The average life span of Japanese people is 87.71 years for women and 81.56 years for men. This is the data for 2020. Compared with 2015, women have increased by 0.73 years and men have increased by 0.81 years.
Japan not only has many people who live long lives, but also has a high average life expectancy. Okinawa, Japan, has the longest average life expectancy in Japan. There are more than 400 centenarians here, and it is also known as the "Land of Gods".
Such a situation is inseparable from the Japanese diet!
American research found: What is the relationship between reduced meal intake and health? Maybe it can explain why the Japanese live longer
- eat less and live longer?
In February 2022, the latest research of Yale University’s research team was published in the journal Science. Through two years of clinical trials, it was found that moderate restriction of dietary calories (reduction of about 14%) will have a positive impact on human metabolism and immunity. , beneficial to people's long-term health and helping to extend life.
A total of 218 healthy adults, aged between 25 and 45 years old, with a body mass index between 22 and 27.9 (standard weight or slightly overweight), will take part in the trial. The patients were divided into two groups, one group reduced their dietary calories by 14%, and the other group had no change.
Research has found that people who reduce dietary calories by about 14% within two years will have improved thymus function and can produce more T cells. T cells play a key role in immune function and delaying aging.
In addition to improving immunity, the increase in T cells is also related to an increase in the ability to burn fatty acids to store energy. It can prevent fat accumulation in muscles, liver and other organs, thereby preventing insulin resistance, obesity, type 2 diabetes and aging.
In addition, studies have found that caloric restriction can also reduce levels of the PLA2G7 (platelet-activating factor acetylhydrolase) gene, which will have many health benefits, including reducing age-related inflammation and improving metabolic health.
——Is it because Japanese people live longer because they eat less?
In an article in the "European Journal of Nutrition", a survey of the diet of 92,000 Japanese people showed that the eating habits of the Japanese are quite different from those of other countries. This is also the secret to the longevity of the Japanese. So the Japanese What are the differences between diets?
Have a diverse diet and don’t eat too much
I believe many friends who have eaten Japanese food will find that the biggest feature of Japanese food is the wide variety and the exquisite appetite. After the meal, there was a variety of meats and vegetables.
But you may also find that his tableware is basically small plates and small bowls, so it will not lead to overeating. Scientific research shows that controlling calories can help delay or reduce the occurrence of chronic diseases in the elderly, thereby extending life. .
There are not many seasonings, and the original flavor
Japanese food is light, and cooking requires less oil. They mainly respect the original flavor of the ingredients. They like to mix lettuce, carrots , cucumbers, etc. to make sauces and eat them raw. Many dishes are It is cooked and steamed.
Just add a little oil before taking it out of the pan. This not only reduces the high temperature and sultry heat, but also destroys nutrition and reduces the intake of fat. It is good for health and can reduce the risk of high blood pressure and hyperlipidemia, and it is precisely the Japanese The diet is arguably the best in the world.
Eat more seafood and less red meat
Since Japan is an island country surrounded by sea, seafood occupies most of the movies and TV series. The Japanese people's eating of fish can be described as crazy.
According to the program, Japanese people eat fish every year, with an average of more than 100 kilograms of fish per person.It even exceeds the consumption of rice. Compared with red meat such as pigs, beef and sheep produced by animal husbandry, seafood has lower cholesterol and unsaturated fatty acids are healthier. As for seafood such as kelp and seaweed, it has almost zero fat. With zero cholesterol, how could such a healthy diet not make people live longer?
What are the common dietary misunderstandings?
Myth 1: Eating and drinking enough is good for health
As the saying goes, "three points of hunger and cold ensure safety", this statement has a certain truth, because eating well all day long and lacking exercise will cause excess energy, which in the long run will cause obesity, accelerate aging, and cause Cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases , some data show that only eighty percent full is good for health.
Myth 2: Two meals a day can help you lose weight
Some women only eat two meals a day in order to be slim, thinking that this will help them lose weight. On the contrary, people who eat two meals a day are more likely to gain weight. Japanese sumo wrestlers athletes are Are you willing to be as fat as people who only eat two meals a day?
Myth 3: Drinking milk will increase cholesterol
According to surveys, the milk consumption of Chinese people is less than 1/3 of that in developed countries. The reason why many people They don't drink milk because they think it increases cholesterol, which is not the case.
Research has found that the cholesterol contained in milk is not high, and drinking milk can also help reduce the occurrence of coronary heart disease and hypertension .
In addition, you cannot drink milk on an empty stomach, because drinking milk on an empty stomach is not conducive to the absorption and utilization of nutrients; and in the fasting state, gastric acid is too high, , and lactobacilli are difficult to survive, which reduces the health care effect of yogurt.
Myth 4: There are benefits to eating more vinegar
Vinegar can not only increase appetite, but also protect the vitamin C in vegetables, which is beneficial to the gastrointestinal absorption of vitamin C, and also has certain effects on lowering blood pressure and preventing influenza .
So some people think that vinegar has many benefits and consume too much vinegar, or even drink vinegar. However, excessive consumption of vinegar will burn the esophagus, corrode the gastric mucosa, soften bones, aggravate osteoporosis , and lead to fractures.
