Followers of the macrobiotic diet say it is not only about weight loss but also a lifestyle committed to physical and spiritual health. The diet's main feature is preparing food as close to its natural state as possible. The diet is mainly vegetarian, with the addition small amounts of fish and other animal-derived proteins.
Step 1
Buy core healthy foods as staples for the macrobiotic diet. Miso or miso soup, fresh vegetables and fruits, whole or sprouted grains, beans, seeds and herbal teas are foods you should focus on for the bulk of your nutrients, according to Simon Brown of "Modern-Day Macrobiotics." These foods are not acid-forming but are high in fiber, vitamins, minerals and essential fatty acids, especially seeds.
Step 2
Eat fish, nuts, alcohol, desserts and dairy foods in moderation. These foods add variety to your diet but may introduce environmental toxins to you, if you have them every day. Fish, alcohol, high-sugar foods such as desserts and dairy foods increase the acidity of your body, according to Brown. Acidic foods may promote disease in your body when consumed in excess.
Step 3
Lightly cook your vegetables. Choose cooking methods, such as steaming, boiling or sauteing lightly in coconut oil. Vegetables to use on a daily basis include kale, Swiss chard, broccoli, squash, collard and mustard greens, cauliflower and cabbage varieties, such as Chinese cabbage.
Step 4
Eat 5 to 10 percent of your body weight in sea vegetables and beans. Sea vegetables, such as nori, seaweed, wakame, kombu, hiziki, arame, dulse and agar-agar are rich in vitamin K, especially menaquinone, which is beneficial for calcium deposition in your bones.
Step 5
Eliminate non-organic meats, dairy products, refined sugars and processed foods, artificial sweeteners, coffee and colored teas. Read food labels for the names of artificial colors and preservatives that are used in pre-packaged foods. According to Phiya Kushi with the Kushi Institute, these foods promote changes in the body that increase the development of disease.
Step 6
Take a multivitamin, calcium and vitamin D supplement. When you start a new diet, your body may become deficient in certain vitamins and minerals. According to Paul Insel, Don Ross and Elaine Turner in "Discovering Nutrition," the macrobiotic diet is low in calcium, vitamin D and highly absorbable iron. You could develop iron-deficiency anemia and osteoporosis. Recommendations for calcium are between 1,000 to 1,200mg per day, depending on your age and gender. Vitamin D works with calcium to increase the density of your bones, and most people don't get enough of either, whether they follow the macrobiotic diet or not.
References
- "Modern-Day Macrobiotics: Transform Your Diet and Feed Your Mind, Body, and Spirit"; Simon G. Brown; 2005
- Kushi Institute: What is Macro?
- "Discovering Nutrition"; Paul Insel, Elaine Turner and Don Ross; 2010
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