Dietary Guidelines

Principles of Macrobiotic Diet

Nutritional Characteristics

In comparison with currently practiced dietary habits in modern society, the macrobiotic dietary approach in temperate and most tropical regions has the following general nutritional characteristics:

More complex carbohydrates, fewer simple carbohydrates
More vegetable-quality protein, less animal food protein
Less overall fat consumption, more unsaturated fat and less saturated fat
A balance of various naturally occurring vitamins, minerals, and other nutritional factors
Use of more organically-grown, natural quality food; more traditional food processing techniques and fewer artificial and chemically processed foods
Consumption of as much food remaining in whole form as possible, and less of refined and partial foods
Greater consumption of food that is rich in minerals and natural fiber, and less of food that

has been devitalized by refining, polishing, and overprocessing

Scientific and Medical Guidelines

Standard macrobiotic dietary practice shares a similar orientation to the dietary guidelines issued by the following national and international scientific and medical associations:

The United States Congress, Senate Select Committee on Nutrition and Human Needs: Dietary Goals for the United States (1977)
The U.S. Surgeon-General’s report: Healthy People: Health Promotion and Disease Prevention (1979)
The National Academy of Sciences: Diet, Nutrition, and Cancer (1982)
U.S. National Cancer Institute and the Chinese Institute of Nutrition and Food Hygiene: Diet, LifeStyle, and Mortality in China (1990) [“The China Study”]
UN Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO): Livestock’s Long Shadow (2006).
United Kingdom’s Eatwell Plate (2011)
Japanese Ministry of Health and Welfare: Food Guide (2011)
World Health Organization: Healthy Diet (2015)
Dietary Guidelines of the American Diabetes Association (2013), Harvard School of Public Health (2011), American Cancer Society (2012), Mayo Clinic’s DASH Diet (2015), American Heart Association (2017), and other scientific and medical associations
Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine: Sustainable Power Plate (2015)
U.S. Department of Agriculture and Department of Health and Human Services: Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2015–2020 (8th edition)
Chinese Nutrition Society: Chinese Food Guide Plate (2016)

Standard Macrobiotic Dietary Practice

The Standard Macrobiotic Dietary approach is not designed for any particular person, nor for a particular condition. It is designed for the general purpose of maintaining physical and

psychological health and the well being of society in general. It further serves, in many instances, to prevent overweight, obesity, heart disease, cancer, diabetes and other chronic diseases and promote possible recovery from sickness.

These dietary guidelines have been practiced daily for several generations by hundreds of thousands of macrobiotic individuals and families throughout the world. Furthermore, the same or similar dietary practice has been observed traditionally in many cultures and civilizations throughout the world for thousands of years.

The following guidelines are designed primarily for people living in a temperate climate zone and cover the majority of the world’s people. Countries and regions that experience the regular change of four seasons

include most of North America, Europe (including most of Russia), China, Japan, and temperate parts of Africa, Latin America, and Australia.

The Standard Dietary Approach differs, and modifications are required, for people living in a subtropical, tropical, or hot climate as well as a cool,cold, or polar climate. Guidelines for these regions of the world are included at the end of this section.

Principles of Dietary Practice

The Standard Macrobiotic Diet

Considers biological evolutionary processes, particularly humanity’s material, intellectual, emotional, social, and spiritual needs
Respects centuries-old traditionally and universally practiced dietary customs of different cultures and civilizations
Adapts to the climatic, seasonal, and environmental differences prevailing
Considers social and economic requirements that can be practiced widely throughout the world at an affordable cost
Satisfies the nutritional balance and requirements for human needs
Benefits physical and psychological health, preventing disorders in some instances and promoting recovery in others
Requires modification and adjustment for personal and individual needs by securing varieties in the kinds of foods selected and the method of preparation and cooking
Secures family health and harmony as well as a peaceful mind and energetic physical conditions for the well being of society and the environment
Prefers the use of organically-grown natural products as much as possible with minimal use of heavily chemicalized and artificially processed foods

Variety of Foods

The practice of the Standard Macrobiotic Dietary Approach consists of a wide variety of foods:

Whole Grains and Grain Products Pickles

Soups Nuts and Seeds

Vegetables Snacks

Beans and Bean Products Condiments

Sea Vegetables Garnishes

Fish and Seafood Seasonings

Fruit Desserts

Beverages

These foods have been commonly consumed throughout the world. The food selection, variety of food preparation, spectrum of cooking techniques, and wide range of combinations of foods serve to secure varying human requirements that differ according to the season, activity level, sex, and age, as well as environment, climate, tradition, and custom.

