Macrobiotic diet plan - how to lose weight and cleanse the body?

Macrobiotic diet weight loss plan

George Oshawa developed the macrobiotic method in 1911. This diet is derived from ancient principles of Chinese medicine (eastern manuscripts). Food is divided into Yin (priming and cooling, it represents the female element.

It is an energy directed towards the outside, which results in expansion and relaxation, cold, moisture, passivity, darkness and sweet taste) and Yang (amplifying and heating, represents the masculine element, energy directed towards the inside, causing shrinkage, heat, heat, dryness, aggressiveness, brightness and salty taste), and the proportions in consumption depend on mood and personality, at the following levels.

The balance of Yin and Yang forces is an ideal state that is reflected in the harmony of nature and health. Disease occurs when the balance of these forces is disturbed in the body. This is happening under the influence of climate, pollution of the environment, improper nutrition. Because our food contains different proportions of both elements, thanks to the right diet we can maintain our health. This also means maintaining a slim silhouette.

A diet containing a lot of Yang elements (meat, eggs, salt) can lead to a state of the body, resulting in high blood pressure, aggression, nervousness and hyperactivity. Too much Yin in the food (sweetness, dairy products, fruit) causes general relaxation, detracts from the motivation to act and dilutes.

The task of macrobiotic diet is therefore to balance yin and yang by avoiding "extreme" foods in favour of neutral products. However, as the body is constantly subject to disturbing external influences, eating according to macrobiotic principles is a constant pursuit of harmony between Yin and Yang. The macrobiotic diet shall not contain meat, poultry, eggs or milk products.

Fish, crustaceans and fruit are permitted in moderate quantities. Macrobiotics is assumed to contain little fat and a lot of complex carbohydrates. It is rich in fiber, vitamins, minerals and trace elements. Although the ingredients of a macrobiotic diet are simple, it is not easy to prepare meals without an important element of cooking that changes their energy.

The longer the ingredients are cooked (water or steamed), the more Yang is added to the food. In order to change the properties of the food as little as possible, it is best to prepare a cereal meal in the pressure cooker, while vegetables are simply blurred by immersion for a few minutes in boiling water.

Macrobiotics, however, does not have very rigid rules that would say what and when to eat. Needs are not only an individual issue, but also depend on many factors such as physical activity and the time of year. In winter, you can afford more Yang products. You can warm up by eating nuts, fish and cheeses, including onion, pepper, garlic and green leafy vegetables, spices.

Extending the cooking time is similarly effective. In spring, larger quantities of sweet but slightly acidic products (dates, carrots, honey) are allowed. In the summer, cooled products - containing more Yin, i. e. vegetables and fruits (peel, watermelons, pears). You should cook briefly and eat some products raw.

You should also drink more. In the autumn, more Yang foods are consumed, i. e. rather soft and moist products (ears, apples, peach). Thorough chewing is a very important element. The saliva neutralizes the food that is badly crushed acidifies the body. Extension of the eating time prevents over-eating, because the feeling of satiety appears only 15-20 minutes after the meal, you should never eat enough and not later than three hours before bedtime.

Macrobiotic diet is a very good diet for those who want to cleanse the body and lose about 5 kg within 2 weeks. Poorly constructed, it can cause anaemia, fatigue and weakness. It is not suitable for people with osteoporosis who have problems with assimilation of vitamins and heart patients. It should not be used by menopausal women. Although macrobiotics eat so much for life, dietitians advise you to switch to normal, low calorie food after 2 months.

The following rules apply in the macrobiotic diet

The basic diet (50-60%) is based on energy-neutral, solid (shelled) grains of cereals. They are a source of complex carbohydrates, which give a long-lasting feeling of satiety and improve the digestion of fiber. These include brown rice, barley, wheat, rye, rye, oats, maize and buckwheat,

The essential protein is provided mainly by legumes (10-15%) of soya and its products, peas, beans, chickpeas and lentils as well as small quantities of nuts, seeds (sunflower, pumpkin) and fish of white meat (halibut, trout, trout, cod, carp, sole, flatfish). Canned products are excluded,

Fresh vegetables account for 25-35% of the diet. They are not only the source of essential vitamins, macro and microelements as well as antioxidants, but also the best ones are brassicas and roots (e. g. lettuce, cauliflower, broccoli, leek, carrots, celery). It is important that these are not so called novelties and that vegetables are fresh. Vegetables which are not indicated are: potatoes, tomatoes, peppers, courgettes and aubergines,

Liquids supply soups (10% of the diet), prepared on the basis of vegetables or fermented soya, limited amounts of exotic infusions (e. g. bancha, also called Kukia, as well as tea made from roasted rice or barley) and non-carbonated mineral water,

Fresh fruit is allowed, but with moderation. It is advisable to eat the fruits available in a given season and to give up tropical species - they have a negative effect because they come from different climate zones. Drinking juice is not recommended,

Aerated and stimulant drinks - Coffee, tea, aromatic herbal infusions, alcohol and spices are not advisable as they disturb the body's Yin and Yang balance,

Preserved products that contain chemical additives and are highly purified, refined (white flour and bakery products, salt, sugar and sweets) are very Yin and should therefore be avoided,

Animal products are excluded from the macrobiotic diet because they are extremely Yang. This is particularly true of red meat and animal fats, as well as eggs and most dairy products,

In addition, fermented soybean (miso, tamari) as well as algae and seaweed are characteristic of the macrobiotic diet.

