Foods For Macrobiotic Eating

A macrobiotic diet aims at improving your physical and spiritual wellness. Foods considered 'yin' are said to promote brain function and emotional lightness while 'yang' foods promote energy and physicality. The diet is healthy, according to Dr. Brent A. Bauer, director of the Mayo Clinic Complementary and Integrative Medicine Program, as long as you don't take it to extremes or consume too few nutrients. For best results, seek professional guidance before changing your diet.

Whole Grains

Whole grains are grains that have not been stripped of vital nutrients and fiber during food processing. As complex carbohydrates, whole grains promote sustained energy levels, positive digestive health and blood sugar balance. A proper macrobiotic diet contains roughly 40 to 60 percent whole grains, according to the Kushi Institute. Whole grains are generally consumed in unprocessed form, meaning you'll likely consume sprouted whole wheat on its own rather than in the form of whole grain bread. Other whole grains you might consume include long-grain brown, wild or basmati rice, steel-cut oats, pearled barley, millet, spelt, bulgur and quinoa.

Vegetables

Vegetables account for the second most emphasized food group in a macrobiotic diet. The diet encourages you to eat a variety of colors and types of vegetables, including those that grow above the ground, such as cabbage, and those that grow beneath the ground, such as carrots. Though all vegetables suit the diet, particular varieties are considered superior in nutrients and the benefits they provide, according to Simon Brown and Michio Kushi, authors of "Modern-Day Macrobiotics." Carrots, for example, are emphasized for their rich content of beta-carotine -- an antioxidant that promotes eye health and normal growth and development. Other nutritionally superior vegetables include leafy greens, such as spinach, kale and mustard greens, brussels sprouts, broccoli and sea vegetables. Macrobiotic diets encourage you to eat fresh and cooked vegetables, either on their own or within broth-based soups.

Fish and Seafood

Though some macrobiotic diets are strictly vegetarian, many encourage regular intake of fish and seafood. Fish and seafood contribute valuable amounts of protein and nutrients to macrobiotic diets, according to Brown and Kushi. Fatty fish, such as salmon, albacore tuna, halibut, mackerel and lake trout, also provide omega-3 fatty acids -- healthy fats that promote positive heart health, cholesterol levels and brain function. For optimum wellness, Brown and Kushi recommend eating fish or seafood at least twice per week.

Nuts and Seeds

Nuts and seeds provide valuable amounts of fiber, protein, healthy fat and nutrients, such as iron and calcium. Incorporating nuts and seeds into your diet is important since a poorly followed macrobiotic diet can lead to deficiencies of protein and assorted nutrients, according to Bauer, many of which nuts and seeds contain. Since the healthy fat in nuts and seeds promote nutrient absorption, consume them with other nutrient-rich foods, such as vegetables, regularly. Nuts and seeds particularly rich in nutrients include almonds, walnuts, Brazil nuts, peanuts, flaxseed, sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds.