The goal of a macrobiotic diet, which is based on the cooking and eating habits of ancient Japanese Zen Buddhist monks, is to live a long life by healing the body and rejuvenating the health. The diet was traditionally very strictly vegetarian but in modern times it has been modified to include fish and, in some cases, a bit of organic meat and poultry. As a result, the modern macrobiotic diet may be more nutritionally balanced and more in keeping with the concept of healthy eating than it was in the past. It is also much easier now for the average American to adapt to a macrobiotic lifestyle.
Pros
A macrobiotic diet is high in fiber and low in saturated fat. In that respect, it is a heart-healthy diet, very similar to that recommended by the American Heart Association for managing cholesterol and reducing the risk of developing heart disease. Studies published in the Journal of Nutrition and elsewhere have shown that the macrobiotic diet and similar high fiber, low-saturated fat, vegetarian and semi-vegetarian diets can help manage other chronic diseases, such as cancer, especially hormone-mediated cancers such as breast cancer and prostate cancer.
Eating style is just as important in a macrobiotic diet as the types of foods eaten. Practitioners are encouraged to eat in a mindful manner, which means paying attention to what you eat while you are eating it and chewing your food carefully and thoroughly. This is also one of the modern behavioral guidelines for eating to maintain a healthful weight. Recommendations include drinking beverages that are not too hot and not too cold, and sipping them to avoid stomach upset.
Cons
A macrobiotic diet is a high-carbohydrate diet because it consists mostly of whole grains, vegetables, and legumes (dried beans, lentils, and split peas).
Due to its high-fiber content, following this diet could initially result in gastrointestinal distress. If following a macrobiotic diet requires a big change in your eating habits, it's necessary to make the change gradually by slowly introducing more fiber-filled foods into your diet.
A macrobiotic diet discourages any foods that are not grown close to your home or that come from an area with a climate unlike your own, particularly fruits and vegetables. This can make it very difficult to have variety in your diet.
This diet also prohibits the use of just about every canned, bottled, or commercially processed and packaged foods, which may be highly inconvenient for people who do not have the time or ability to prepare every meal from scratch.
The Final Word
Modern versions of the macrobiotic diet are much more flexible than past versions, so people who are interested in adapting this diet to their own personal taste or medical needs should be able to do so. It does take time to cook so much of your food from scratch, and if you don't already know how to cook, you will need a good macrobiotic cookbook to help you learn. While there is no absolute evidence that a macrobiotic diet can prevent or cure any disease, the diet closely follows many of the same nutritional guidelines for healthy eating encouraged by nutrition and health experts around the world.
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