Variety of Cooking and Preparation Methods

For variety, daily cooking may be changed in the following ways:

The selection of foods within each category
The methods of cooking: boiling, steaming, sautéing, frying, pressure-cooking, and other traditionally used common cooking methods
The ways of cutting vegetables: large chunks, medium slices, slivers, quarters, halves, half-moons, chrysanthemums, irregular shapes, etc. in addition to grating and mashing
The source and amount of water used
The kind and amount of seasonings and condiments used
The length of cooking time
The kind of fire used in cooking and use of higher or lower flame
The combination of foods and dishes
Seasonal cooking adjustments
Personal cooking adjustments

General Food and Environmental Guidelines

While the Standard Macrobiotic Dietary Approach features a wide range of flexibility, certain foods are customarily restricted for better health as well a for the preservation of the natural environment:

Customarily Avoided

1. Meat and meat products

2. Farm-raised fish and seafood

3. Dairy foods including milk, cream, butter, cheese, yogurt, and ice cream

4. Eggs, chicken, turkey, and other poultry

5. Hydrogenated and partially hydrogenated fats/oils

6. Irradiated foods and genetically altered foods

7. Chemical and artificial additives, preservatives, and sweeteners (e.g. saccharin)

8. Ingredients not naturally occurring in nature

9. Refined sugar, fructose, sucrose, and most other sweeteners with the exception of unrefined grain malts and syrups, pure maple syrup, and other unrefined plant-quality syrups

10. Foods in which refined products comprise more than 40% of the total finished product

11. Supplements including vitamins, minerals, hormones, extracts, probiotics, etc.

12. Tap and distilled water, except when the tap water is from a natural spring or well

13. Table salt, iodized salt, and gray sea salt

14. Yeast and baking soda

15. Conventional agriculture and cultivation that utilizes pesticides, fungicides, herbicides chemical fertilizers, and other potentially harmful and unnatural substances

16. High temperature processing

17. Non-recyclable packaging

18. Aluminum packaging, except coated aluminum

19. Tropical products in temperate climates (and vice versa)

20. Products and/or food components that are environmentally or ecologically unsafe or unsustainable, even if organically grown

Occasionally Allowed

Organic fish and seafood
Wild and organic herbs and spices
Organic nightshades
Caffeinated beverages
Traditionally produced bacterial, enzymes, and algae

Universally Approved

Spring and well water
Traditional and organic sea salts
Most organic vegetables
Most organic fruits
Most organic seeds and nuts
Organic and traditionally harvested sea vegetables
Organic grains and beans
Organic cold-pressed oils
Traditionally processed products
Environmentally safe, 100% recyclable packaging

General Environmental Guidelines for Cookware and Eating Utensils

Generally Avoided

1. Most exotic and rare woods

2. Aluminum, except when used as a coating

3. Non-recyclable plastics and packaging

4. Treated no-stick pans and cookware

5. Formica

6. Animal products

7. Copper

8. Products containing lead or other heavy metals and toxins

9. Disposable products

Occasionally Allowed

1. Recyclable plastics

2. Enamelware

3. Alloys other than stainless steel

4. Electronic kitchenware

Universally Approved

1. Bamboo with non-toxic finishes

2. Common woods with non-toxic finishes

3. Stainless steel

4. Cast iron

5. No-lead earthenware

6. No–lead ceramics

7. Recycled glass

8. Unbleached and vegetable-dyed organic cotton products

9. 100% recycle unbleached paper products with at least 15% post-consumer waste

Standard Dietary and Way of Life Suggestions

For persons living in a temperate climate (see below for other regions of the world)

Daily Dietary Recommendations

WHOLE CEREAL GRAINS From 40–50% by weight of daily food includes cooked, organically grown, whole cereal grains prepared in a variety of ways. Whole cereal grains include brown rice, barley, millet, whole wheat, rye, oats, corn, and buckwheat. A portion of this amount may consist of noodles or pasta, unyeasted whole grain breads, and other partially processed whole cereal grains.

