Foods to Avoid and Reduce

“Standard Macrobiotic Diet” is a contradiction in terms since each person is a world to himself, living according to a dream realized through food, thought and spirit.

Even so, there are foods which can be considered generally supportive of our human form and others which serve us less well.

The following guidelines, then, are for most people in most situations. Exceptions make the rule, and the foundational concept of macrobiotics is that all food can be appropriate for a specific goal. Yin and yang are our magic compass to determine what foods suits us when.

As we eat well, we develop the intuition and knowledge to apply yin and yang to our daily activity and thinking. Meanwhile, the following foods are considered extreme, and generally to be avoided in day to day living.

There is no “forbidden” or “allowed” in macrobiotics. The only principle is to self reflect in order to determine if your choices are serving you well. The rest is up to you!

ANIMAL PRODUCTS:

• Red Meat (Beef, lamb, pork)
• Poultry
• Wild game
• Eggs

SWEETENERS:

• Sugar (white, raw, brown, turbinado, organic,  cane, fructose, etc.)
• Honey
• Molasses
• Corn syrup
• Saccharin and other artificial sweeteners
• Carob
• Maple syrup
• Chocolate

DAIRY FOODS:

• Cheese
• Butter
• Milk (Buttermilk, skim milk, whole, organic, etc.)
• Yogurt
• Kefir
• Ice Cream
• Cream
• Sour cream
• Whipped cream
• Margarine

STIMULANTS:

• Spices (cayenne, cumin, etc.)
• Strongly aromatic herbs
• Vinegar
• Coffee
• Alcohol
• Commercially dyed teas
• Stimulating aromatic teas (herb, mint, etc.)
• Ginseng

FATS:

• Lard or shortening
• Processed vegetable oils

FISH:

• Red meat or blue-skinned fish
• Tuna, except raw
• Salmon
• Swordfish
• Bluefish

NUTS:

• Brazil
• Cashew
• Pistachio
• Hazel

FOODS PROCESSED WITH:

• Chemicals
• Tropical Fruits and Beverages
• Additives
• Artificial beverages (soda, diet soda, cola)
• Preservatives

TROPICAL OR SUB-TROPICAL FRUITS:

• Papayas
• Guavas
• Mangoes
• Coconut
• Bananas
• Figs
• Dates
• Grapefruit
• Prunes
• Oranges
• Kiwi

OTHER FOODS TO AVOID OR REDUCE:

• Soy margarine
• Processed Foods
• Artificial coloring
• Emulsifiers
• Sprayed foods
• Dyed foods
• Stabilizers
• Instant food
• Canned food
• Frozen food
• Refined (white) flour
• Polished (white) rice