Your Ultimate Guide to Understanding Why You May Overeat and How Other Cultures Look at Food and Nutrition.
Ultimate Guides to having a better relationship with food. This comparison between US culture and diet and nutrition versus Okinawa, Japan–everything you need to know to make smarter decisions for health, diet and nutrition.
Relationships with Food in the United States and Japan,
Have you ever been told you need to finish your dinner plate before you can get up from the table or have dessert? Or maybe you have been told there are starving kids in Africa who wish they had your food to eat. Having spent two years in Japan during my time in the Marines, I gained a deep appreciation for how our relationship with food in the United States differs from that in other countries. It's disheartening to see the impact this is having on the rising rates of obesity and illness in our country, and it all starts when we are kids at home with our families.
Understanding the significant differences in food culture between the United States and Japan can provide valuable insights and a roadmap for change, helping us reverse our country's negative direction regarding health and nutrition.
Taking a closer look
The quality of our food and our relationship with what we eat not only determines what we look like but also impacts how we feel, think, and act. I am writing this to help you understand why food has changed in America and how we look at diet and nutrition, not because I am in the health and fitness industry or the fact that I am "crunchy." The more we can create a solution together, the better off we will be.
Relationship with food in the US #1: Why does disease continue to increase in America?
Relationship with food in Japan #2: Why does quality and portions matter?
How to Eat Healthier #3: How do I empower myself with food?
Relationship with food in the US
#1: Why does disease continue to increase in America?
In the US, we're often taught to finish our vegetables before getting dessert, as if vegetables are a punishment. This could be because of how we typically prepare vegetables and our reliance on fast food culture. Unlike in other countries, our portion sizes are larger, leading us to overeat, fueled by phrases like "there are starving kids in Africa who wish they could eat your food." This can result in emotional eating and stress-related habits. Our societal reliance on food as a comfort can be compared to a harmful addiction, potentially exacerbated by the chemicals and ingredients in our food. Even outlets like Subway, often lauded as a healthy option, use chemicals found in yoga mats and shoe soles.
Relationship with food in Japan
#2: Why does quality and portions matter?
While exploring other parts of the world, like Japan, while I served in the US Marine Corps, my experience with food was very different. I first noticed that fast food restaurants' portions were much smaller. I originally thought it had to be a mistake for a kid’s meal. The next thing I did was eat a burger and fries from a place like McDonald’s, which tasted exactly like what I remembered as a child growing up, and I didn’t feel awful or sluggish afterward. Most noticeable is that the people of Japan never really finished their plates; they just stopped eating when they were about full.
This was a huge culture shock, and it all matters because Okinawa, Japan, is a blue zone, meaning more people live to 100 years old and are HEALTHY. Not only is the culture around food different in other countries versus America but the rules and regulations are much stricter than our own FDA & USDA, which means the citizens of places like Japan do not need to worry about reading labels as much because the bread they serve is actual bread, not chemicals.
#3: How do I empower myself with food?
There is light at the end of the tunnel if you’re an American here, but it is no easy path because breaking habits and creating new ones can take up to six months. The first thing to think about is why you are eating in the first place, “Am I eating because I am hungry, or am I eating to mask my other feelings, or am I just bored?” If you are bored, go for a 5-10 minute walk; nothing excessive is needed. If you truly are hungry, you will crave things like protein/ meat or vegetables.
The next thing to think about is the quality of food; this is where a little work comes in: start reading the labels. If there are ingredients you can’t pronounce, it's not the option you want. Companies are great at branding and tricking you into believing that their product is the healthy option, just like Subway. Don’t believe it.
Every day is not Thanksgiving, so look at your portion sizes, are your carbs and starches more than your protein and vegetables? Another solution if you are out to eat if you are with your significant other is to share the meal because the portion sizes in the US are more than double what they should be. And if your plate is not licked clean, that is more than alright! The kids in Africa don’t want what you are having anyway!
The country is currently living on fast cars and fast food, but we all really just need to stop for a second to slow down, ground ourselves to enjoy life, and read labels because our health depends on it!
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