Emerging in popularity during the 1970s, the macrobiotic diet is a holistic or "alternative" diet that focuses on fresh, organic food sources. Derived from the Greek words large, "macros," and life, "bios," macrobiotic is a diet that follows the belief that food and disease are connected. Adhering to a strict macrobiotic diet can be challenging and the diet isn't necessarily healthy for everyone, so you should consult your doctor and a registered dietitian before starting this diet.
Food Basics
In a basic sense, a macrobiotic diet is a type of vegetarian diet, says the University of Michigan Health System. The macrobiotic diet consists of whole grains and fresh vegetables. The diet also includes sea vegetables and beans, as well as two to three weekly servings of seasonal fruits, white fish, nuts and seeds, notes the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. For whole grains, you could eat barley, brown rice, corn, wheat, oats, rye, buckwheat and millet, with occasional servings of buckwheat noodles, puffed wheat, cornmeal and whole wheat or rice-based cakes, pastas, crackers and tortillas.
All sea vegetables like nori, kelp and kombu are allowed on the macrobiotic diet, and you can eat all beans and bean products including soy. You can eat fresh fish and seafood like flounder, haddock, trout, sole, smelt and halibut, with occasional servings of oysters, carp, shrimp, cod, clams, scrod and red snapper. On a macrobiotic diet, your beverages are typically limited to well or spring water and certain teas made from rice, barley and bancha.
Avoid
Many foods are excluded from a macrobiotic diet, especially fatty and processed foods, meats, poultry, and dairy products, says the University of Michigan Health System. Eggs and other animal products, as well as very cold foods are eliminated on a macrobiotic diet. You should avoid baked goods, white flour, refined cereals and yeast, as well as tropical fruits and fruit juices, notes the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.
A macrobiotic diet excludes fish like salmon, swordfish, tuna, mackerel and bluefish, as well as nuts like pistachios, Brazil nuts, cashews, filberts and macadamia nuts. Also eliminated from the macrobiotic diet are certain vegetables, such as zucchini, asparagus, green and red peppers, potatoes, plantains, yams and sweet potatoes, tomatoes, spinach, fennel, eggplant, and avocados. All fruits except for those that are in-season locally where you live are typically excluded from the macrobiotic diet, including fruit juices.
Portion Size
The specific quantities of each type of food are rather rigid in a macrobiotic diet. For example, a macrobiotic diet consists of 50- to 60-percent whole grains and 25- to 30-percent vegetables, says the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. Just five- to 10-percent of the diet is reserved for vegetable-based soups and the same percentage range for sea vegetables and beans. You can also reserve a similarly small percentage of your diet for fresh organic fruits and soy products, notes the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center.
Considerations
The overall objective of following a macrobiotic diet is to improve your general health, but the diet is sometimes also used to treat or prevent certain diseases, particularly cancer, according to the University of Michigan Health System. No scientific research supports the claims that a macrobiotic diet can cure or prevent any health problem, however. Aside from the rather restrictive food choices on the macrobiotic diet, the methods of cooking and preparing your foods are also particular. A macrobiotic diet demands that you prepare, cook and eat foods in a peaceful setting, says the MD Anderson Cancer Center. You also cannot cook foods using a microwave or other electrical appliance. A macrobiotic diet also discourages taking vitamin and mineral supplements, notes the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.
Warning
Because the macrobiotic diet is so restrictive, you could end up with mild to severe deficiencies in protein, calcium, vitamins B12 and D, iron, and vitamin C, warns the MD Anderson Cancer Center. A macrobiotic diet can put you at a greater risk for developing scurvy, malnutrition and unwanted weight loss. These concerns are especially troubling for cancer patients who may follow a macrobiotic diet in the hopes of curing their cancer, but instead experience life-threatening nutrient deficiencies and severe weight loss.
A macrobiotic diet can even lead to dehydration due to the strict limits on beverages, and it can even cause excessive stress from trying to follow the demanding diet and still meet nutritional needs, cautions the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.
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