Why do Japanese people live long?
Japan – the country of long-livers. Many Japanese live up to respectable age – life expectancy in Japan, both men, and women, is the highest in the world. In this country, there are more than 36 thousand long-livers. Average life expectancy of Japanese 82 years, they can only envy. At the same time, grandmothers and grandfathers of the oldest age perfectly feel and lead quite active lifestyle. These people continue to play sports, to travel and in general to be interested in a variety of life, they are not even able to be ill “”. Percent of heart attacks, strokes, a prostate cancer and breast here the lowest on the planet.
Why do Japanese live long? How they manage it?
1. Fish, vegetables, fruit, rice and soy – a basis of a full-fledged diet
Japanese are mad about fish. It is eaten for breakfast, a lunch and a dinner. It is put on rice balls, in rice balls, eaten crude, smoked, baked, fried, stewed with seasonings and just like that. Still, at coast of Japan there live more than 3 000 species of fish, and all of them can be prepared tasty. Each Japanese eats in a year on average 68 kg of fish, the resident of other countries – is 3-4 times less. A salmon – the undoubted favorite of Japanese cuisine, but a trout, a mackerel, sardines, a tuna, shrimps, octopuses, an eel, combs crabs and other fish are used too.
Thanks to such sea diet the organism receives proteins, minerals, iodine, selenium and, the main thing, fatty acids an omega-3 much. The omega-3 is responsible for health of heart and vessels. Eating every day, a little fish or accepting cod-liver oil in capsules, any will be able to approach the Japanese longevity.
Dishes of Japanese cuisine are low-calorie and almost do not contain animal fats, harmful to an organism. And the crude rice and vegetables – a remarkable source of cellulose.
Residents of the land of the rising sun also adore vegetables. The mixes steamed, stewed on rape oil, consisting of red pepper, green peas, zucchini, eggplants, white onions, a nega, cilantro and, of course, rice are especially popular. The siitaka should not forget about mushrooms. Small chopped they serve as magnificent addition to transparent soup. It is more than vegetables, tasty and different.
Japanese are able to prepare and give almost any plant. Daikon, bamboo sprouts, roots of a lotus and more prosaic eggplants, salad, broccoli change in hands of the Japanese cooks and become the real delicacies. It is no wonder that Japanese children it is not necessary to force to eat vegetables – it so tasty!
Fruit in Japan are loved too though the most part of fruit is delivered from the continent and costs much. Eat them only fresh and not only as a dessert, but also as a part of salads. Apples, peaches, a persimmon, grapes, bananas, apricots and citruses – the choice is big.
Vegetables and fruit perfectly reduce risk of cardiovascular diseases; besides, fruit and vegetables help not to gather extra kilos.
The story about Japanese cuisine would be incomplete without soy. For the Japanese, it is impossible to live day and not to eat a dish from soy low-calorie, low-fat, rich with proteins. Generally, it is eaten in the form of soup, pieces of tofu, soy sauce or the fermented beans.
Experts consider that high consumption of soy products serves as the reason of health and longevity of the Japanese nation in Japan. And again, notice, a minimum of calories, amino acids and proteins. Soy successfully replaces animal protein, and as regards no saturated fats – even surpasses it. Abundance of soy products – one more factor of health of Japanese, according to doctors.
2. Tiny portions and ritual of meal
The Japanese portion is one third less than western. We prefer to gorge on “with a stock”, and the Japanese prefers to leave because of a table with feeling of easy hunger. The Japanese meal is slow. Carefully chewing food, Japanese seek to try out each piece. The Japanese hostesses are the real skilled workers, they always try to make a dish not only tasty, but also the most beautiful and intricate. The food needs to admire.
Even more meditative reception of food becomes thanks to hash (chopsticks). It is impossible to capture by them a big piece – and the organism is quicker sated.
3. Anything superfluous
The philosophy of Japanese cuisine consists in the maximum saving of an original form of any product. It is important to keep nutrients in dishes therefore Japanese prefer the sparing types of heat treatment, almost do not use hot spices and difficult sauces. Instead of heavy oils, creamy and vegetable, for frying and filling rape oil or das (fish and seaweed broth) is used.
4. It is less than bread – more rice
What do Japanese eat constantly? Correctly, rice. And, as a garnish, and separately or to have a bite. Young Japanese to whom the western culture is curious sometimes eat bread, but usually prepared at home. And conservative seniors do not accept it in general. And the organism only benefits from it, rice – a universal source of complex carbohydrates, minerals and vitamins.
5. A breakfast – energy for all day
Japanese are not saturated since morning with quick carbohydrates as we. Sweet porridges, rolls, fritters, fried eggs give fast surge in energy and already by a lunch leave only hunger and disappointment.
The breakfast in Japan is more thorough: rice, onions and tofu miso-soup, piece of a salmon and surely green tea. With such breakfast the feeling of satiety will not pass till the evening.
6. The dessert is divided with the friend
Japanese love sweets too, only eat them in very small portions, is 2-3 times less than ours. Besides, many Japanese desserts it is more useful than ours. They are created on the basis of fruit jelly from seaweed and do without cream and high-calorie creams.
7. It is more than movement!
Despite sedentary work, Japanese try to move more: to go on foot even to long distances, to use ladders, but not elevators, and bicycles, instead of cars.
In the 1960th years the researcher Iosiro Hatano developed the theory of “10 thousand steps”, extremely popular in Japan. According to this theory of people which passes in day of 10 thousand steps (8 kilometers), lives longer, remains harmonious and does not suffer from problems with pressure.
8. Tea ceremony
Japan – the country of tea. Green tea is a symbol of Japan. And a tea ceremony – process which was improved for five hundred years. Day and night have green tea here. Behind food, before going to bed, since morning for a tone, just in the middle of day. Green tea is a miracle cure for any illness, Japanese consider. At restaurants, green tea is served free of charge.
Also, black tea and cold tea from barley, irreplaceable enjoys popularity in the summer.
Here and an explanation for why Japanese live long, here all secret of the Japanese longevity! If to conform to these rules, then it is possible not only to improve a condition of the health, but also probably, to live longer.