This diet promotes health and longevity through a diet rich in micro-nutrients and Omega-3.
The Okinawa diet
The Okinawa diet comes from a small island of ultra-hygienic people located in the south of Japan. It is renowned for the longevity of its inhabitants, largely due to their diet and lifestyle.
Characteristics of the Okinawa diet :
- Rich in vegetables, fruit and oily fish
- A true way of life
- The main principle is to stop eating before you are full
- Promotes health and longevity
The main principles of the diet
The Okinawa diet is named after an archipelago in Japan where the longest life expectancy (86 years for women and 78 years for men) and the largest number of centenarians in the world are found. Okinawa has 400 centenarians for a population of 1.3 million, or 34 centenarians per 100,000 people. Not only are Okinawans the most likely to live past the age of 100, but they are aging well. They are living longer in full possession of their means. But what do they do to achieve such results?
How does the Okinawa diet work?
The Japanese cardiologist and gerontologist Makoto Suzuki was one of the first to take an interest in the secret of the Okinawan centenarians. In the 1970s, he went to live there with the aim of setting up a dispensary.
He was intrigued by the presence of several centenarians despite the absence of an adequate health service.
His later analyses revealed that the secret of the centenarians’ longevity was partly due to heredity, but also to a diet low in saturated fats and calories. Recently, the diet and lifestyle of the Okinawan centenarians have attracted the attention of the medical world and researchers.
It was twins Bradley and Craig Willcox, members of Dr Suzuki’s research team, who introduced the rest of the world to the Okinawan secret of longevity. They have published several books on the subject, the first in 2001, The Okinawa Way, and the most recent, The Okinawa Diet Plan. The latter book offers a Western version of the Okinawan diet for those who want to lose weight.
How does the Okinawa diet make you lose weight?
The Okinawa Diet is a semi-vegetarian diet low in fat (less than 25% of total calories). One of the goals of this diet is to induce calorie restriction without having to count calories in order to achieve a healthy weight and age well. To achieve this, it is recommended to eat according to the principle of energy density of foods.
Energy density is the caloric value per 100g of food, divided by 100.
Thus, in the Okinawa diet, it is recommended to eat :
- as much as you like of foods with an energy density of less than 0.7
- foods with an energy density of 0.8 to 1.5 in moderation
- occasionally, in small quantities, foods with an energy density of 1.6 to 3
- rarely those with an energy density of more than 3
Eating low and very low energy density foods means that you eat fewer calories, because they are high in water, fibre or protein.
These foods provide a quick feeling of satiety, so you can stop eating before you are completely full.
Also, the caloric restriction induced by the consumption of low and very low energy density foods generates less metabolic waste and therefore less free radicals. This is what makes it possible to live longer. Indeed, during the transformation of food into energy, the body produces a lot of free radicals which, over the years, deteriorate the mitochondria (small ‘factories’ inside our cells that produce energy).
According to Dr Jacky Thouin, calorie restriction also reduces the levels of insulin in the blood and oestrogen circulating in the body. It also increases the immune response and protects against obesity, insulin resistance, hormone-dependent cancers and atherosclerosis.
How long does the Okinawa diet last?
The Okinawa diet is more than a diet. It is a true way of life whose benefits increase over time. For this reason, there is no time limit. On the contrary, it is recommended to apply the principles of this diet throughout one’s life in order to be and remain healthy.
Food to be eaten as much as you like Energy density < 0.7 :Water, tea
Green vegetables, Watery vegetables (tomatoes, cucumbers), Citrus fruits
Red fruits, Low-calorie fruits, Soy milk, Fresh seaweed, Low fat yoghurt
Tofu
Food to be eaten in moderation Energy density between 0.8 and 1.5 : Banana, Avocado, Potato, Lean fish, Shellfish, Poultry, Eggs, Sweet potato, Rice, Pasta, Sushi, Pulses
Food for occasional consumption Energy density between 1.6 and 3 : Hummus, Oily fish, Wholegrain cereals and derivatives, Lean meat, Dried fruit, Soy cheese, Ice cream, Sweet fruit: cherries, grapes
Foods to limit Energy density > 3 : Oilseeds, Cheeses, Biscuits, Doughnuts, Charcuterie, Oil and butter, Cream, Fried food, Sweet and processed products
To adapt the Okinawa diet to the Western lifestyle, it is recommended to eat
7–13 servings of vegetables
7–13 servings of whole grains or legumes
2–4 servings of fruit
2–4 servings of soy or cabbage
2–4 servings of calcium-rich foods (broccoli, fish, yogurt, cheese, etc.)
