A meal that seems to epitomize health: fish, natto, a salad of lettuce, tomatoes, and carrots, milk, and a shiny red apple for dessert. However, according to a recent issue of Josei Seven (May 9-16), this once nutritious meal now offers little more than “dust and ashes.”
The article argues that changes in agriculture, soil quality, consumer preferences, and environmental conditions have significantly reduced the nutritional value of modern foods. While today’s meals may be visually appealing and satisfying, they often lack essential nutrients, potentially leading to various health issues and diseases that diminish quality of life.
Josei Seven presents a stark picture, prompting the question: if Japanese diets are so nutritionally deficient, why do the Japanese enjoy such longevity?
Health is invaluable. Wealth and success mean little without it, while good health can make even modest living conditions bearable and pave the way to future success. This belief fuels a booming health market, filled with a plethora of health foods, drinks, supplements, and gadgets. Yet, the market is rife with both effective and dubious products, as well as outright scams.
Japan has seen a series of health fads: from banana and apple booms to natto, fermented tea, walking, running, fish-only, meat-only, fasting, and various other trends. Each promises miraculous benefits, but some may cause more harm than good by promoting excessive consumption.
The ministry of education and science provides data illustrating this decline in nutrient content. Charts comparing 1950 and 2020 show a dramatic decrease in essential vitamins and minerals. For instance, spinach, which contained nearly 160 mg of vitamin C per 100 grams in 1950, now has less than 40 mg. Similarly, iron content in spinach has dropped from 13 mg to 2 mg. Other vegetables show comparable declines, leading to a conclusion that we may be “starving without hunger pangs.”
Consider the apple, a symbol of health. Modern apples, likely from Aomori or Nagano, differ greatly from those grown in the past. Today, apples are bred for appearance, often at the expense of nutritional quality. This trend extends across agriculture, where the emphasis on visual appeal and quantity has compromised nutritional value.
Health fads, despite occasional benefits, often promote unbalanced diets. A banana-exclusive diet, for example, is not sustainable. Similarly, overconsumption of any single food can lead to health issues. Excessive water intake can thin the blood, milk may contain harmful residues from chemicals and hormones, and reliance on fish for omega-3s risks arsenic exposure. Even the avoidance of sugar, though widely criticized, overlooks its role as a primary energy source for the brain.
Josei Seven’s reporting may leave readers frustrated and confused about dietary choices. While some may choose to disregard health advice entirely, the article suggests that today’s nutrition science could be overturned by future discoveries, just as past beliefs have been debunked. Despite the challenges, human resilience over millions of years suggests a capacity to adapt and survive.
In summary, while the pursuit of health is complex and fraught with contradictions, the fundamental message remains: balance and moderation are key, and what is deemed healthy today may not hold true tomorrow.
