일본사람들의 다이어트 음식은 왜 건강식품으로 각광받는가?- Senior들에게는 귀중한 정보.

일본에서 생선, 채소, 그리고 발효식품들이 일본인들이 건강할뿐만 아니라 장수하고 있다는 통계가 있다. 일본의 전통음식을 먹으면서 거기에서 얻는 장점은 어떤것들일까? 일본인들의 평균수명은 세계에서 으뜸이다.

필리핀도 일본처럼 섬나라이다. 그러나 필리핀인들은 의학계의 보도에 의하면 콜레스테롤 수치가 높은 민족으로 나타난다.

일본인들이 즐겨먹는 다이어트 음식은, 중국인들이 즐겨먹는 다이어트식품과는 아주 다르다.
중국인들은 쌀밥, 채소도 삶아서먹거나 짱아치를 만들어먹고, 생선과 고기종류들을 주요 먹거리로 애용한다.  일본은 6582개의 섬으로 형성된 나라다. 일본인들은 다른 아시안 나라의 국민들에 비해 많은양의 생선을 소모시킨다. 그들은 또한 수시,사시미같은, 날생선을 좋아하며, 이와함께 피클, 효소식품 그리고 훈제된 음식을 많이 소비시킨다.

메주콩(Soy beans은 보통 두부 또는 풋콩으로 가공되는데,일본인들의 다이어트 식품으로, aduki
라는 콩과 함께 이용된다.  발표식품(fermented foods)은 많은 사람들에게 다이어트건강계통을 돕는 좋은 식품으로 많이 알려져 있다.  미소국(miso) 또는 나또(natto)같은 발효된 메주콩식품은 일본인들의 다이어트에서 중요한 식품으로 애용된다.  나또는 전통적으로 일본인들의 아침밥상에 올려지며,  IBS를 줄이고 피를 맑게 해주는 프로바이오틱 작용을 한다고 알려져있다. 은 혈압을 낯추는데 많은 역활을 하는 식품으로 해진다.

또한 일본인들은 여러종류의 채소를 즐겨먹는데, 이들 채소들은 육지와 바다에서 생산되는데, 특히 미네랄이 잔뜩 들어있는 김( seaweed)은 혈압을 낯추는데 많은 역활을 하는 식품으로 해진다.  과일들도 아침밥상에 오르는거나 디저트로 애용된다. 특히 후지사과,텐저린과 감이 애용되는 과일들이다.

다이어트 애용품으로 일본인들은 그린티와 Matcha Tea를 즐겨 마시는데, 요즘은 영국에서도 많은 인기를 끌고 있는 중이다.

멧돌에 갈아서 만든 그린티, Matcha티는, 암투병, 바이러스와 심장병질환에 효과적인 케티친처럼,산화방지에 도움을 주고, 암투병, 바이러스와 심장병질환에 효과적이라고 한다.

여기서 궁금한점이 하나 떠오른다. 몇년전 SARS전염병이 전세계를 위협할때, 우리 한국은 인접국가 중국과는 다르게 거의 전염환자가 없었다. 그때 한국사람들이 SARS에 강한 이유는 "김치"를  상용하기 때문이라고 널리 알려졌었다.  이번 Novel Coronavirus전염병에는 맥을 못추는 이유가 뭘까?

Is a diet of fish, veg and fermented food responsible for Japan's impressive health and longevity stats? Discover the benefits of traditional Japanese food.

The Japanese have long been revered and studied for their long life expectancy, which is higher than almost anywhere else in the world. So why is the Japanese diet so healthy, and what do they eat?

What are the benefits of the traditional Japanese diet?

The traditional Japanese diet is largely fresh and unprocessed, with very little refined foods or sugar. 
A recent study by the British Medical Journal found that those who stuck to closer to the Japanese dietary guidelines – a diet high in grains and vegetables, with moderate amounts of animal products and soy but minimal dairy and fruit – had a reduced risk of dying early and from heart disease or stroke. As their diet is traditionally high in soy and fish this may also play a significant role in this reduced risk of cardiovascular disease. The Japanese also have the lowest rates of obesity amongst men and women as well as long life expectancy. 
Okinawa, in southernmost Japan, has the highest number of centenarians in the world as well as the lowest risk of age-related diseases (for example diabetes, cancer, arthritis and Alzheimer’s). This has partly been attributed to their traditional Japanese diet, which is low in calories and saturated fat yet high in nutrients, especially phytonutrients such as antioxidants and flavonoids, found in different coloured vegetables. 

