Why the Japanese Live Longer (the farms)

 Good Morning,

They eat a lot of rice, but live longer than most other places.

What’s going on here?

First off, not all Japanese regions eat LOTS of rice, so there are a lot of variables here.

I think there are pieces that are out of their/our control, quite frankly, but if we analyze their diets, there are a few things that really stand out in the research, that I think we could apply to our approach (especially with certain foods).

1 – Lots of Shiitake Mushroom

It’s not magic (hopefully you know me well enough by now), but it is pretty impressive stuff.

Shiitake has a bunch of bioactive molecules that are hugely beneficial for cardiovascular health.

One molecule, Eritadenin, blocks an enzyme involved in cholesterol production. Sterols decrease the rate of cholesterol absorption in your gut and beta-glucans, a type of soluble fibre, also lower cholesterol.

Regardless of where you stand with cholesterol point of views, I think we can all agree this looks promising.

2 – Lots of Sweet Potatoes (all colors)

 

I find this very interesting, because interestingly, the Center for Science in the Public Interest made a ranking of all vegetables according to their nutritional value and sweet potato placed first. There are numerous reasons for this “award:”

For one, it’s a highly fermentable fiber that creates a LOT of butyrate. This is a molecule that forms in the gut that is stellar at all kinds of functions ranging from metabolic regulation to sleep improvement.

The Okinawans, in general, care about fiber and food diversity, which is amazing for the microbiome.

We’re only scratching the surface with the microbiome research, but it is becoming increasingly clear that the MORE diverse the biome, the BETTER for all kinds of things (body composition and longevity included).

If you don’t think you’re getting a diverse amount of fiber, I recommend trying a good probiotic, like SEED.

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It’s not a regular probiotic, it’s what is called a “synbiotic,” with both prebiotics and probiotics combined into an interesting capsule-inside-capsule technology to help ensure better delivery of the microorganisms.

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3) Soy???? WTH!?

 

Before you think I’ve gone vegan, hear me out on this.The soy that we see in the U.S. is NOT the same as the fermented soy that the Japanese consume. Natto is one of the most potently bioactive foods that people can eat.

I don’t recommend using it as your primary protein source, but using it as a tool to help the gut and to help with overall balancing your diet, might not be bad.

Studies show that Okinawans eat on average 3 ounces of soy products a day. Most commonly, they eat tofu (made of coagulated soy milk) or miso, a paste made of fermented soybeans mixed with salt and koji, a traditional bacteria used a lot in Japanese kitchen.

According to a study published in the Journal of agricultural and food chemistry, fermented soy might partially contribute to this effect as nattokinases might help break down neurotoxic amyloid plaques, a key feature of Alzheimer’s disease.

Although Alzheimer’s is complex, so I am careful to make claims here. Just interesting.

4) Caloric Deficit

 

This is where it gets interesting.

If the Okinawans are always in a 10-15% deficit, wouldn’t that mean that be the end of their lives, they’re barely eating at all?

In theory, yes.

But a deficit is a bit more complicated then that. Essentially, they continually eat less than they burn. Whether it’s through eating less or just moving more. This is one of the most tried and tested reasonings that scientists have for their longevity.

Doesn’t mean starve yourself, but it means, maybe focus on eating less.

The interesting thing is that I do not 100% buy into the concept that low protein is the way to go. I think the more of a deficit you’re in, the more you may want to prioritize protein.

For example, if the Japanese eat lower calories but also eat lower protein and live for a nice length, maybe their healthspan would be even more if they ate lower calories with moderate protein?? In theory….

I think science is growing here and we cannot say for certain.

Here are a few other foods that they eat a lot of (contributing to that diverse gut, once again):

Bottomline is that its not ALL calories.

Its activity, deficit, and probably most of all MOVEMENT and STRESS.

The more we learn, the less we know, but the less we know, the more we are willing to learn 🙂