Why Is Japan The Country With Lowest Obesity Rate?

In May 2020, the World HealthStatistics Report 2020 released by WHO showed that Japan is the country with lowestobesity rate of only 4.3%. Meanwhile, Japan has the longest healthy lifeexpectancy (74.8 years). Many people know that excessive intake ofcarbohydrates (such as rice noodles and other staple foods) is one of thereasons for obesity. So, why do Japanese people also like to eat carbohydratesfor three meals a day, but is Japan still the country with lowest obesity rate?

As we all know, the Japanese alsolove to eat carbohydrates. On their table, sushi and rice balls are common.After some Chinese people go to Japan, they will find that the Japanese eatdumplings with rice, which shows how deep their love for carbohydrates is.However, in general, Japanese people are thin, and the obesity rate is alsovery low. Zhi Jiehua, deputy chief physician of the Department ofGastroenterology of the First People's Hospital of Yangzhou City, JiangsuProvince, pointed out in the People's Daily Health Client Health Account inOctober 2021 that although Asians generally eat carbohydrates as the staplefood, there are still certain differences in the division of diet. There arefour reasons why Japan is the country with lowest obesity rate：

1. Eat cold and not hot, reduce theheat of starch decomposition

The main ingredient incarbohydrates is starch. This substance will continue to expand with thecooking process, and starch granules will gelatinize with the influence oftemperature and moisture. When it is hot, starch gelatinizes more deeply and ismore easily broken down into glucose, which generates heat and causes bloodsugar to rise. However, Japanese prefer cooler carbohydrates such as rice ballsand sushi. After the rice is cooled, the starch granules will condense intocrystals, which are not easy to decompose and resist the decomposition ofamylase. This is also known as "starch aging" or "resistantstarch".

2. Eat hard and not soft, slow downthe absorption rate

The cooked rice is relatively hard,and the grains are clearly the soul of many Japanese sushi. This is also alittle trick for the Japanese to eat carbohydrates without gaining weight. Thestarch gelatinization principle mentioned earlier also applies here. Afterstarch granules are fully gelatinized, they will be more easily digested andabsorbed. Compared with rice with distinct grains, boiled soft and rotten riceporridge is easier to digest and absorb, and it is easier to be hungry. Eatingfirmer rice can also slow down the rate at which carbohydrates are digested andabsorbed after a meal, thus keeping you fuller for longer.

3. Eat carbohydrates at meals, butthe total amount is very small

Although the Japanese like to eatcarbohydrates at every meal, the amount of staple food that is actuallyallocated to each meal is very small. Breakfast is mostly porridge, rice oreggs. You can buy some sandwiches at convenience stores, but what you can seeis that the portion is relatively small. Most of them are two pieces of toastsandwiched with some vegetables or fruits, and then cut from the middle. MostJapanese lunches are brought with them, including rice, vegetables, fish andsome fruits. The portion of the bento is not large, and most of the rice isonly a small piece, but the proportion of vegetables is very high. And dinneris mostly steamed food, or miso soup, tea soaked rice, etc. Their dinner issimilar to lunch, but lighter.

4. Light taste, like light diet

Low fat, low salt, more cooking,and more raw food are the "essence" of Japanese diet. In 2006, Dr.Wang Derong, chief physician of the First Division of Gastroenterology at JinanCentral Hospital, said in an article in Health Times that in Japaneserestaurants, after steaming a cabbage, dipping it in a special Japanese sauceis a delicacy. Salads have also been improved, with fresh vegetables servedwith a pinch of salt, a few drops of olive oil and a sprinkling of sesameseeds. Japanese cuisine is also known as "water cuisine". TheJapanese diet generally has less oil, less salt, and less condiments, and itsdietary principle is to keep various dietary materials as original as possible.In addition, Japanese cuisine rarely uses frying, braised and other cookingmethods, and mostly uses steaming, cold salad or boiled water. Japanese peopleeat seafood, soy products and vegetables without using a lot of oil to stir-fryand braise, and basically eat them raw or mixed into salads.

This is why Japan is the country withlowest obesity rate. However, many people say that Japanese people s threemeals a day look healthy, but they can hardly eat. By eating less, the risk ofobesity is reduced.

Also, if you eat cold, hard riceevery day, maybe people will really lose their appetite. Those who want to loseweight may try to cook the rice a little harder and let it cool slightly beforeeating.