The Okinawa diet: core principles, recommended and prohibited foods, and health effects

The Okinawa diet resembles the Mediterranean diet and the DASH diet, each of which reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease due to its high content of antioxidant compounds that contribute to, for example, delaying aging and preventing cancerous changes.

Interest in the Okinawa diet stems from the longevity of the island's inhabitants. The region has seen a significantly lower incidence of diseases typical of the elderly, such as atherosclerosis, diabetes, seizures. Due to the strong influence of Western culture (mainly American), indigenous dietary habits are changing. It is estimated that among the younger generation there is an increased risk of dietary diseases compared to older people who cultivate a traditional island lifestyle. Their daily diet consists primarily of high-quality carbonated compounds, which are the main source of fat.

The diet is almost twice as high in carbohydrate intake as the traditional western diet. Up to 85% of the daily energy supply is composed of carbs. Fats are only 10%. These proportions can be achieved by basing their diet primarily on vegetables, including onions. Meat and fat are marginal products that are consumed in extremely small quantities by the Japanese, given the typical Westerners' love of animal products.

In the Okinawa diet, there are many valuable products characteristic of the region's cuisine. It contains fiber, protein, vitamins A and C, potassium, iron, and calcium. The main source of our diet is sweet potatoes. Sweet potato, once thought of as a product for the poor, is now being named one of the most nutritious vegetables in the region. In its diet, it contains protein, vitamin A and vitamin C. Potatoes, potash, and iron, but at the same time, it has a low calcium content.

The combination of these two attributes results in a reduction in the number of free radicals in the body that are responsible for causing changes in genetic material and causing cancer. In addition, our diet has a beneficial effect on the cardiovascular system by reducing the risk of stroke, stroke, heart attack. One of the main benefits of this diet is that long-term intake of dietary supplements may have a negative effect on our body's overall health. It is possible that the use of calcium and calcium in a healthy lifestyle can have a positive effect on a person's health.