SOUPS About 5–10% of your daily food intake may inclue soup made with vegetables, sea vegetables (especially wakame or kombu), grains, or beans. Seasonings are usually miso or shoyu (organic soy sauce). The flavor should be moderate.

VEGETABLES About 25–30% of daily intake may include local and organically grown vegetables. The majority are preferably cooked in various styles (e.g., sautéed with a small amount of vegetable oil, steamed, boiled, and sometimes as raw salad or naturally fermented or pickled vegetables). Vegetables for daily use include green cabbage, kale, broccoli, cauliflower, collards, pumpkin, watercress, Chinese cabbage, bok choy, mustard greens, daikon greens, scallion, onion, daikon, turnip, various fall and winter season squashes, burdock, carrot, and onion. Lettuce, summer squash, cucumber, sprouts and other seasonal vegetables may be used less often. Avoid or limit the intake of white potato, sweet potato and yam, tomato, eggplant, pepper, spinach, asparagus, beets, zucchini, and avocado. Mayonnaise and other oily, fatty, or artificial dressings, including most commercial vegan spreads, are best avoided.

BEANS AND SEA VEGETABLES About 5–10% of the daily diet may include cooked beans and sea vegetables. Beans for regular use include azuki, chickpea, entil, and black soybean, as well as kidney, navy, black bean, white bean, pinto, non-GMO soybean, and others. Bean products such as tofu, tempeh, and natto can also be used. Sea vegetables such as wakame, nori, kombu, hiziki, armae, dulse, agar, and others may be prepared in a variety of ways. They can be cooked with beans or vegetables, used in soups, or served separately as side dishes or salads, moderately flavored with brown rice vinegar, sea salt, shoyu, ume plum, and other natural seasonings.

OCCASIONAL FOODS If needed or desired, 1–3 times a week, approximately 10% of the daily consumption of food can include fresh wild caught flaky white-meat fish. Non-farm-raised salmon and sea scallops can be included several times per month, if your condition permits.

Fruit or fruit desserts including fresh, dried, and cooked fruits, may also be served 3–4 times per week. Local and organically grown fruits are preferred. If you live in a temperate climate, avoid tropical and semi-tropical fruit and instead enjoy apples, pears, plums, peaches, nectarines, apricots, berries, and melons. Locally organic fruit juice and cider may also be taken if your condition permits.

Lightly roasted nuts and seeds such as pumpkin, sesame, and sunflower may be enjoyed as snacks along with peanuts, walnuts, almonds, and pecans. Rice syrup, barley malt, amasake, and mirin may be used as sweeteners, together with maple syrup on special occasions. Brown rice vinegar, lemon, or umeboshi vinegar may be used for a sour taste.

BEVERAGES Recommened daily beverages include bancha twig tea (kucicha), stem tea roasted brown rice, roasted barley tea, and occasionally dandelion and corn silk tea. Any traditional tea that does not have an aromatic fragrance or a stimulating effect can be used. You may also drink a comfortable amount of water, preferably spring or well water (though filtered is acceptable), but avoid icy, cold drinks.

FOODS TO REDUCE OR AVOID For better health and well-being, limit or discontinue meat, animal fat and protein, eggs, poultry, dairy products (including butter, yogurt, ice cream, milk, and cheese), refined sugars, chocolate, molasses, honey, and other simple sugars such as stevia, agave, evaporated cane juice, and foods containing them.

Tropical or semi-tropical fruits and fruit juices, including banana, pineapple, mango, and papaya, as well as soda, cola, artificial drinks and beverages, coffee, decaf, colored tea, and all aromatic stimulating teach such as mint or peppermint.

All refined and polished grains, flours, and their derivatives. Mass-produced industrialized food, including canned, frozen, and irradiated food.

