STILL HUNGRY?

A friend related to me that some time ago she and her man travelled to visit her sister (and her man), the sister being on a so-called "macrobiotic diet". But the food at the sister's was so meager and so unsatisfying that my friend (and her man) were compelled to drop into a fish and chip shop on the drive home to fill up on greasy potato and low-grade shark. She laughed. "We were famished!" she said. The only cure was a good dose of comforting junk food.

Similarly, another acquaintance reported to me recently that when she (and her man) were "into macrobiotics" years ago they were "always hungry" - the food just wasn't sufficiently satisfying. "All we could think about was food," she complained. Their "macrobiotic diet" left them feeling under fed.

 My response to such accounts is simply that, if macrobiotic food leaves you feeling hungry then you are doing it all wrong. For a start - as I insist in other posts - macrobiotics is not a "diet" - unless you are on some therapeutic regime because you are sick. Rather, it is a cuisine, and like any cuisine you should eat enough of it to feel satisfied. The idea that macrobiotics is some sort of starvation diet is wrong, although there are people who impose it upon themselves in this sort of way. Macrobiotics is, properly speaking, a mode of cuisine, an approach to food (and much more!) and you should eat your fill. If not, you're doing it wrong.

How much is a "fill"? That depends on numerous factors. There are no general prescriptions. Again, macrobiotics is not a "diet" in that way. It is an art form. There are guidelines but no set rules. One such guideline is that you should eat what you need. If you don't, then you will be left hungry. This is bad in all sorts of ways, not least because you are then likely to binge on junk food. How much do you need? It depends on your build, your metabolism, your occupation, your age, your climate - dozens of variables. The whole idea of macrobiotics is not to follow some "diet" but to develop sound judgment and a knowledge of your own true needs.

That, certainly, is my advice. Eat what you need. You should not feel deprived. Go ahead - have another bowl of soup or an extra serving of brown rice. Don't leave the table until you've had enough. At the same time, of course, be careful not to over eat - but don't ignore the dangers of under eating. It's no good if, like John and Yoko, you raid the refrigerator to gnaw on chicken drumsticks in the middle of the night. Meals should be planned and organised such that people are well fed and satisfied according to their needs.

One point to bear in mind, perhaps, is that the 'standard' macrobiotic meal is very Japanese inspired, yet Western people generally are bigger boned and fuller framed than the relatively petite Japanese. Europeans tend to need larger portions. This is quite natural, and meals should be adjusted accordingly. Don't under feed yourself or your guests. Macrobiotic cuisine is supposed to be a joy and a celebration, not a punishment. Eat as much as you like. It is all good and wholesome. Don't over eat or gormandize, but don't leave yourself empty either.

If you are sick and come to macrobiotics as a food cure then that is different. You may need to be on some controlled "diet" with particular foods in particular quantities. But for healthy people cuisine macrobiotique is a feast - the feast of the good earth - and you should feel satisfied and reenergized after every meal and not need to go looking for more. This is very important if you want to change your eating habits for the better long term. To avoid lapsing into bad habits and binges, don't under eat. Serve yourself - and your guests - generous portions such that no one goes wanting.

OHSAWA ON SUGAR

CARROT WAKAME SALAD

A carrot and wakame salad. Happily, carrots have been prolific in the garden this year and so have appeared in salads and all sorts of other dishes. This is a simple salad. Carrot and wakame make a very good combination. Reconstitute the dried wakame with boiling water. Let it sit for half an hour. Cool and wash under cold running water. Then combine with grated carrot and finely cut carrot tops. That is, use the whole carrot, tops and all. Use a combination of sesame oil and brown rice vinegar as a dressing, or some other suitable dressing, and top with a good sprinkling of gemasio, i.e. roasted sesame seeds ground together with sea salt.

Wakame is commonly referred to as sea lettuce. It is one of my favourite seaweeds. It is an excellent basis for summer salads.