The Pros and Cons of the Macrobiotic Diet

The Pros and Cons of the Macrobiotic Diet
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What is a Macrobiotic Diet?

The term macrobiotic Diet comes from the Greek translation meaning “long life”. It is not so much a “diet” as it is a way of life for those that choose it. Many factors go into this type of nutritional philosophy.

Macrobiotics generally has these guidelines of do’s and don’ts: no eating processed meats, stick to locally grown foods, and eat mostly fermented soy based products, grains, seaweed, fish, nuts, seeds, vegetables and fruits.

But, even some fruits and vegetables are a no-no. Why is that? Well, because macrobiotics is based upon the yin and yang principles of food consumption. For instance; tomatoes, potatoes, avocados and many other foods are considered too “yin” and are rarely ever consumed.

Here’s how the yin and yang of foods breaks down: the stimulation foods are the yin and the strengthening foods are the yang. Stimulating foods can be anything from hot spices to alcohol or even caffeine while the strengthening foods are mostly meat because of high protein content.

What are the Pros and Cons of a Macrobiotic Diet?

There are definitely pros and cons of the macrobiotic diet. One of the biggest pros of the macrobiotic diet is the positive effects it has on preventing cancer. By cutting out some of the danger elements from a person’s lifestyle, they are significantly reducing their risk of cancer. But this isn’t the only reason people that embrace this lifestyle have for doing so. Other pros can be the fact that they believe it helps strengthen the physical body and their mental health.

The cons of the macrobiotic diet include the fact that although there are vitamins and minerals in the foods that are consumed through this dietary measure, it is not enough of each to sufficiently care for the body. There are some experts, such as those affiliated with the American Medical Association along with other well respected organizations, that have suggested in the past that macrobiotics can lead to malnutrition.

Regardless of where you stand on this issue, this comprehensive list of pros and cons of a macrobiotic diet can help educate you enough to raise the important questions. Through research and dedication a person can decide whether or not this is a lifestyle choice that is worth the commitment.

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