Japanese people are, as a whole, very healthy: They have the second-highest life expectancies compared to any other country in the world (the U.S. comes in at number 43) and have an obesity rate of just 3.5 percent, which is one-tenth of America’s 35 percent obesity rate.
The reason for Japan’s superior health? Their grain-heavy, high-carb diet.
According to a new study by researchers at the National Center for Global Health and Medicine in Tokyo, people who strongly adhere to Japan’s recommended dietary guidelines are 15 percent less likely to die of any cause — such as cardiovascular disease and stroke — compared to those who don’t adhere well.
Japan’s nutrition guidelines reflect the country’s traditional diet, which is high in grains, fish and soybean products, but low in fat. In the U.S., where the tide appears to be turning against grains and toward larger intakes of fat, Japan’s contrasting food guidelines are a good reminder that there’s no “correct” way to eat nutritious food — just different styles that suit different people and cultures best.
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