1 to 3 servings of omega-3 rich foods (fish, seafood, nuts and seeds)
Vegetable oil and condiments (herbs, spices, soy sauce) in moderation, 1 to 2 tablespoons maximum
Tea
8 glasses of water
Optional, per week
0 to 7 servings of meat, poultry and eggs
0 to 3 servings of foods with added sugars
Alcohol in moderation
Other main principles of the Okinawa diet
The Okinawa diet recommends respecting other major principles that are characteristic of the Japanese diet and that make this method so successful:
- Hara Hachi Bu, which consists of stopping eating before you are completely full
- Kuten gwa, which encourages eating only small portions
- Nuchi gusui, which consists of eating in the belief that food has healing powers
- Encouraging a variety of foods at a time
- Favouring colours on the plate
- Eat fresh food
- Cook foods slowly and gently
- Cook and eat foods separately
- Combine raw and cooked foods
- Avoid the microwave and the barbecue
Advantages and disadvantages
The positive points of the Okinawa diet
Satiety due to high fibre and protein intake
Western version is easy to follow in the long term
Compatible with an active social life
Weight loss is not a priority but is often diet-induced
Balanced, varied and healthy diet
No food bans or deprivation
Negative points of the diet
Can be difficult to avoid eating to satiety
Original foods sometimes difficult to find in the West
Requires an effort of cultural adaptation
Recommendations and precautions to take
Are there any risks?
The Okinawa diet may involve certain risks for people who are not well informed:
Reducing caloric intake over the long term without being overweight and without supervision may pose certain health risks, including nutritional deficiencies. The supervision of a doctor and a nutritionist is recommended.
Consumption of seaweed by people with hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism may be harmful to their health
The Okinawa diet has certain dietary restrictions that may lead to a period of overeating that is difficult to control
Is it right for you?
The Okinawa diet can be beneficial to you if you want to develop better eating habits in the long term. The Okinawa diet promotes the consumption of natural foods that are beneficial to health and have high nutritional value. Self-awareness and a philosophy of life are also pillars of this method. It is important to note that weight loss is not the goal of this diet.
Is this diet compatible with sport?
Yes, physical activity is also one of the pillars of the Okinawa lifestyle. It is essential to maintain a healthy body and prevent various diseases. It acts in synergy with the diet.
How can I keep the weight off?
Since the Okinawa diet is not particularly restrictive and is not intended for weight loss, there is no reason to gain weight after stopping the diet. Especially since this lifestyle is supposed to be adopted over the long term to promote health and longevity.
Some figures to go further
It is true that Okinawan centenarians consume few calories. In a 1996 study, the caloric intake of male and female Okinawan centenarians was about 1,100 calories per day, which is less than the recommended caloric intake in the West. Eating sufficient portions of low-energy density foods provides satiety. It can indeed help with weight loss. In animals, calorie restriction has been shown to improve longevity. In humans, in the short term, calorie restriction brings certain benefits, in particular an improvement in lipid balance (cholesterol, triglycerides). A prospective study, published in The Journal of Gerontology in 2004, even found that men who consumed 15% to 50% fewer calories than average reduced their risk of all-cause mortality.
There is no scientific evidence about the long-term effect of calorie restriction on humans. Some researchers are concerned about possible negative consequences, including the risk of nutritional deficiencies.
The results of another study showed that foods traditionally eaten in the Okinawa region have higher anti-cancer properties than those eaten in the rest of Japan. It should also be noted that the secret of longevity of Okinawans lies not only in their diet and physical activity, but also in socio-cultural, psychological and hereditary factors.
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