diet. Because of Okinawa’s relative isolation and island geography, a wide variety of foods have not been accessible for much of its history.
To follow this diet, you’ll want to restrict the following groups of foods:
- Meats: Beef, poultry, and processed products like bacon, ham, salami, hot dogs, sausage, and other cured meats
- Animal products: Eggs and dairy, including milk, cheese, butter, and yogurt
- Processed foods: Refined sugars, grains, breakfast cereals, snacks, and processed cooking oils
- Legumes: Most legumes, other than soy beans
- Other foods: Most fruit, as well as nuts and seeds
Because the modern, mainstream version of the Okinawa diet is based primarily on calorie content, it allows for more flexibility. Some of the lower-calorie foods like fruit may be permitted, although most of the higher-calorie foods - such as dairy, nuts, and seeds - are still limited.
Health Benefits of the Okinawa Diet
The Okinawa diet has a number of health benefits, which are often attributed to its high antioxidant content and high-quality, nutritious foods.
Read also: The Hoxsey Diet
Longevity
The most notable benefit of the traditional Okinawa diet is its apparent impact on lifespan. Okinawa is home to more centenarians - or people who live to be at least 100 years old - than anywhere else in the world. Proponents of the mainstream version of the diet claim that it also promotes longevity, but no substantial research is available to validate these claims.
Many factors influence longevity, including genetics and environment - but lifestyle choices also play a significant role. High levels of free radicals - or reactive particles that cause stress and cellular damage in your body - may accelerate aging. Research suggests that antioxidant-rich foods may help slow the aging process by protecting your cells from free radical damage and reducing inflammation. The traditional Okinawa diet is comprised primarily of plant-based foods that offer potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory capacities, which possibly promote a longer lifespan.
The diet’s low-calorie, low-protein, and high-carb foods may also promote longevity. Animal studies suggest that a calorie-restricted diet made up of more carbs and less protein tends to support a longer lifespan, compared to high-protein Western diets. More research is needed to better understand how the Okinawa diet may contribute to longevity in humans.
Reduced Risk of Chronic Diseases
Okinawans not only live long lives but also experience fewer chronic illnesses, such as heart disease, cancer, and diabetes. Diet likely plays a role, as Okinawan foods boast essential nutrients, fiber, and anti-inflammatory compounds while being low in calories, refined sugar, and saturated fats.
In the traditional diet, most calories come from sweet potatoes. Some experts even claim that the sweet potato is one of the healthiest foods you can eat. Sweet potatoes provide a healthy dose of fiber and have a low glycemic index (GI), meaning that they don’t contribute to sharp rises in blood sugar. They also offer essential nutrients like calcium, potassium, magnesium, and vitamins A and C.
Read also: Walnut Keto Guide
What’s more, sweet potatoes and other colorful vegetables frequently consumed on Okinawa contain powerful plant compounds called carotenoids. Carotenoids have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits and may play a role in preventing heart disease and type 2 diabetes.
The Okinawa diet also supplies relatively high levels of soy. Research suggests that particular soy-based foods are associated with a reduced risk of chronic illnesses like heart disease and certain types of cancer, including breast cancer.
Potential Drawbacks of the Okinawa Diet
Although the Okinawa diet has many benefits, possible drawbacks exist as well.
Restrictive Nature
The traditional Okinawa diet excludes different groups of foods - many of which are quite healthy. This can make strict adherence to the diet difficult and may limit valuable sources of important nutrients. Moreover, some Okinawan foods may not be accessible depending on your location. For instance, the diet contains very little fruit, nuts, seeds, and dairy. Collectively, these foods provide an excellent source of fiber, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that can boost your health. Restricting these food groups may not be necessary - and could be detrimental if you’re not careful to replace missing nutrients.
For this reason, some people prefer the mainstream, weight loss version of the Okinawa diet because it’s more flexible with food choices.
High Sodium Content
The biggest downside to the Okinawa diet may be its high sodium content. Some versions of the diet dole out as much as 3,200 mg of sodium per day. This level of sodium intake may not be appropriate for some people - particularly those who have high blood pressure. The American Heart Association recommends limiting sodium intake to 1,500 mg per day if you have high blood pressure and 2,300 mg per day if you have normal blood pressure.
High sodium intake can increase retention of fluid within blood vessels, leading to increased blood pressure. Notably, the Okinawa diet tends to be high in potassium, which may offset some of the potential negative effects of high sodium intake. Adequate potassium intake helps your kidneys remove excess fluid, resulting in reduced blood pressure.
If you’re interested in trying the Okinawa diet but need to limit your sodium intake, try to avoid the foods highest in sodium - such as miso or dashi.
Adapting the Okinawa Diet for Modern Lifestyles
Although the Okinawa diet has many positive health effects, some people may prefer a less restrictive or less carb-heavy diet. Several aspects of the diet may benefit your health, such as its emphasis on vegetables, fiber, and antioxidant-rich foods coupled with its restrictions on sugar, refined grains, and excess fat.
Lifestyle principles promoted by Okinawan culture - including daily exercise and mindfulness - may also provide measurable health benefits. That said, these principles can likewise be applied to many other diets and lifestyles.
If you’re unsure whether the Okinawa diet fits your dietary goals, consider talking to your dietitian or healthcare provider to create a plan tailored to your needs.
Okinawan Recipes
Somen Chanpuru (Stir-Fried Noodles)
This recipe showcases a popular Okinawan dish, Somen Chanpuru, which combines noodles with vegetables and tuna.
Ingredients:
- 200 grams Somen noodles
- 70 grams canned tuna in oil
- 50 grams carrots, julienned
- 50 grams onions, sliced
- 75 grams cabbage, shredded
- 50 grams garlic chives, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 4 grams katsuobushi (dried bonito flakes), divided
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- White pepper to taste
- Vegetable oil as needed
Instructions:
- Bring a pot of water to a boil.
- In a separate pan, add the canned tuna in oil, carrots, and onions. Stir-fry until the onions become translucent. Add the cabbage and continue to stir-fry until the cabbage has wilted.
- When the pot with the water is at a full boil, add the somen noodles and submerge them as quickly as possible. Cook the noodles for about half the time specified on the package.
- Transfer the somen straight into the pan with the rest of the chanpuru ingredients with tongs, and add in the garlic chives and half of the katsuobushi.
- Stir-fry the somen with the vegetables and season with salt and white pepper to taste. If the noodles start to stick together, add some vegetable oil as needed.
- Plate the somen chanpuru and sprinkle the remaining katsuobushi on top.
Okinawa Tofu and Vegetables (Okazu)
This is a semi-traditional Okinawa Tofu and Vegetables side dish that is partly a family recipe for okazu/tofu in one simple and tasty offering.
Ingredients:
- Tofu
- Carrots
- Yellow or white onion
- Olive oil
- Butter
- Soy sauce
- Salt and pepper
Instructions:
- Prepare all vegetables and tofu by washing, slicing, and setting aside.
- Place a medium to large size sauté or fry pan over medium to medium-high heat.
- Add olive oil and butter to pan. Heat until butter is melted.
- Carefully add carrots and sliced yellow or white onion to pan. Stir fry, adding salt and pepper for about 3-4 minutes just until vegetables begin to soften. Remove veggies from pan and set aside.
- Add cut up tofu to pan and gently toss once or twice while cooking for about 3-4 minutes total.
- Sprinkle soy sauce around and over tofu and add vegetables back to pan heat for another minute, do not toss at this point, or the tofu will fall apart.