Sushi Diet Riot

Why the rate of obesity in Japan is so low and how this can help you lose weight too.

Photo by Richard Iwaki on Unsplash

Clearly, Japanese do not eat like Americans. That much is obvious. There’s a few weird myths about things like when the first cow was milked in Japan and the exact origin of things like sukiyaki (すき焼き), and those do have some relevance in a discussion about caloric intake and health, but they’re not all that important.

It’s also fair to note that what Americans perceive as Japanese cuisine is not necessarily what Japanese will eat on a regular basis. I get the impression that the American perception of Japanese food is probably a bit better than the American impression of Chinese or Korean cuisine, but it’s still not wholly accurate.

But the there’s about three reasons Japanese have such an easy time maintaining a healthy weight.

1. Smaller portions
2. Higher quantities of healthier foods.
3. Lifestyle.

So let’s break down how this works.

I think maybe the best way to explain the smaller portion thing is to talk about kaiseki (懐石) or formal Japanese dinner. I’ve been treated to this about twice and it is truly amazing. I am genuinely scared to ask how much it costs so I can’t necessarily recommend it, but…