All artificially colored, preserved, sprayed or chemically treated foods, including foods with GMOs.

Hot spices, any aromatic, stimulating food or food accessory, artificial vinegar, and strong alcoholic beverages, especially those produced from sugar or mixed with sugared beverages.

ADDITIONAL SUGGESTIONS Cooking oil should be vegetables quality only, with natural cold-pressed sesame (light or dark) and olive as preferred varieties.

Salt should be naturally processed white sea salt.

Traditional nonchemical shoyu or tamari soy sauce (especially for those with gluten sensitivities) and miso may be used as seasonings.

Recommended condiments include:

Gomashio (sesame seed salt made from about 18–20 parts roasted sesame seeds to 1 part sea salt)
Sea vegetable powder or flakes, including green nori, dulse, kelp, wakame, and others, as well as combinations and blends.
Sesame seed wakame powder
Umeboshi plum
Tekka
Roasted seeds such as sunflower or pumpkin

Pickled vegetables made without sugar or strong spice, including non-pasteurized organic sauerkraut, pickled Chinese cabbage, and others, may be eaten on a daily basis.

IMPORTANCE OF COOKING Proper cooking is very important for health and well being. Everyone should learn to cook either by attending classes or under the guidance of an experienced macrobiotic cook. The recipes included in macrobiotic cookbooks may also be used in planning meals.

Way of Eating Suggestions

To establish health and well-being, Standard Macrobiotic Dietary practice recommends the following suggestions:

• You may eat regularly two to three times per day, as much as is comfortable, provided the proportion of each category of food is generally correct and in daily consumption each mouthful is thoroughly chewed

• Proper chewing is essential to digestion and it is recommended that each mouthful of food be chewed fifty times or more or until it becomes liquid in form

• Eat when you are hungry, but it is best to leave the table feeling satisfied but not full. Similarly, drink only when thirsty

• Avoid eating for three hours before sleeping, as this causes stagnation in the intestines and throughout the body

• Before and after each meal, express your gratitude verbally or silently to nature, the universe, or God who created the food and reflect on the health and happiness it is dedicated to achieving. This acknowledgment may take the form of grace, prayer, chanting, or a moment of silence. Express your thanks to parents, grandparents, and past generations who nourished us and whose dream we embody, to the vegetables or animals who gave their lives so we may live, and to the farmer, shopkeeper, and cook who contributed their energies to making the food available

• Eat regularly, two to three meals a day. When very physically active, the frequency of meals may be increased to four times a day

• Every meal should include whole grains or grain products. Grain and grain products ideally comprise about 40 to 50% of the daily intake of food

• Variety in food selection and preparation, proper combinations of foods, and proper cooking are essential

• Cooking is to be done with a peaceful mind with love, and with care

• Snacks are to be eaten in moderation. They should not replace a regular meal

• Beverages may be consumed comfortably as desired

• Refrain from eating before bedtime, preferably three hours, to allow for proper digestion

• Try to chew each mouthful very well, at least 50 times, until it becomes liquid

• Volume of food varies according to individual need

• Eat with the spirit of gratitude and appreciation for all people, society, nature, and the universe as a whole

Way of Life Suggestions

The following way of life practices will further contribute to health and happiness:

• Live each day happily without being preoccupied with your health. Try to keep mentally and physically active.

• View everything and everyone you meet with gratitude, particularly offering thanks before and after every meal

• It is best to get up early and go to bed before midnight

• It is best to wear cotton and other natural fiber clothing, especially for undergarments, and to use cotton bed sheets and pillows. Avoid GMO cotton and synthetic or woolen clothing directly on the skin and avoid excessive metallic accessories on the fingers, wrists, or neck. Keep such ornaments simple and graceful

• If your strength permits, go outdoors in simple clothing. Walk on the grass, beach, or soil up to one half hour each day. Keep your home in good order, from the kitchen, bathroom, bedroom, and living room, to every corner

• Initiate and maintain an active correspondence, extending best wishes to parents, children, brothers and sisters, and friends

• Avoid taking long, hot baths or showers unless you have been consuming too much salt or animal food, as these take minerals from the body