This also includes phytoestrogens, or plant-based oestrogens, that may help protect against hormone-dependent cancers, such as breast cancer. The diet of the Okinawan people has been little influenced by the dietary changes influenced by western culture, which have been seen in more urban Japan.

Is a diet of fish, veg and fermented food responsible for Japan's impressive health and longevity stats? Discover the benefits of traditional Japanese food.

The Japanese have long been revered and studied for their long life expectancy, which is higher than almost anywhere else in the world. So why is the Japanese diet so healthy, and what do they eat?

What are the benefits of the traditional Japanese diet?

The traditional Japanese diet is largely fresh and unprocessed, with very little refined foods or sugar. 
A recent study by the British Medical Journal found that those who stuck to closer to the Japanese dietary guidelines – a diet high in grains and vegetables, with moderate amounts of animal products and soy but minimal dairy and fruit – had a reduced risk of dying early and from heart disease or stroke. As their diet is traditionally high in soy and fish this may also play a significant role in this reduced risk of cardiovascular disease. The Japanese also have the lowest rates of obesity amongst men and women as well as long life expectancy. 
Okinawa, in southernmost Japan, has the highest number of centenarians in the world as well as the lowest risk of age-related diseases (for example diabetes, cancer, arthritis and Alzheimer’s). This has partly been attributed to their traditional Japanese diet, which is low in calories and saturated fat yet high in nutrients, especially phytonutrients such as antioxidants and flavonoids, found in different coloured vegetables. This also includes phytoestrogens, or plant-based oestrogens, that may help protect against hormone-dependent cancers, such as breast cancer. The diet of the Okinawan people has been little influenced by the dietary changes influenced by western culture, which have been seen in more urban Japan.

What is the traditional Japanese diet?

The traditional Japanese diet isn’t that dissimilar to a traditional Chinese diet, with rice, cooked and pickled vegetables, fish and meat being staple choices. However, because Japan is actually a group of islands (all 6,582 of them), its residents consume a lot more fish compared to other Asian countries. They also eat raw fish in sushi and sashimi, plus a lot of pickled, fermented and smoked foods.
Soy beans, usually in the form of tofu or fresh edamame, are another key part of the Japanese diet, along with other beans such as aduki. Increasingly, fermented foods are being shown to support a healthy digestive system. Fermented soy bean products such as miso and natto are staples of the Japanese diet. Natto is traditionally consumed at breakfast and has a probiotic action that has been shown to help reduce IBS and may help blood clotting.
The Japanese also consume a wide variety of vegetables, both land and sea vegetables such as seaweed, which is packed full of health-boosting minerals, and may help to reduce blood pressure. Fruit is often consumed with breakfast or as a dessert, especially Fuji apples, tangerines and persimmons.
Alongside their diet, the Japanese are big fans of green tea and in particular matcha tea, which is fast gaining popularity in the UK. Matcha, a stone-ground powdered green tea, is most valued for its high antioxidant compounds known as catechins, which have been linked to fighting cancer, viruses and heart disease.

Which healthy eating behaviours are part of traditional Japanese culture?

Traditionally, the Japanese tend to have a healthy attitude to food and eating. They have a saying, “hara hachi bu”, which means to eat until you are 80% full, and it is not uncommon to teach it to children from a young age.
The way the Japanese serve their food is also key. Rather than having one large plate, they often eat from a small bowl and several different dishes, usually a bowl of rice, a bowl of miso, some fish or meat and then two or three vegetables dishes, often served communally and eaten in rotation. The Japanese are also strong believers of ‘flexible restraint’ when it comes to treats and snacks, enjoying them from time to time but in smaller portions.

Japanese recipe inspiration...

Miso chicken and rice soup
Japanese salmon and avocado rice
Teriyaki noodle broth
Soba noodle and edamame salad with grilled tofu
Japanese salad with ginger soy dressing
Miso marinated salmon
Miso brown rice and chicken salad
Japanese-style brown rice

Enjoyed this? Now read...

Why are Mediterranean diets so healthy?
The health benefits of miso
More health and nutrition tips

---

https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/howto/guide/why-japanese-diet-so-healthy

왜 Romania인들하면 "마늘"로 세계적으로 인식됐는가? 아주 자랑스럽게. 우리도 그랬어야 했는데...

