Standard Macrobiotic Dietary Guidelines

 

Guidelines for people in usual good health living in a temperate climate (most of Europe and North America) are as follows:

 

50-60 percent by weight whole cereal grains, including brown rice, millet, barley, oats, wheat, corn, rye, and other grains and grain products including noodles, couscous, bulghur, pasta, and various sourdough breads.

 

5-10 percent soup, consisting of one to two cups or bowls a day, prepared primarily with vegetables from land and sea and seasoned with miso, shoyu, or sea salt, and sometimes prepared as bean soup, grain soup, fish soup, etc.

 

25-30 percent vegetables, including root, round, and green and white leafy vegetables, prepared in a variety of ways, including about two-thirds cooked and up to one-third raw such as salad and pickles

 

5-10 percent beans, bean products and sea vegetables (cooked together or separately) such as aduki beans, chickpeas, or lentils; tofu, tempeh and natto or other bean products; and kombu, wakame, nori and other sea vegetables

 

Occasional foods to be taken several times a week, if desired, include white-meat fish or seafood, fruit, seeds and nuts, and snacks and desserts (naturally sweetened with barley malt, rice syrup, amasake, or other grain-based sweetener).

 

Modifications can be made based on one’s current condition, as well as based on climate and culture.

 

Several eating suggestions

 

Eat regular meals, at regular times, and in a relaxed manner (without watching TV or reading a book), two to three meals per day as desired.

 

It is preferable to cook with gas or wood heat, rather than with electric or microwave, which gives a chaotic vibration to the food.

 

Use cookware made of stainless steel, cast iron, earthenware, or ceramic rather than aluminum or chemicalized nonstick materials.

 

Avoid eating or snacking for at least three hours before sleeping so that proper digestion can take place.

 

Chew each mouthful of food very well, ideally fifty or more times, until it liquefies in the mouth.

 

Foods that are generally avoided include meat and poultry, dairy food, eggs, sugar, honey, chocolate, and other refined sweeteners, tropical fruits and vegetables, refined flour, and foods containing artificial colorings, flavorings, preservatives, and other additives.