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Macrobiotic

Whole Earth released the findings of a poll which found that two-thirds of respondents were baffled by the terms \’sustainable\’ and \’genetically modified\’ and almost half thought that \’macrobiotic\’ meant a type of bacteria – I won\’t sneer because I had to look it up too.

Hmm, I just vaguley assumed that it was some hippy dippy nonsense and that I didn\’t need to know any more than that.

Followers of the macrobiotic approach believe that food and food quality powerfully affect health, wellbeing, and happiness. The macrobiotic approach suggests choosing food that is less processed and more natural, and employing more traditional methods of cooking for family, friends, and oneself. One goal of the macrobiotic philosophy and practice is to become sensitive to the true effects of foods on health and wellbeing. In this way, one goes beyond rules and regulations concerning diet to choosing foods that sustains one\’s health. Dietary guidelines help one to develop sensitivity and an intuitive sense for what sustains one\’s health and wellbeing in diet as well as in relationships and activities. Macrobiotics emphasizes locally grown whole grain cereals, pulses (legumes), vegetables, seaweed, fermented soy products and fruit, combined into meals according to the principle of balance (known as yin and yang). Dietary recommendations include whole grains, such as brown rice, and other whole grain products, such as buckwheat pasta (soba); a variety of cooked and raw vegetables; beans and bean products, such as tofu, tempeh and miso;; mild natural seasonings; fish; nuts and seeds; mild (non-stimulating) beverages, such as bancha twig tea; and fruit. Nightshade vegetables, including tomatoes, peppers, potatoes, eggplant; also spinach, beets and avocados are forbidden (or used sparingly) in macrobiotic cooking, as they are considered extremely yin[3]. Some macrobiotic practitioners also discourage the use of nightshades due to the alkaloid solanine, thought to affect calcium balance.

Having looked it up it is indeed hippy dippy nonsense. So much for first impressions then.

6 thoughts on “Macrobiotic”

  1. Okay, I can believe that the method of production affects the final product. I can believe the method of preparation affects the final product. Maybe it is a case that universally those technophobic methods product better food.

    But what difference does it make whether the food came from a farm 10 miles away, or a farm 10,000 miles away?

  2. I worked once for the people who brought macrobiotics to the UK. It’s ridiculous. Food must be local, except if it is Japanese. Japanese food is OK because Japan is just like the UK, so it’s as good as local. This is also true in California.

    The owner of the business was caught out one day. He used to sneak away and eat bacon rolls in a cafe near the warehouse.

  3. Why should anyone be aware of what this mumbo jumbo means???

    I am far more worried by the fact that most consumers have no understanding of basic science, making them vunerable to Sustainable Organic Snake Oil salesmen.

  4. Jesus. Buckwheat, beans, pulses, fermented soy products and seaweed. I wouldn’t want to stand downwind of one of these buggers. Have they no concern for the greenhouse gases they must emit?

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