Articles

Standard Diet and Healing Diet

Foods to Eliminate While On Healing Macrobiotic Diet

Healing Macrobiotic Diet-Transition and Discharge Phase

General Suggestions

Methods of Cooking and Food Preparation

Setting Up Your Macrobiotic Kitchen

You Must Have "Good Blood Quality" For Best Health

Common Mistakes In Beginning Macrobiotic Practise

Condiment Guidelines/ Use of Leftovers and Reheating Foods

Maintaining Macrobiotic Practise While Travelling

Transition and Discharge

What's Wrong With Soft Drinks?

Sugar

Dairy Products

Fats

Salt

Caffiene

General Suggestions

Macrobiotic cooking is unique. Natural and simple ingredients are best for producing delicious meals which are nutritious, tasty and attractive. The cook has the ability to change the quality of the food. Stronger cooking, the use of greater pressure, salt, heat and time, all make the energy of the food more concentrated. Lighter cooking, the use of less pressure, salt, heat and time produce lighter energy. A good cook manages these energies according to the needs of those he or she cooks for and thereby creates health by varying the cooking styles.

Variety is a key to macrobiotic cooking. Incorporating the following cooking techniques in your day-to-day macrobiotic cooking may create a healthy variety:


1. The selection of foods within the following categories: grains, soups, vegetables, beans, sea vegetables, condiments, pickles and beverages.

2. Many methods of cooking: boiling, steaming, sautéing, frying, pressure cooking, etc.

3. Various styles of cutting vegetables.

4. The amount of water used.

5. The amount of seasoning and condiments used.

6. The kind of seasoning and condiments used.

7. The length of cooking time.

8. The use of a higher or lower flame when cooking food,

9. The combination of foods and dishes.

10. The seasonal cooking adjustments.

11. Adjustments in cooking for the type of daily activity.

12. Adjustments in cooking for age and sex.


The way of eating is as important as the food itself. Therefore, please try to keep meals peaceful and relaxed. Try to eat regularly two or three times a day.

PLEASE CHEW WELL.

Each dish has particular flavors and purposes, so it is better not to mix them and stir them all together on your plate.

In order to gain experience and knowledge about macrobiotic cooking, we recommend that you attend classes, read cookbooks and learn from experienced macrobiotic people. This can greatly benefit you in being able to understand the following list of recipes as well as the concept of a balanced meal and way of life.

There are many good macrobiotic cookbooks available. A list of recommended macrobiotic cookbooks is provided in the REFERENCE section at the end of this booklet. Please keep in mind that you may need to modify or adapt certain recipes according to your personal condition. Some recipes, for instance, might call for the use of oil, flour, sweeteners, fruit and other ingredients that may not be suitable or recommended for your immediate health condition.