{"id":5335,"date":"2023-07-05T03:35:52","date_gmt":"2023-07-04T20:35:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/?p=5335"},"modified":"2023-07-05T03:35:52","modified_gmt":"2023-07-04T20:35:52","slug":"3-recipes-featuring-okinawan-foods-for-longevity","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/?p=5335","title":{"rendered":"3 Recipes Featuring Okinawan Foods for Longevity"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <script async src=\"https:\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-3711241968723425\"\r\n     crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<div class=\"drop-cap text-big text-gray\"> <span class=\"drop-cap__first text-dropcap \">F<\/span>or the last 35 years, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nancysingletonhachisu.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.nancysingletonhachisu.com\/\">Nancy Singleton Hachisu<\/a>, a native Californian, cookbook author, and a James Beard Award Home Cooking winner, has lived with her Japanese farmer husband in Saitama Prefecture, just outside of Tokyo, Japan. While living there, Hachisu has acquired firsthand knowledge about the country\u2019s cuisine and culture, and has become an authoritative voice in Japanese home cooking today.<\/div>\n<p>In her latest cookbook, <a href=\"https:\/\/clicks.trx-hub.com\/xid\/leafgroup_ca5e0_wellgood?q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FJapan-Vegetarian-Nancy-Singleton-Hachisu%2Fdp%2F1838666273%2F%3Ftag%3Dwgtrx8922-20%26asc_refurl%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Fwww.wellandgood.com%252Fokinawan-foods%252F%26asc_source%3Ddirect%26asc_campaign%3Dno-campaign&amp;p=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.wellandgood.com%2Fokinawan-foods%2F&amp;event_type=click\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Japan-Vegetarian-Nancy-Singleton-Hachisu\/dp\/1838666273\/\"><em>Japan: The Vegetarian Cookbook<\/em><\/a> (a follow-up to her global bestseller, <a href=\"https:\/\/clicks.trx-hub.com\/xid\/leafgroup_ca5e0_wellgood?q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FJapan-Cookbook-Nancy-Singleton-Hachisu%2Fdp%2F0714874744%2F%3Ftag%3Dwgtrx8922-20%26asc_refurl%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Fwww.wellandgood.com%252Fokinawan-foods%252F%26asc_source%3Ddirect%26asc_campaign%3Dno-campaign&amp;p=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.wellandgood.com%2Fokinawan-foods%2F&amp;event_type=click\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Japan-Cookbook-Nancy-Singleton-Hachisu\/dp\/0714874744\/\"><em>Japan: The Cookbook<\/em><\/a>), which debuted in April 2023, Hachisu showcases over 250 Japanese vegetarian dishes, highlighting the flavors of the nation through a plant-forward lens. We recently caught up with Hachisu, who delved into some of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/eat-more-plants\/\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/eat-more-plants\/\">benefits of integrating more plants into our diet<\/a> and what she\u2019s learned about the Blue Zone, Okinawa, home to some of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/blue-zone-guide\/\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/blue-zone-guide\/\">longest-living people in the world<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>Why lifestyle and cuisine are closely intertwined when it comes to longevity<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>According to Hachisu, Okinawa has been famously associated with the \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/blue-zones-eating-habits\/\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/blue-zones-eating-habits\/\">Blue Zones<\/a>,\u201d aka five regions where folks live some of the healthiest lifestyles (and well into their 100s). This has drawn a lot of attention to the island for obvious reasons. And people all around the world are looking to replicate the practices of these communities. \u201cThere has been quite a lot of focus from the West on the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/okinawa-diet-vs-mediterranean-diet\/\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/okinawa-diet-vs-mediterranean-diet\/\">Okinawan diet<\/a>,\u201d Hachisu says.<\/p>\n<p>Although a healthy diet can be critical to well-being, Hachisu notes it isn\u2019t the only factor likely leading the Okinawan longevity charge. Rather, it\u2019s an amalgamation of several factors: lifestyle, geography, and access to certain foods. \u201cThe Western version of the Okinawan diet seems more focused on weight loss or incorporating components of the diet in order to promote good health and extend life span in their home countries,\u201d shes says. \u201cBut Okinawans&#8217; impressive longevity cannot be attributed solely to a specific diet. Historically, Okinawans existed in communities attuned to nature, in proximity to the sea, and isolated from the Japanese mainland,\u201d she says. This has led Hachisu to take note of the close relationship between nature, food, and their nourishing benefits when combined.