Vegetarian Diets Tips

Diet Television Tip: Macrobiotic Diets: Eating Plans For Purists

Some vegetarians - and non-vegetarians - choose to follow a macrobiotic diet for overall health, although macrobiotic diets don’t make specific claims about weight loss. A macrobiotic diet has its roots in Eastern philosophy and emphasizes the importance of eating simple, whole, unprocessed foods that are high in fiber and phytoestrogens.

A macrobiotic diet can be a vegetarian diet or it can include some meat, although a traditional macrobiotic diet keeps meat, sugar, and dairy products to a minimum. Most variations on a macrobiotic diet are low-fat and high-fiber, and most include soy products and seaweed-based products.

Western nutritional theory advocates seven components that are needed for basic nutrition and good health: Carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, minerals and water. If you are following a macrobiotic diet, your sources for these components could be as follows:


Carbohydrates: Whole grains, beans, vegetables, seeds, fruits.
Proteins: Beans, bean products, fish, seeds, nuts.
Fats and oils: Nut butters, nuts, seeds, animal products (minimal).
Vitamins: Vegetables, fruits, sea vegetables, root vegetables, leafy green vegetables.
Minerals: Salts, sea vegetables, vegetables, root vegetables, leafy green vegetables, fruits.
Water: Spring water, well water.
This isn’t a low-carb diet: Most information on macrobiotic diets shows that 50-60 percent of each meal should come from whole grains. And if you have a sweet tooth, the restrictions might be too, well, restrictive. Desserts (such as they are) should be limited to naturally sweet foods such as apples and dried fruit, and a macrobiotic diet advocates replacing sugar, molasses, and even honey with rice syrup or barley malt. And chocolate is to be avoided, which may rule out a macrobiotic diet for the chocolate lovers out there!

DietTV.com has your best and full review for each diet plan with pictures of what you can/can't eat.