40년을 넘게 캐나다에서 살고있는 나로서는, 기억하고 싶지 않은 이민자로서의 가슴아픈 경험이 지금도 가슴한구석에 크게 자리하고 있다.

김치가 없으면 밥을 먹었어도, 식사한끼를 했다는 기분이 들지 않는, 그러한 삶을 살아온 우리는(당시 아내와 어린딸), 남의집에 세들어 살면서, 김치를 담그기위해 어렵게 TTC를 타고 중국사람들이 운영하는 수펴마켙에서 구입한 배추(Chinese Cabbage)로 김치를 담그곤 했는데, 강한 마늘냄새로 주인집으로 부터 핀잔을 받기고하고, 계속피우면 렌트를 Terminate하겠다는 위협을 받고, 그다음 부터는 마늘없는 김치를 담아먹었던 쓰라린 기억이있다.

지금 같았으면, "우리의 고유음식으로, 김치는 Main dish인데... 민족마다 독특한 음식을 먹는데, 뭐가 잘못된 것인가? 너무심한 갑질 하지말라"라고 arguement를 했을텐데....
그렇게 한다는것을 상상도 못하고, 그져 챙피하게만 여기고, "미안하다 다음부터는 이런 냄새 풍기지 않겠다"라고 위기(?)를 넘겼던 것이다.  아직 캐나다라는 낯설은 나라에 대해 모든게 생소했기에, 우리의 풍습과 전통을 주장하기 보다는, 챙피함만 먼저 머리에 떠올렸던것은 아니었을까?.

겉치레를 중시하는 우리 고유문화의 영향때문에, 밖으로 자랑스럽게 보여주기보다는, 챙피해서 안으로 깊이 숨겨버릴려는, 그래서 안그런척 할려는 체면문화영향때문으로 이해된다.  이제는 상황이 완전히 달라졌지만...

오늘 Rumanian들의 고집스런 마늘사용의 풍습을 읽으면서, 많은 비교를 해 보았다.

지금은 우리 한국에서도 마늘을 음식에 넣는것은 하나도 부끄러운 우리만의 전통이 아닌, 음식맛을 내고, 질병을 방지하는 의약품 역활을 한다는, 자부심을 갖고 있는것으로 알고있다.

나역시 이곳에서 살면서, 오래전부터 이곳 서양사람들도 즐겨먹는 김치만드는데 없어서는 안되는 약방의 감초같은 존재로 널이 애용되고 있다.

아래에 기사내용이 바로 전통을 고집하면서 지켜온 그들의 마늘애찬론이다.

유럽 중세기때의 성곽이자 전략요충지였던 Transylvania를 오르는 꼬불꼬불한길, 안개 자욱한길은, Count Dracula가 살았던곳으로 유명했던, 유럽에서 가장 암흑같았던 시대로 점철됐었던 전설들이 존재하는 곳이다.

Despite having never set foot in Transylvania himself, 19th-Century author Bram Stoker based his vampire lore on the strigoi (from the Latin ‘striga’ meaning ‘witch’ or ‘evil spirit’) thanks to a book he found in England's Whitby Library called An Account of the Principalities of Wallachia and Moldavia. In the book, Vlad Tepes, a historical ruler who fought against invading Turks, caught his attention. He was son of Vlad Dracul of the House of Drăculești and was the perfect character on whom to rest his blood-sucking main character.

Although Stoker’s Dracula was fictional, dark spirits have long existed in Eastern European folklore, as has the
use of garlic to ward them off.

자자손손 그들은 역사를 이어오면서 삶속에 종교의식처럼 전수 시켜온것들 중에서 특히 마늘만큼은 그대로 오늘날까지 이어지고 있으며 앞으로도 계속될 그들만의 자존심으로 뿌리박혀있다.

You may also be interested in:• A medieval remedy for divorce
• The deadly dish people love to eat
• The bread that feeds the dead

할아버지에서 아버지로 그리고 또 아들세대로 대를 이어오면서, 마늘은 악령으로 부터 가정과 사람들을 보호해준다는것으로 인식돼 내려왔고, 또한 감기와 기침같은 질병을 고쳐준다고 믿어왔다. 마귀(Strigoi)들이, (피를 빨아먹는 Vampire에서 유래된 생각) 왜 루마니아 소작농들은 마늘을 사용하여 마귀의 뿔을 더럽게 함으로써 가축들을 보호한다고 오랫동안 믿어왔던 그생각때문에, 엄마들과 임신한 소들의 젖을 다 빨아먹는다고 믿어 왔다.