<\/p>\n<div class=\"related-content \" style=\"\" data-module-init=\"related-content\" data-module-immediate=\"\" v-cloak=\"\">\n<div class=\"related-content__wrapper \" v-cloak=\"\" :class=\"{'is-loaded':isLoaded}\">\n<p> <span class=\"inline pr-6 text-seafoam-dark\">Related Stories<\/span> <\/p>\n<p> <related-content class=\"related-content__links\" parent-article-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/okinawan-foods\/\" current-title=\"\u2018I\u2019m a Cookbook Author That\u2019s Lived in Japan for the Last 35 Years, and This Is What Some of the Longest-Living People in the World Eat Daily\u2019\" current-image=\"okinawa-foods-pickled-tomatoes-425x285.jpg\" v-on:parsely-posts-loaded=\"onPostsLoaded\" start-date=\"2023-01-04\" tag=\"div\" inline-template=\"\" url=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/okinawan-foods\/\" secret=\"w5ztterVB03LGZJLfXS0hf3EvQBuFFIWew9hmVQxthU\" apikey=\"wellandgood.com\" limit=\"3\"> <\/p>\n<div>\n<div class=\"related-content__card mb-[10px] sm:mb-[20px]\" :class=\"{'related-content__card--full':posts.length === 1}\" v-for=\"(post, key) in posts\"> <a v-on:click.prevent=\"trackLinkGA($event, key)\" :href=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/okinawan-foods\/post.url\" data-url-source=\"related-content\" class=\"related-content__link\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"\"> <\/p>\n<div class=\"related-content__card--image bg-tan\" :style=\"{ backgroundImage: 'url(' + post.image_url + ')' }\"> <img decoding=\"async\" :src=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/okinawan-foods\/post.image_url\" :alt=\"post.title\" class=\" js-inline-lazy-load\" src=\"\"\/> <\/div>\n<p> <\/a>  <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p> <\/related-content> <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<h2><strong>What do Okinawans eat for longevity?<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Being geographically isolated from the mainland has led Okinawans to rely primarily on the foods readily available in their region. \u201cThe traditional Okinawan diet consisted of plant-based ingredients such as soybeans and vegetables that are rich in antioxidant nutrients and dietary fiber\u2014both of which are effective against diseases and infections, thus promoting increased lifespan,\u201d Hachisu says.<\/p>\n<p>What\u2019s more, she says they also historically ate lots of carbs and low amounts of protein. \u201cOverall, the diet in Okinawa was high in carbohydrates\u2014mainly through sweet potatoes and other fibrous tubers, rather than grains such as rice\u2014low in protein\u2014little dairy, but a small amount of pork for enriching the island\u2019s signature underpinning flavoring stock\u2014and very low in fat,\u201d Hachisu says.<\/p>\n<p>But over the years, this has changed due to advancements in transportation. \u201cToday, due to urbanization and influences from the American armed forces presence as well as imported foods from the mainland of Japan, the Okinawan diet has shifted significantly,\u201d she says. \u201cCarbohydrate consumption has dipped more than 25 percent, while protein and fat intake has increased about 10 percent each.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Still, plants are integral to the Okinawan diet and overall Japanese cuisine, as reflected in Hachisu\u2019s new book. \u201cGreen leafy vegetables and orange- and yellow-colored vegetables remain important elements in the daily foods of Okinawa. Also, foraged mountain herbs and plants such as mugwort continue to be valued and incorporated into the dishes\u2014especially in the spring when they appear around the streams and in the fields,\u201d she says. \u201cKonbu and soy-based foods such as tofu and miso have also sustained a main place in the modern Okinawan diet.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>So what does this all mean for people living outside of Okinawa who want to absorb some of the traditional Okinawan lifestyle and diet into their own lives? Hachisu breaks it down into five main pillars:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>exercise in a natural environment<\/li>\n<li>spend time outside in fresh air<\/li>\n<li>eat less meat, fat, dairy, and rice<\/li>\n<li>eat sweet potatoes, carrots, daikon, bitter melon, cabbage, okra, kabocha, konbu, and soy-based foods such as tofu and miso<\/li>\n<li>eat mindfully until you are only 80 percent full<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><strong>3 recipes featuring Okinawan-style ingredients<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>As a glimpse into her new book, Hachisu shared three recipes featuring Okinawan-style ingredients and their benefits.