• If your condition permits, exercise regularly as part of daily life, including activities like walking, scrubbing floors, cleaning windows, washing

clothes, and working in the garden. You may also engage in exercise programs such as yoga, martial arts, dance, or sports

• Avoid using electric cooking devices (including blenders, ovens, and ranges) or microwave ovens that may adversely affect the quality and vibration of the food. Convert to gas (or use a wood stove) at the earliest opportunity

• It is best to minimize the frequent use of television, computers, cell phones, and other electronics that emit artificial electromagnetic radiation

• Include some large green plants in your house to freshen and enrich the oxygen content of the air of your home

• Because of the recent thinning of the ozone layer, avoid prolonged, directed exposure to sunlight More diffused, well-covered, brief exposure to the sun is advisable

• Be kind to animals

• Sing a happy song every day

Global Dietary Guidelines

Contemporary macrobiotic practice is not fixed and static, but flexible and ever changing. It is grounded in human biological and spiritual evolution, including mounting scientific evidence that wild grasses, the progenitor to domesticated cereal grains such as rice, millet, and barley, were the principal food for humans and their ancestors for millions of years. The macrobiotic approach takes into consideration climate and environment, season and weather, social and cultural tradition and custom, ethical and spiritual considerations, and finally age, sex, gender, level of activity, and personal condition and needs.

The following guidelines for 10 regions of the world show the tremendous scope and variety of the macrobiotic approach. All traditional foods consumed by human cultures and societies, including both plant and animal, are included, and no food is forbidden. For example, as a rule we don’t recommend much animal food in a temperate, four-season climate, but in the cool and colder regions of the world, it may serve as principal food. Nor do we use hot spices in North America, Europe, or other moderate zones, but in the tropics and warmer regions they are appropriate.

Following the guidelines for different regions are recommendations in the event of an emergency, including a nuclear accident, earthquake, or epidemic.

1. Temperate Regions

Including North America, Europe, Russia, China, East Asia, and Moderate Regions in Southern Africa, South America, Australia, and New Zealand

Daily Food

Whole Cereal Grains: Brown rice, millet, whole wheat, barley, corn, and others (40-50%)
Soup: Various (5-10%)
Vegetables: Various (25-35%)
Beans and Sea Vegetables: Various (5-10%)

Plus supplemental foods and beverages:

Fish and seafood (optional)
Local fruit, seeds, and nuts
Natural Processed oils, seasonings, and condiments
Natural Sweets
Non-aromatic and nonstimulant beverages, and occasional aromatic and stimulant beverages

Environmental Quality

Food to be organically grown as much as possible
Water to be spring, well, or purified
Fire to be from wood, charcoal, gas, solar, or other natural source

2. Central America

Including Mexico, Guatemala, Costa Rica, Panama, and the Caribbean Islands and Coastal Regions

Daily Food

Whole Cereal Grains: Maize, amaranth, brown rice, and other whole cereal grains and a portion consisting of tacos, chapatis, noodles and pasta, flat bread and others (40-50%)
Soup: Various (5-10%)
Vegetables and Fruits: Various (25-35%)
Beans and Sea Vegetables including pinto, kidney, chickpeas, and water and river moss: Various (10-15%)

Plus supplemental foods and beverages:

Fish and seafood, small game insects, or other animal food (optional)
Local seeds and nuts, roots and tubers
Natural Processed oils, seasonings, condiments and spices
Natural Sweets
Non-aromatic and nonstimulant beverages, and occasional aromatic and stimulant beverages

Environmental Quality

Food to be organically grown as much as possible
Water to be spring, well, or purified
Fire to be from wood, charcoal, gas, solar, or other natural source

3. South America

Including Brazil, Argentina, Columbia, Venezuela, Peru, Chili, Ecuador, Bolivia, and others

Daily Food

Whole Cereal Grains: Maize, quinoa, amaranth, brown rice, and other whole cereal grains and a portion consisting of cassava, sweet potato, potato, and others (40-50%)
Soup: Various (5-10%)
Vegetables and Fruits: Various (25-35%)
Beans and Sea Vegetables including pinto, kidney, chickpeas, and water and river moss: Various (10-15%)

