9 good Japanese eating habits to stay in shape

© Shutterstock

2/9 –

Dinner early
“The Japanese eat dinner early (it gets dark early in Japan even in summer) and the evening meal is less copious than the others, but it nevertheless provides carbohydrates (rice) and a lot of fiber with various vegetables” indicates Nicolas Chauvat. “The principle remains that of respecting our biological clock” informs our Japanese food expert. If the meal takes place too close to the sleep period, the body does not use the carbohydrates consumed and stores them.

© Shutterstock / jazz3311

3/9 –

Slow carbohydrates at the end of the day
The Japanese have a good habit of consuming very little lipids (if they are consumed in too large quantities in the evening meal they will be stored overnight) and carbohydrates in small quantities at dinner. “This allows the body to produce a sufficient level of serotonin and melatonin to sleep well,” explains Nicolas Chauvat. Sleeping well has an impact on weight.

© Shutterstock / chocophoto_life

4/9 –

A breakfast rich in proteins and lipids
The Japanese have a completely different breakfast from ours. Ours is based on a large quantity of carbohydrates and quick sugars (cereals, bread, fruit juice, etc.), theirs on foods rich in fat and protein (cheese, eggs, tofu, meat). “The Japanese breakfast is the one to choose for losing weight because it helps avoid insulin peaks and cravings, sources of weight gain, and because in the morning our metabolism is particularly effective at burning fat” explains Nicolas Chauvat.

© Shutterstock / Dori Dumrong

5/9 –

Little saturated fat
Another health and slimming secret of the Japanese diet is the low consumption of saturated fats (butter, crème fraîche, dairy products, egg yolks, etc.). These fats are only consumed at breakfast because that is when the body is able to burn them. “The evening meal is rich in protein, but contains little saturated fat,” says our expert. Traditional pastries, called wagashi, provide little saturated fat, because they contain no dairy or eggs.

© Shutterstock / MERCURY studio

6/9 –

Little fructose
“We consume 10 times more fructose (sugar from fruit or honey) than the Japanese per day, mainly because of our consumption of fruit, fruit juice and sodas. However, mammals are not made to have fructose all the time. Fructose consumed in excess causes fat to be stored,” informs Nicolas Chauvat. Also, to stay slim, reduce your fructose consumption.

© Shutterstock / takayuki

7/9 –

Eat light meals when drinking alcohol
The Japanese accompany their alcohol consumption in a very different way than we do. We eat a lot of carbohydrates. “Consuming carbohydrate-rich foods with alcohol increases the risk of fat accumulation. It actually causes too much insulin secretion. If this hormone is secreted too much, all the lipids consumed during the meal will be stored instead of being used for the renewal of cell walls. In addition, in the presence of insulin, the phenomenon of lipogenesis is amplified and a large part of the carbohydrates absorbed will be converted into fatty acids which will lead to weight gain” explains Nicolas Chauvat. It is better, like the Japanese, to favor a light meal, rich in protein, with a little good fat and very few carbohydrates (the Japanese eat mainly raw fish, meat, vegetables, mushrooms, eggs during a meal with alcohol).

© Shutterstock / jirapath09

8/9 –

A quick sugar-free lunch
Another good Japanese eating habit, a lunch without dessert, not even fruit and without alcohol or fruit juice which are all quick sugars. “Consuming fast sugars at midday cause insulin peaks which will block the enzymes produced by the body to burn fat” explains Nicolas Chauvat. The midday meal provides animal or vegetable proteins (tofu, buckwheat), slow sugars (rice or udon pasta, soba, sōmen). The Japanese have the habit of eating sweet cakes in the middle of the afternoon with tea. It is a good time to consume sugar in the afternoon as cortisol is less present and our body cannot burn fat efficiently. Fast carbohydrates therefore provide the energy necessary to continue to be active.

© Shutterstock / vitals

9/9 –

Low-calorie soups throughout the day
We are used to consuming thick soups, containing starchy foods, in large quantities in the evening. However, the presence of starchy foods makes them high in calories and a large quantity of drink in the evening promotes water retention. To stay in shape, it would be better to take inspiration from the Japanese consumption of soup! “The Japanese consume soup in small quantities throughout the day and not in large quantities in the evening. Their calories are very low because they do not contain sugar (potatoes, beans, etc.) but seaweed and leafy vegetables rich in fiber. The vegetables are cut into large pieces and not crushed, which causes blood sugar to increase more quickly,” explains Nicolas Chauvat. Finally, their soups are very little salty or are rich in potassium (with miso paste) which promotes the elimination of sodium (salt).