<\/p>\n<p><figure id=\"attachment_1057845\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-1057845\" style=\"width: 352px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1057845  js-inline-lazy-load\" alt=\"okinawa foods lemon sweet potato\" width=\"352\" height=\"522\" src=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/okinawa-foods-lemon-sweet-potato_falsexfalse_true_70.webp\"\/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-1057845\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Photo: <em>Japan: The Vegetarian Cookbook<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>\n<h3>Lemon-simmered<strong> sweet potato recipe<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>This recipe is the ideal way to enjoy cold sweet potatoes. Okinawa is one of Japan&#8217;s most important islands for artisanal sugar production, so the Okinawan diet eschews processed sugars. But here, the light lemony syrup is only slightly sweetened with organic sugar, and the dried gardenia fruit contributes color and healthy properties. Sweet potatoes have a lot of dietary fiber. When eaten in a cooled state, they have a component called <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/resistant-starch-in-foods\/\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/resistant-starch-in-foods\/\">resistant starch<\/a> that is said to have additional benefits of aiding intestinal regulation and controlling sudden rises in blood sugar levels.<\/p>\n<p><em>Yields 4 servings<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>Ingredients<\/em><br \/>2 small sweet potatoes (5\u00bc oz\/150 g each)<br \/>4 Tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice<br \/>2 Tbsp organic granulated sugar<br \/>1 dried gardenia fruit pod (kuchinashi), optional<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>Scrub the sweet potatoes, do not peel, and slice into rounds \u00bd inch (1 cm) thick. Place in a medium saucepan, add the lemon juice, sugar, and 1 \u2154 cups (13\u00bd fl oz\/ 400 ml) water. Break open the kuchinashi (if using) and drop in as well. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat and cook until the flesh can be easily pierced with a bamboo skewer, 12\u201315 minutes. Remove the kuchinashi and let the sweet potatoes cool to room temperature in the cooking liquid. Refrigerate for two hours to chill.<\/li>\n<li>Serve as a sweetly tart side dish or small bite.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p><figure id=\"attachment_1057839\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-1057839\" style=\"width: 342px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1057839  js-inline-lazy-load\" alt=\"okinawa foods root vegetable fritters\" width=\"342\" height=\"463\" src=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/okinawa-foods-root-vegetable-fritters_falsexfalse_true_70.webp\"\/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-1057839\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Photo: <em>Japan: The Vegetarian Cookbook<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>\n<h3>Root vegetable peel fritters<\/h3>\n<p>These fritters are a genius way to use those healthy root vegetable peels that were in direct contact with the mineral-filled earth where the root vegetables grew. Here the hard-to-find udo can be substituted with celery or omitted in favor of more sweet potato and carrot. The Okinawan diet does include fried foods, in moderation, as a way to introduce an element of richness to a meal, and these root vegetable peel fritters are perfectly aligned with that spirit.<\/p>\n<p><em>Yields 4 servings<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>Ingredients<\/em><br \/>4 inches (10 cm) medium burdock (1 \u00be oz\/50 g), scrubbed<br \/>2 handfuls non-juicy root vegetable peels (carrot, udo, sweet potato), removed with a vegetable peeler<br \/>5 Tbsp unbleached udon flour or pastry flour<br \/>2 Tbsp <a href=\"https:\/\/clicks.trx-hub.com\/xid\/leafgroup_ca5e0_wellgood?q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FShiratamako-Shiratama-Premium-Glutinous-Daifuku%2Fdp%2FB004LENKG2%2Fref%3Dasc_df_B004LENKG2%2F%3Ftag%3Dwgtrx8922-20%26linkCode%3Ddf0%26hvadid%3D475819441384%26hvpos%3D%26hvnetw%3Dg%26hvrand%3D11153185774178674049%26hvpone%3D%26hvptwo%3D%26hvqmt%3D%26hvdev%3Dt%26hvdvcmdl%3D%26hvlocint%3D%26hvlocphy%3D9004342%26hvtargid%3Dpla-523702604820%26psc%3D1%26asc_refurl%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Fwww.wellandgood.com%252Fokinawan-foods%252F%26asc_source%3Ddirect%26asc_campaign%3Dno-campaign&amp;p=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.wellandgood.com%2Fokinawan-foods%2F&amp;event_type=click\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Shiratamako-Shiratama-Premium-Glutinous-Daifuku\/dp\/B004LENKG2\/ref=asc_df_B004LENKG2\/?tag=hyprod-20&amp;linkCode=df0&amp;hvadid=475819441384&amp;hvpos=&amp;hvnetw=g&amp;hvrand=11153185774178674049&amp;hvpone=&amp;hvptwo=&amp;hvqmt=&amp;hvdev=t&amp;hvdvcmdl=&amp;hvlocint=&amp;hvlocphy=9004342&amp;hvtargid=pla-523702604820&amp;psc=1\">shiratamako<\/a><br \/>Neutral oil, such as canola (rapeseed), peanut, or safflower, for deep-frying<br \/>4 small wedges green yuzu or lemon, for serving<br \/>\u00bc Tsp flaky sea salt, for serving<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>In a small bowl, whisk the udon flour and shiratamako together and sprinkle over the vegetables. Toss to distribute with a pair of cooking chopsticks. Sprinkle in a scant \u00bd cup (3\u00bd fl oz\/100 ml) cold water and toss gently to wet the flour.