by Mary Franz

Created on: September 28, 2007

The macrobiotic diet is not just a way of eating; it is a way of life. Benefits of following this strict diet include good physical health and contributing to a healthy environment. But perhaps the largest benefit is the one that is achieved as a result of both of these benefits combined. The word macrobiotic itself means "great life," which is ultimately the goal of people who live a macrobiotic life.

The food itself is chosen based on the idea of keeping Yin and Yang in harmony which promotes a natural state of balance. The two main food groups in the macrobiotic diet are grains and vegetables which out of all the food groups are the most neutral foods, in other words not too much yin, not too much yang. They are not highly acidic or highly flavorful thus offering the easiest way of avoiding extremes to any degree which in turn creates the balance they seek.

The health benefits of eating a macrobiotic diet are numerous. The whole grains that make up 50% of the diet are high in fiber. The rest of the diet is made up of mainly beans and vegetables and a little fresh fish. Beans are a large part of the diet as well and supply an excellent source of protein and fiber. Fiber has been found to be beneficial in reducing the risk of cancer and heart disease. The soy beans used in miso soup and other parts of the diet offer the added benefit of being high in phytoestrogens which are believed to be beneficial in fighting cancers such as breast cancer.

The vegetables chosen are highly cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli which have more cancer-fighting qualities than other vegetables. Sea vegetables are highly encouraged and supply additional vitamins and minerals that are not necessarily found in vegetables found on land. Other components include eating small amounts of fresh fish, nuts and drinking only teas made from purified water and contain no caffeine. Thus, the diet as a whole lacks in potentially harmful attributes such as saturated fat, caffeine and alcohol which can in part contribute to poor health.

The side benefit to this diet is the effect it has on the environment. First of all, the food is organic and thus adds no pesticides or herbicides to our planet. Secondly, a key concept of the diet is to eat when hungry and drink when thirsty. This eliminates any gluttonous behavior that is taxing on our environment in terms of needing more land to grow more food. The mere fact that it is a mostly vegan diet (aside from occasional fish) reduces the amount of land used not only to graze cattle but to produce food for the cattle. In theory, it would also eliminate the need to cut down rain forests to provide additional land for raising livestock.

The combination of these benefits can ultimately generate a way of life that promotes a sense of balance, wellness and a healthy planet, thus allowing us to live in harmony. Remember that macrobiotic means "great life" and this is what one could expect by following the diet.

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