Plus supplemental foods and beverages:

Fish and seafood, small game insects, or other animal food (optional)
Local seeds and nuts, roots and tubers
Natural Processed oils, seasonings, condiments and spices
Natural Sweets
Non-aromatic and nonstimulant beverages, and occasional aromatic and stimulant beverages

Environmental Quality

Food to be organically grown as much as possible
Water to be spring, well, or purified
Fire to be from wood, charcoal, gas, solar, or other natural source

4. Mediterranean

Including Greece; southern regions of Spain, Portugal, France, and Italy, Cypress, Malta, Croatia, Turkey, and others

Daily Food

Whole Cereal Grains: Barley, wheat brown rice, couscous, bulghur, millet, and others and pasta and noodles, flat bread, bread, and other grain products (40-50%)
Soup: Various (5-10%)
Vegetables and Fruits: Various (25-35%)
Beans and Sea Vegetables including water and river moss: Various (5-10%)

Plus supplemental foods and beverages:

Fish and seafood (optional)
Local seeds and nuts, roots and tubers
Natural Processed oils, seasonings, condiments and spices
Natural Sweets
Non-aromatic and nonstimulant beverages, and occasional aromatic and stimulant beverages

Environmental Quality

Food to be organically grown as much as possible
Water to be spring, well, or purified
Fire to be from wood, charcoal, gas, solar, or other natural source

5. Middle East

Including Western Asia, the Arabian Peninsula, and Northern Africa

Daily Food

Whole Cereal Grains: Barley, wheat, millet, long grain rice, couscous, bulghur, buckwheat, and others and grain products (40-50%)
Animal Food: fish, lamb, camel’s milk, poultry, etc. (optional) (10–20%)
Soup: Various (5-10%)
Vegetables and Fruits: Various (25-35%)
Beans and Sea Vegetables including hummus, falafel, river and water moss: Various (5-10%)

Plus supplemental foods and beverages:

Local seeds and nuts, roots and tubers
Natural Processed oils, seasonings, condiments and spices
Natural Sweets
Non-aromatic and nonstimulant beverages, and occasional aromatic and stimulant beverages

Environmental Quality

Food to be organically grown as much as possible
Water to be spring, well, or purified
Fire to be from wood, charcoal, gas, solar, or other natural source

6. Africa

including hot and equatorial regions of West, Central, East, and South Africa

Daily Food

Whole Cereal Grains and Tubers: millet, sorghum, teff, brown rice, corn, and others and a smaller portion of yams, sweet potato, and others(40-50%)
Soup: Various (5-10%)
Vegetables and Fruits: Various (25-35%)
Beans and Sea Vegetables including water, lake, and river moss: Various (5-10%)

Plus supplemental foods and beverages:

Fish and seafood, small game, insects, or other animal food (optional)
Local seeds and nuts, roots and tubers
Natural Processed oils, seasonings, condiments and spices
Natural Sweets
Non-aromatic and nonstimulant beverages, and occasional aromatic and stimulant beverages

Environmental Quality

Food to be organically grown as much as possible
Water to be spring, well, or purified
Fire to be from wood, charcoal, gas, solar, or other natural source

7. South Asia

Including India, Pakistan, Bangaladesh, and Sri Lanka

Daily Food

Whole Cereal Grains: Basmati and long grain rice, millet, whole wheat, barley, and others and a smaller portion of chapatti, roti, dosa, and other flat breads (40-50%)
Soup: Various (5-10%)
Vegetables and Fruits: Various (25-35%)
Beans and Sea Vegetables including dhal, chickpeas, and other legumes and river and water moss: Various (5-10%)

Plus supplemental foods and beverages:

Fish and seafood (optional)
Local seeds and nuts, roots and tubers
Natural Processed oils, seasonings, condiments and spices
Natural Sweets
Non-aromatic and nonstimulant beverages, and occasional aromatic and stimulant beverages

Environmental Quality

Food to be organically grown as much as possible
Water to be spring, well, or purified
Fire to be from wood, charcoal, gas, solar, or other natural source