이러한 풍습외에도, 마늘은 루마니아인들의 밥상에 꼭 있어야 한다.  또한 그들의 마늘에 대한 생각은 우리와는 완전히 다르게 일종의 요술을 부리는 식물로 여겨 왔었다.

하루는 친구와 함께 걸어서 약 10분 거리에 있는곳에 있는  루마니안식당 Bran Castle, (일명 스토커의 듀라큘라 성) 에서 음식을 즐기고 있었다. 

우리가 앉아았는 곳에서 바로 옆테이블에서 식사를 하고있던 여행자들이 의아한 눈초리로, 트라우트와 폴렌타를 mujdei에 버무려 코를 막고 먹고있는 우리의 모습을 유심히 바라다 보고 있었다. Mujdei소스는 루마니아 고유의 소스로 마늘잎과 줄기를 말려서 으깬것에 소금을 넣고 물과 해바라기오일 또는 요구르트를 섞어서 만든 것이다.

많은 사람들은 마늘냄새의 지독함에 음식만들때 일부러 사용하지 않기도 하지만, 루마니아인들은 마늘을 마치 종교신봉자처럼 활용한다. 원리는 예상외로 간단하다. 즉 더 많이 이용할수록 더 좋아지게 된다라고

"마늘없이는 그맛을 낼수 없다"라고 내친구 Alexandru Pavelescu는 감히 선언한다. 

 Two more generous portions of mujdei were brought in and finished in a matter of minutes, both as a sauce for the fish or simply spread on bread.

Deemed irreplaceable in flavouring steaks and other foods, garlic has always been a widespread crop in Romania. In Copălău village in Botosani County, the aromatic plant is cultivated by more than 40% of the locals. Considered unique due to the remote settlement’s soil quality, the garlic of Copălău has gained fame both nationally and internationally – so much so that the county’s agricultural authorities are preparing to register it as a product with a protected geographical indication.

At a home level, garlic is used in ciorbă, the word for the country’s many soups containing vegetables and meat, such as ciorbă de burtă (tripe soup) or its lighter version, ciorbă rădăuţeană made with chicken. Present on every menu, the popular skinless ground beef and pork sausages known as mici owe their juicy, savoury taste to the generous amount of garlic in the recipe.

Aside from being an essential ingredient in Romanian cuisine, garlic has long been thought of as a magical plant. On the eve of Saint Andrew (the patron saint of Romania) on 29 November, garlic is believed to keep you safe against strigoi and moroi, evil spirits of those passed on that haunt the household of relatives still living. A Romanian Halloween of sorts, residents of rural areas both eat garlic and smear it on the corners of windows and doors to protect themselves. Rows of garlic can be seen hanging with the same purpose.

“Due to its curing properties as an alternative remedy, garlic has been given further symbolic attributes as a ritualistic plant, bearing an apotropaic role of protection,” said Ana Iuga, ethnologist at the Romanian Peasant Museum.

But it doesn’t stop here. In Romania, garlic is considered a more powerful (natural) medicine than most antibiotics, due to a compound called allicin (released when the garlic is chopped or crushed) that has similar properties as penicillin, and dishes such as garlic soup made with roasted garlic heads blended with carrots, onions, potatoes, parsnip and celery are served to combat the flu. Grandmothers and great-grandmothers pass down the tradition of smearing freshly halved garlic cloves on toast for both taste and health purposes.

“Tradition and folklore are deeply engrained into Romanian culture in a syncretism dating even before Christianity,” said Gabriela Solomon, co-founder of My Secret Romania, during a garlic-themed culinary workshop. “All the important transitions in life – birth, marriage and death – are accompanied by a set of rituals that are preserved even by highly educated people. Garlic is the leitmotif behind them.”

In keeping with this national belief that garlic has miraculous powers, the Garlic Festival, currently in its fifth year, takes place each September in the Tihuţa Pass in the Bârgău mountains (Eastern Carpathians). This is where Transylvania meets Bukovina, long considered the gateway to the realm of Count Dracula as depicted in Bram Stoker’s novel under its former Hungarian name ‘Borgo Pass’. At the festival, traditional dishes with garlic are prepared, garlic wreaths are woven, and magic shows and spells are all part of the event.

So, whether or not vampires really exist in Romania, garlic most definitely does, in its food, medicine and ancient folklore.

http://www.bbc.com/travel/story/20171026-why-romanians-are-obsessed-with-garlic