<\/li>\n<li>In a large high-sided saut\u00e9 pan, heat 1\u00bc inches (3 cm) oil over medium heat until 340\u00b0F (170\u00b0C). To check the oil temperature, sprinkle a few pinches of the flour mixture into the oil; they should sink to the bottom of the pan, then immediately float back to the surface, and there will be a few bubbles.<\/li>\n<li>With a round serving spoon, scoop out 4 heaping spoonfuls of the ingredients and add them to the oil one at a time, slipping them into the oil at the edge of the pan. Fry for one minute, flip, then one more minute, before flipping and cooking until crispy and golden on both sides, 1\u00bd minutes longer. Drain briefly on a rack set over a pan to catch the drips.<\/li>\n<li>Arrange the kakiage on saucers lined with a folded piece of tempura blotting paper. Serve hot with a yuzu or lemon wedge and a small mound of salt.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p><figure id=\"attachment_1057841\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-1057841\" style=\"width: 344px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1057841  js-inline-lazy-load\" alt=\"okinawa foods sweet potato rice\" width=\"344\" height=\"481\" src=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/okinawa-foods-sweet-potato-rice_falsexfalse_true_70.webp\"\/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-1057841\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Photo: <em>Japan: The Vegetarian Cookbook<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>\n<h3><strong>Sweet potato rice recipe<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>This recipe clearly contains rice, but it\u2019s easy to adjust it to increase the sweet potato to rice ratio by doubling or tripling the amount of sweet potato called for in the original recipe. Doing so will increase the volume of the dish and thus increase the number of people it serves.<\/p>\n<p><em>Yields 4 servings\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>Ingredients<\/em><br \/>1 \u2154 cups (5\u00bc oz\/150 g) cubed (\u00bd-inch\/1 cm) unpeeled sweet potato<br \/>2 \u00bc cups (540 ml\/1 lb\/450 g) Japanese short-grain rice<br \/>\u00bd teaspoon flaky sea salt<br \/>1 tablespoon black sesame seeds<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>Wash, drain, and soak the rice according to the directions for Japanese rice. Stir in the rinsed sweet potato cubes and salt. Cook and rest according to the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/japanese-red-bean-rice-recipe\/\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/japanese-red-bean-rice-recipe\/\">directions for Japanese rice<\/a>. After resting, fold in the black sesame seeds, by sprinkling in evenly as you cut the rice with a rice paddle.<\/li>\n<li>Serve mounded in small bowls to accompany a couple vegetable side dishes.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>Recipes courtesy of <em>Japan: The Vegetarian Cookbook<\/em>.<\/p>\n<div class=\"disclaimers__after_content mb-[18px] mt-[16px] pt-[16px]\">\n<div class=\"outline-earmark relative mt-[8px] pt-[10px] pl-[20px]\">\n<p>\n            Our editors independently select these products. Making a purchase through our links may earn Well+Good a commission.          <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div data-type=\"_mgwidget\" data-widget-id=\"1675549\">\r\n<\/div>\r\n<script>(function(w,q){w[q]=w[q]||[];w[q].push([\"_mgc.load\"])})(window,\"_mgq\");\r\n<\/script>\r\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>For the last 35 years, Nancy Singleton Hachisu, a native Californian, cookbook author, and a James Beard Award Home Cooking winner, has lived with her Japanese farmer husband in Saitama Prefecture, just outside of Tokyo, Japan. While living there, Hachisu has acquired firsthand knowledge about the country\u2019s cuisine and culture, and has become an authoritative &hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":5336,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5335","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-health"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5335","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=5335"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5335\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/5336"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=5335"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=5335"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=5335"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}