Standard Dietary Recommendations

The principal food of each meal is whole grains, comprising at least half the total volume of the meal. Cooked whole grains are preferable to flour products, as they are more nutritionally complete. Whole cereal grains and whole grain products include

One or two bowls of soup seasoned with miso or tamari soy sauce is recommended every day (approximately 5–10% of daily intake). The flavor should be mild; not too salty and not too bland. Prepare soups with a variety of ingredients, changing them daily. Include a variety of seasonal vegetables, seaweed (especially wakame or kombu) and occasionally add grains and/or beans. Daily soups can include genmai (brown rice) miso, hatcho (soybean) miso, mugi (barley) miso, or tamari soy sauce. Kome (rice), red, white, and yellow miso may be used on occasion.

One-quarter or more (25–30%) of daily meals includes fresh vegetables prepared in a variety of ways, including steaming, boiling, baking, pressure cooking or sauteing (with a small amount of sesame, corn, or other vegetable oil). In general, some smaller portion of vegetable intake may be eaten in the form of pickles or salad. Commercial mayonnaise and dressings should be avoided.

Green and white leafy vegetables for regular use

Stem/root vegetables for regular use

Ground vegetables for regular use

Acorn squash Broccoli Brussels sprouts Butternut squash Cabbage Cauliflower Hubbard squash Hokkaido pumpkin Pumpkin Red cabbage String beans

Butternut squash

Vegetables for occasional use

A small portion (10%) of daily meals include cooked beans. The most suitable beans may include

A few times a week, the following foods may be added to vegetable dishes or soups, as a substitute for bean dishes:

Tempeh: a pressed soybean cake made from split soybeans, water, and a special enzyme

Seitan: wheat gluten, prepared from whole-wheat flour

Tofu: fresh soybean curd, made from soybeans and nigari (a natural sea salt coagulant); used in soups, vegetable dishes, and dressings

Dried tofu: dried soybean curd used in soups and vegetable dishes

Natto: whole cooked soybeans fermented with beneficial enzymes; served with whole grains

Fu: dried, puffed, and baked wheat gluten or seitan used in soups or stews

These important foods are served in small quantities and comprise a few percent of daily intake. Sea vegetables are prepared in a variety of ways — for example, in soups, with beans (kombu is especially recommended), or as side dishes. Sea vegetable dishes may be flavored with a moderate amount of tamari soy sauce and brown rice vinegar. Sea vegetables for regular use include

Agar agar (for gelatin molds)

Arame (as a side dish)

Dulse (in soups, as a part of side dish, or condiment)

Kombu (for soup stocks, as a side dish, or condiment)

Hiziki (as a side dish)

Irish moss (in soups or as aspic)

Mekabu (as a side dish)

Nori (as a garnish, condiment, or used for rice balls, etc.)

Sea palm (as a side dish)

Wakame (in soups, especially miso soup, as a side dish, or condiment)

Once or twice a week, a small amount of fresh white-meat fish or seafood may be eaten, if one’s condition allows. These varieties include

Roasted seeds and nuts, lightly salted with sea salt or seasoned with tamari, may be enjoyed as snacks. Roasted seeds are used occasionally, whereas roasted nuts are consumed much less often. It is preferable to minimize the use of nuts and nut butters, as they are high in fats and difficult to digest.

Other snacks may include rice cakes, popcorn, puffed grains, roasted beans, and grains.

Desserts are best when sweetened with a high-quality sweetener, especially those made from grain, such as rice syrup, barley malt, and amasake, and may be enjoyed in small amounts. Dried fruit and fresh fruit may be eaten on occasion by those in good health. Fruit juice is not recommended as a regular beverage. Only locally grown fruits are recommended. Thus, if you live in a temperature zone, avoid tropical and semitropical fruit.

Sweet vegetables

Sweeteners

Temperate- climate fruit

Apples Apricots Blueberries Cantaloupe Cherries Grapes

Peaches Pears Plums Raspberries Strawberries Watermelon

Please use spring or well water for teas. It is best to drink only when thirsty. Recommended beverages may include

Less often

Barley green tea

Beer

Local fruit juice

Nachi green tea

Sake

Soymilk

Vegetable juices

The following condiments are recommended for daily or special uses:

Tamari soy sauce: Use mostly in cooking. Please normally refrain from using tamari soy sauce on rice or vegetables at the table.

Sesame salt (gomashio): 10–20 parts roasted sesame seeds to 1 part roasted sea salt. Wash and dry roasted seeds. Grind seeds together with sea salt in a small earthenware bowl called a suribachi, until about two-thirds of the seeds are crushed.

Roasted seaweed powder: Use either wakame, kombu, dulse, or kelp. Roast seaweed in the oven until nearly charred (approximately 350° for 5–10 minutes) and crush in a suribachi.

Sesame seaweed powder: 1–6 parts sesame seeds to 1 part seaweed [kombu wakame, nori, or ao-nori (green nori)]. Prepare as you would sesame salt.

Umeboshi plum: Plums that have been dried and pickled for over one year with sea salt are called ume (plum) boshi (dry) in Japanese.

Shiso leaves: Usually added to umeboshi plums to impart a reddish color and natural flavoring. Umeboshi stimulates the appetite and digestion and aids in maintaining an alkaline blood quality.

Shio (salt) kombu: Soak 1 cup of kombu until soft and cut into 2" square pieces. Add to 1/2 cup water and 1/2 cup tamari, bring to a boil and simmer until the liquid evaporates. Cool and put in a covered jar to keep. One to two pieces may be used on occasion as needed.

Nori condiment: Place dried nori or several sheets of fresh nori in approximately 1 cup of water and enough tamari soy sauce for a moderate salty taste. Simmer until most of the water cooks down to a thick paste.

Tekka: This condiment is made from 1 cup of minced burdock, lotus root, carrot, miso, sesame oil, and ginger flavor. It can be made at home or bought ready-made. Use sparingly due to its strong contracting nature.

Sauerkraut: Made from cabbage and sea salt, this can be eaten sparingly with a meal.

Other condiments for occasional use:

Takuan daikon pickle: A dried long pickle that can be taken in small amounts, with or after a meal.

Vinegar: Grain vinegar and umeboshi vinegar may be used moderately.

Ginger: May be used occasionally in a small volume as a garnish or flavoring in vegetable dishes, soups, pickled vegetables, and especially in fish and seafood dishes.

Horseradish or grated fresh daikon: May be used occasionally as a garnish to aid digestion, especially served with fish and seafood.

Pickles: Made with rice bran, brine, or other naturally pickled vegetables may be used in small amounts with or after meals.

Oil and Seasoning in Cooking

For cooking oil, only high-quality, cold-pressed vegetable oil is recommended. Oil should be used in moderation for fried rice, fried noodles, and sauteing vegetables. Generally two to three times a week is reasonable. Occasionally, oil may be used for deep-frying grains, vegetables, fish, and seafood.

Naturally processed, unrefined sea salt is preferable to other varieties. Miso (soy paste) and tamari soy sauce (both containing sea salt) may also be used as seasonings. Use only naturally processed, non-chemicalized varieties. In general, seasonings are used moderately.

Avoid

All commercial seasonings

All spices