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The secret to living a long life is the Okinawa diet

Homepage Articles The secret to living a long life is the Okinawa diet

The secret to living a long life is the Okinawa diet

One of these places is Okinawa, Japan. Long life in good health and fitness is a goal for many people, and the one we most often wish for is close. What is the secret of longevity for its people and what can we learn from it? It's also the subject of research.

Table of Contents

1. Okinawa is the island of longevity

Lifestyles and diets vary in different parts of the country. It is inhabited by about 1.4 million people; many of them live to adulthood (in 2006 there were 4050 centenarians per 100,000 inhabitants, while in developed countries there were only 1020 people) (D.C. In the 1980s, a decline in these values is currently observed (in 2020 the average life expectancy of masters was 80 years, Mrs. 87.5) It is worth considering what may have influenced the longevity of the island's population.

2. The Okinawan diet is based on assumptions

In addition, the diet is characterized by a moderate or low intake of alcohol (usually local tofu and fermented miso paste). Because of its proximity to the ocean, fish and seaweed are more likely to appear in the diet (especially in populations in the immediate vicinity of the coast). The diet is also characterised by moderate and low alcohol intake (typically of local varieties, awamospori).

3. The Okinawa diet has a nutritional value

Additionally, the diet is characterized by a very good lipid profile low saturated fatty acids (< 7% of the total energy value) with a high proportion of unsaturated fats and a low ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fats. The Okinawan diet consists of foods rich in valuable nutrients. Their presence also reduces the intensity of inflammation in the body, which can lead to a delay in the aging process of the cells.

4. The Okinawa diet is a typical meal

A traditional Okinawan meal begins with miso soup (made from fermented soybeans) with the addition of small amounts of tofu, fish, pork and vegetables. The meal is accompanied by freshly brewed jasmine tea, and occasionally a glass of awamori, a local brandy based on rice or porridge.

5. Is this even the Okinawan diet? What can we learn?

However, what can be drawn from Okinawan's way of eating is a composition of meals based on food native to the region, with a predominant share of vegetables, supplemented by legumes and smaller portions of cereals, fish or meat. It is also important to maximise the consumption of processed products and to switch to fresh fruit for snacks and desserts. Okinaw's inhabitants have traditionally used a lower-calorie diet and thus have been able to generate more energy in order to provide a part of the body responsible for the long-term consumption and good health of the population.
Source

Okinawa at a glance, visitokinawajapan.com/discover/okinawa-at-a-glance/ (15.08.2022).
Ryall J., Japan: What’s behind Okinawans’ falling life expectancy?, dw.com/en/japan-whats-behind-okinawans-falling-life-expectancy/a-62088176 (15.08.2022).
Willcox D.C. et al., Genetic determinants of exceptional human longevity: insights from the Okinawa Centenarian Study, „Age” 2006, 28(4), 313–332.
Willcox D.C., Scapagnini G., Willcox B.J., Healthy aging diets other than the Mediterranean: a focus on the Okinawan diet, „Mechanisms of Ageing and Development” 2014, 136–137, 148–162.