Want the diva diet?

It’s called Macrobiotic and no, before you start thinking of technicality and gizmos, hold on — the new food fad in town is
actually quite easy to follow.

Based on a simple tenet advocated by the Greek physician Hippocrates “let food be thy medicine, and medicine be thy food” — the term is all about bringing the body and mind back into balance.

Shonaalii Sabherwal, chef, counsellor and Mumbai’s first Macrobiotic Diet specialist explains, “The approach encompasses not only good food but extends to cooking styles, lifestyle, daily exercise, even meditation to support a vibrant life.”

The right balance

The diet that is reportedly followed by everyone from Alicia Sliverstone, Madonna Gywneth Paltrow and Cindy Crawford, is all about finding the yin and yang in food. “One has to aim for a balance that the two forces create,” she explains. “Imagine a scale. In it, alcohol and chemicals, sugar, coffee, honey, butter, oil (yin foods) are on one end. At the centre you have tofu, leafy greens,  vegetables, whole grains, beans and vegetables.

“The other extreme tilts toward salt (table salt), eggs, red meat, cheese and poultry (yang). You shouldn’t be swinging toward either ends, and, if you do, that’s when the cravings for certain foods begin.” In simple words, avoid anything too sweet, salty or spicy. 

Give up milk?

Dairy products are a no-no as diary has casiens which do not assimilate in the body for a long time and since they can’t get discharged they can lead to other problems like bronchial problems, allergies and even cysts in women. “For Indians who have a huge leaning toward these products, it’s tough initially. But you can supplement it with soy milk or home-made almond milk.”

Healthy cooking styles

In addition to the right food, the regime emphasises that cooking styles can govern the way your energy will flow. “Steaming encourages the energy to move up, while sautéing moves it outward, pressure cooking causes it to move inward, while boiling — to flow. So you could stew some carrots to slowly settle your energy, or steam greens to move your energy upwards. Thus, you can prepare foods in a way that sends healthy living energy into certain parts of your body.

So, get cooking; ingredients are available at your local baniya.

What you should eat
 
Whole grain includes brown rice, millet, barley, nachni, ragi or even rolled oats (not whole but as a breakfast option 1-2 times per week).
 
Vegetables cooked in a variety of ways depending upon the climate and the season (boiled, sautéed, steamed in summer, while stewed, baked and long cooked in winter and the monsoons). 

Beans like chickpeas, red kidney beans as they are high on protein twice a week.

Soups, twice a day if possible or once, of which one should be a miso soup.

Fruit and beverages (natural not out of boxes which have sugar and additives) and condiments like mustard.

Potassium rich foods (miso, brown rice, fish, fruits and vegetables).