Sample macrobiotic diet menu

Breakfast macrobiotic diet (your choice) - muesli (cereal, primarily oatmeal, cooked in water with the addition of pre-soaked dried fruit, nuts and sunflower seeds), whole-grain bread with tofu cheese, rosehip tea or oatmeal on water, toast made from dark bread, spread with a teaspoon of honey, tea or herbal infusion.

Lunch macrobiotic diet (choice) - mushroom soup with dried and fresh mushrooms, stuffed cabbage with paddy rice and vegetables, baked apple or vegetable soup, sushi, tofu.

Dinner macrobiotic diet (choice) - leeks in pancake batter (wholemeal flour with water or soya milk), herbal infusion or wholemeal bread with bean and nut pate, radish and carrot juice or millet meatballs with vegetables, grated radish with roasted algae.

Apple and lemon pudding made with white rice

Ingredients - 1/2 cup white rice, rinsed, 2.5 cups sugar-free apple juice, 1 tsp grated lemon zest , 1/2 cup washed sultanas, 1 peeled apple, diced, 1/4 teaspoon sea salt

Cook rice in apple juice with salt and sultanas. Stir just once when the rice starts to boil then reduce the gas, cover and cook for 20 minutes. Then add the apple and cook for a further 1 minute. Transfer to a serving dish and serve cold.

Lentil stew

Ingredients - 1 cup small French lentils (puy), can also be another type, 2 cups water, 1 small courgette, sliced, 1 medium sized carrot, chopped, 1 garlic clove, finely chopped, 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 tablespoon of mirin, 1/2 teaspoon of dried thyme or a few sprigs of fresh, chopped, 1/2 teaspoon of dried rosemary or a few leaves of fresh, chopped, sea salt and pepper to taste, parsley leaves for sprinkling

Cook the lentils together with the thyme and rosemary in a heavy pot until soft (about 20 minutes). Add pepper and salt to taste. Add the oil to a frying pan, add the garlic and fry for about ½ minute over a medium heat. Add the carrots and courgettes and fry for another minute. Add a pinch of salt and mirin, cover and simmer the vegetables for 2 minutes on a low heat. Then add them to the lentils. Serve the hot stew sprinkled with green parsley.

Corn soup

Ingredients - 1 fresh corn on the cob, 1/4 cup corn grits or semolina, 4 cups water, 4 cm piece of kombu algae, 1 chopped carrot, 1 chopped onion, 1 tbsp olive oil, sea salt to taste, 1 tsp chopped parsley

Cut the corn kernels off the cob with a knife. Bring water to a boil in a pot, put in the kombu and corn cob stem. Boil for 10 minutes and remove them from the water. (Kombu can be used later to cook the beans). Very slowly pour the corn grits into the water stirring constantly. Cook for 30 minutes on a low heat. Meanwhile, in a separate saucepan, heat the oil, throw in the onions and fry for about a minute, then add the carrots and fry for another minute. Add a pinch of salt and, if necessary, a splash of water. Cover and simmer until the vegetables are soft. Add them to the cooking porridge; also add the fresh grains. Add a little more salt to taste and cook together for a few minutes. Serve with parsley.

Broccoli with peanut butter sauce

Ingredients - 8 pieces of broccoli, 1 cup of blanching water, pinch of sea salt

Peanut butter sauce - 1 and 1/2 tablespoons peanut butter (no salt or sugar), 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 3 tablespoons blanching water

Blanch broccoli in boiling water with salt so that it does not lose its bright green colour. Drain. In a small bowl, mix the sauce ingredients. In a heavy pot, heat the sauce slowly, add the broccoli and "fry" it in the sauce for about half a minute. Serve hot.

Salmon in puff pastry

Ingredients - 300 g coarsely diced salmon fillets, 500 g frozen puff pastry, 300 g white parts of leeks cut into strips, 4 tbsp butter, 2 tbsp chopped dill, lemon juice and zest strips, salt, pepper

Season the fish with salt, pepper and lemon juice and zest. Fry the leeks in butter, add dill, salt and pepper. When cooled, combine with fish. Set aside in a strainer for half an hour to let the filling drain. Roll out the dough a little, dust lightly with flour and divide into two parts, one a little larger. Place the fish and leek mixture on the smaller part of the dough and cover with the rest of the dough. Brush the edges with egg whisked with a little water and press firmly together. Cut the top in several places, brush with egg. Place on a baking tray on parchment paper and bake in a preheated oven at 200 degrees C, covered with aluminium foil for the first 20 minutes, uncovered for a further 20 minutes, until browned.