8. Southeast Asia and the Pacific Islands

Including Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, Singapore, and Indonesia

Daily Food

Whole Cereal Grains: Brown rice, millet, whole wheat, corn, and others and a smaller portion of noodles and pasta, dumplings, bread, and taro (40-50%)
Soup: Various (5-10%)
Vegetables and Fruits: Various (25-35%)
Beans and Sea Vegetables including tofu, tempeh, and others (10-15%)

Plus supplemental foods and beverages:

Fish and seafood, small game, insects, or other animal food (optional)
Local seeds and nuts, roots and tubers
Natural Processed oils, seasonings, condiments and spices
Natural Sweets
Non-aromatic and nonstimulant beverages, and occasional aromatic and stimulant beverages

Environmental Quality

Food to be organically grown as much as possible
Water to be spring, well, or purified
Fire to be from wood, charcoal, gas, solar, or other natural source

9. Cool Climate

Including semi-polar regions of Canada, Iceland, Scotland, Scandinavia, Mongolia, and Siberia

Daily Food

Whole Cereal Grains: Buckwheat, brown rice, oats, rye, wheat, millet, and other grains and grain products (30-40%)
Animal Food: Fish, seafood, meat, poultry, and kefir, yogurt, and other dairy (20-30%)
Soup: Various (5-10%)
Vegetables and Fruits: Various (20-30%)
Beans and Sea Vegetables including mosses (10-15%)

Plus supplemental foods and beverages:

Local seeds and nuts, roots and tubers
Natural Processed oils, seasonings, and condiments
Natural Sweets
Non-aromatic and nonstimulant beverages, and occasional aromatic and stimulant beverages

Environmental Quality

Food to be organically grown as much as possible
Water to be spring, well, or purified
Fire to be from wood, charcoal, gas, solar, or other natural source

10. Cold Climate

Including the Arctic Region of Alaska, Northern Canada, Greenland, Northern Russia and Siberia, Antarctica

Daily Food

Animal Food: Fish, blubber, seal, reindeer, dairy, poultry, eggs, and other animal food, primarily raw, but occasionally cooked, dried, frozen, smoked, and pickled (50-60%)
Whole Cereal Grains: Wild millet, rice, buckwheat, and other (20%)
Soup, Vegetables, Beans, and Sea Vegetables, including mosses (10-15%)

Plus supplemental foods and beverages:

Local seeds and nuts, roots and tubers
Natural Processed oils, seasonings, and condiments
Natural Sweets
Non-aromatic and nonstimulant beverages, and occasional aromatic and stimulant beverages

Environmental Quality

Food to be organically grown as much as possible
Water to be spring, well, or purified
Fire to be from wood, charcoal, gas, solar, or other natural source

Dietary Guidelines for Emergency and Survival

for temperate, tropical, and subtropical climates, including nuclear accident or strike, earthquake, tsunami, hurricane, flood, fire, industrial accident, oil spill, and viral epidemic (such as AIDS, influenza, Ebola, Zika, etc.)

First Period: 10-20 days or longer

Daily Food

Whole Cereal Grains: Brown rice, millet, whole wheat, barley, corn, and others (40–50%)
Soup: especially miso and shoyu soup (5-10%)
Vegetables: various, especially carrot, daikon, lotus, and other root vegetables (5-10%)
Beans and Sea Vegetables: various, especially kombu, kelp, and wakame (10-15%)

Plus supplemental foods and beverages:

Local seasonings and condiments, especially sea salt, miso, shoyu, gomashio, umeboshi plum, tekka, shiso leaf powder, and kuzu
Non-aromatic and nonstimulant beverages, and occasional aromatic and stimulant beverages
All food is to be cooked (no raw food)
Strictly avoid refined grains and flour, nightshades, fruits and juices, sugar and other sweeteners, spices, stimulants, fragrant seasonings and condiments; all animal food including dairy, oily, greasy cooking, tropical foods (unless in the tropics)
For prevention and relief of disease, take Ume-Sho-Bancha or Ume-Sho-Kuzu Tea daily and use slightly more of the above seasonings and condiments than usual to strengthen the blood, lymph, and other bodily fluids and other natural immune functions

