Japanese People Eat Luxuriously, and That’s Why Healthy Eating is So Easy
Lessons from a foodie nation on how to eat well for life
I was recently meeting with a friend for dinner in the U.S., and at the end of the meal the waiter came up to us and asked if we would like to see the dessert menu. I didn’t really have an opinion so I gestured to my friend that it was her choice. She laughed a little nervously and said, “Haha my friend probably wouldn’t approve, but can we please see it?”
I was confused — why wouldn’t I approve?
She said it was because she knew I was very health-conscious.
Oh.
Living healthfully and eating luxuriously are not mutually exclusive — it’s one and the same
There is a popular narrative in the dieting world, which has made many people equate living healthfully with a lifestyle that is highly restrictive. It associates meals of skinless chicken breast and steamed broccoli with discipline and control, whereas luxurious meals of creamy pastas or sweet desserts are associated with guilt, over-indulgence, and sometimes even laziness. But how could enjoying good food make anyone lazy?