Second Period: Another 10–20 days or longer

For occasional use, 2–3 times a week, if desired: vegetable oil, especially sesame; natural sweets, seeds, nuts, and fruits (dried, cooked, seasonal)
Avoid (otherwise same as above)

Third Period: Another 10-20 days or longer

For occasional use, 2–3 times a week, if desired, a small volume of fruit, fish or seafood
Avoid (otherwise same as above)

Fourth Period: After the third period and thereafter

Slightly more fruit and juice
Slightly more fish and seafood, poultry, eggs, dairy, and meat (optional)
Minimize other extreme foods until normal conditions are restored

Environmental Quality

Food to be organically grown as much as possible
Water to be spring, well, or purified
Fire to be from wood, charcoal, gas, solar, or other natural source

Guidelines for Use of Supplements

Our daily diet is the foundation for our physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual health, as well as the means to maintain and supply the vital energy for social activity. If we properly manage our daily diet and harmonize with the environment, there is generally no need to take specific supplements. However, some persons may require supplements for a limited time:

• When a person is currently in a transition period from unhealthful eating habits to a well balanced macrobiotic diet

• When a person is not eating a well balanced macrobiotic diet but is only partially doing so

• When a person who has developed a serious illness that may require supplemental, conventional, or alternative approaches until she or he establishes a reasonably healthy condition and begins to practice a macrobiotic way of life

• When a person does not have access to high quality natural and organic foods because they are in a boarding school, the military, nursing home, prison, etc.

• When the natural or organic food supply has declined appreciably in Ki energy or nutrients or is contaminated by GMOs, heavy metals, or other toxins

The preferred quality of supplements is as follows beginning with the highest quality:

1. Supplements prepared at home using natural, preferably organic, whole food ingredients, including such common macrobiotic home remedies as Ume-Sho-Kuzu Tea, Carrot-Daikon Drink, Lotus Tea, and many others

2. Segments or extracts of natural plant-quality food, including grains, beans, vegetables, sea vegetables, roots, tubers, fruits, seeds, and nuts, that people can make themselves or purchase if available. Natural food processing methods include juicing, heating, pressing, drying, diluting, crushing, roasting, boiling, freezing, smoking, and other similar applications that do not involve the use of chemicals or synthetic products, chemical processing, high pressure, artificial aging, irradiation, or other extreme methods. Examples include vegetable and fruit juices, herbal teas, Chinese medicinal herbs (e.g. dong quai, ginseng), Native American herbs (e.g., slippery elm), spirulina, blue green algae, green magma, and various homeopathic remedies (e.g., arnica)

3. Products that contain natural minerals, but are not coated, mixed, or treated with chemical or artificial substances. Preferably these minerals are from plant sources. Examples include “vegan” calcium, iron, magnesium, zinc, etc.

4. Products that contain 20% or less (by total weight of the product) meat, poultry, dairy, fish, seafood, or other animal based substances and which contain no chemical additives or chemical processing. Examples include certain Chinese medicine, folk medicines, oyster shells, fossils, bones, skin, eggs

5. Products that contain natural plant, mineral, and animal substances as well as chemical substances or chemical processing, so long as their benefits outweigh their risks and harmful effects

Chemical, synthetic, and artificial supplements and medications should be avoided or reduced as much as possible. In some cases, for example, thyroid medication, patients are given a choice of a synthetic hormone or one made from pigs. The animal-quality is more natural than the synthetic and usually preferable.

If used at all, the above-mentioned supplements are best consumed on a temporary basis, while at the same time, the individual maintains a well-balanced macrobiotic dietary practice for optimal health benefits. It is not advisable to consume supplements for long periods of time, though certain medications (like the thyroid medication mentioned above) may need to be taken indefinitely. The period of use will differ for each case and fluctuate depending upon individual condition and needs. In the event a person requires taking supplements continuously for a prolonged period (over 6 months), then his or her daily practice of the macrobiotic way of eating should be thoroughly reviewed.