Whatever the case, they did publish an Okinawa food pyramid on their website. Again, the pyramid on the right is based on what we found on the NPO website, which also promotes the aforementioned meal plan books.
What the pyramid depicts is mostly a plant-based diet, however it is not vegan since there is still lots of fish and other animal-based foods. The categories of featherweights, lightweights, middleweights, and heavyweights are used to describe the calorie denseness of foods in the Okinawa plan.
In summary, you can eat vast amounts of the featherweights and lightweights since they contain very little calories i. Meanwhile the heavyweights like peanut butter, bacon, and cheddar cheese are frowned upon since they are so calorically dense… which means you have to eat a LOT of them to feel full.
Contrast that to what the U. Depending on the source you reference, the list of foods found in the diet will include the following items 3 4. However many were in minuscule quantities and not eaten on a daily basis.
Soba is actually the Japanese word for buckwheat, which despite its name, is actually in the same family as rhubarb and is not related to wheat. With the exception of seitan which not all sources even reference , the Okinawa diet consists largely of gluten free ingredients.
Soy foods in particular are very important and consumed on a daily basis. The authors of The Okinawa Diet Plan have stated that the islanders ate more tofu than any other culture in the world, even more than mainland Japan, the Chinese, and other Asian countries.
One thing you may notice missing is dairy. Likewise for eggs. You may be wondering where did Okinawans get their calcium from then? The truth is that many vegetables rival and even exceed the calcium concentration of milk, especially leafy greens and legumes.
Contrast that to a quarter block of hard tofu which has more; mg of calcium 7. Though many people are unaware of the fact that fish do not produce EPA and DHA themselves, as they get it from the seaweed they eat.
By going with the upper serving limit 7 per week for meat, eggs, and poultry, it would mean you could theoretically be consuming them everyday. On the aforementioned Okinawa book website, they show graphics of fish in the omega 3 and calcium food categories. Cheese and yogurt are also shown for calcium. In fact, only 1 out of the 4 foods they show for a calcium source example is plant-based broccoli. Of course the food images are only examples, but if you were to follow their ratios of plant vs.
Did the Okinawans really eat lots of fish? This trend has been driven in large part by the response to new dietary recommendations for the management of common risk factors for CHD, in order to hit stricter targets such as cholesterol , that in turn helps reduce the risk of other chronic age-associated diseases.
This dietary pattern or portfolio approach has increased the potential relevance of dietary therapy and may yield nutrition strategies that help bridge the gap between a healthy diet and pharmacotherapy see Table 1 below.
In a discouraging trend, modern societies seem to be converging on a common dietary pattern—one that is not ideal for healthy aging. This diet is high in saturated fat, sugar, and refined carbohydrates but low in fiber and phytonutrients, and is often labeled the "Western diet. Common to this shift is the consumption of more animal products, more fat and more sugar.
Conversely, there have been substantial decreases in cereal products and fiber. In Asia, as one example, more edible oil consumption is a large aspect of an overall increase in dietary fat in that region. Regardless of the heterogeneity in particular details of this dietary shift, the overall dietary pattern is from low to high caloric energy density with a concomitant high to low shift in nutrient density.
This dietary shift correlates well with an increase in chronic, degenerative diseases and with reduced healthspan. The relation between a nutrient-poor energy dense diet e. Western dietary pattern , sedentary lifestyle and increased chronic disease risk, has been well established Cordain et al.
This dietary pattern is characterized by high caloric density, a high intake of meat especially red and processed meats and accompanying saturated fat, an unfavorable nn-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid PUFA ratio, a high intake of refined carbohydrates, and a low intake of fruits, vegetables, fiber and phytonutrients.
However, it is also a dietary pattern that, as previously mentioned, modernizing societies are adopting. The USDA reports that, in general, Americans this could be extrapolated to all who follow the Western dietary pattern consume too many calories and too much saturated and trans fats, cholesterol, sugar, and salt.
They typically lack sufficient dietary fiber, calcium, magnesium, potassium, and the anti-oxidant vitamins A as carotenoids , C and E. This kind of dietary pattern not only leads to nutritional deficiencies but also promotes a cluster of metabolic problems including obesity, reduced insulin sensitivity, glucose intolerance, dyslipidemia, as well as systematic inflammation-all risk factors for the most common age associated diseases that include cardiovascular diseases, particular cancers, type 2 diabetes, among others.
As indicated above, dietary pattern analysis may represent a useful addition to the repertoire of researchers who study the relationship between diet and chronic disease. However, the reality, until very recently, has been that researchers have focused mainly upon the effects of individual nutrients and sometimes foods, but rarely on dietary patterns on disease risk factors, biomarkers, or morbidity.
High blood pressure affects approximately 1 in 3 Americans Chobanian et al, The Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension DASH diet is, arguably, the most common physician prescribed diet to fight high blood pressure and was, in fact, originally developed by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute to do just that, therefore, the acronym Champagne ; Savika et al, The DASH dietary pattern is rich in fruits and vegetables, whole grains, low-fat dairy products, fish, poultry, beans, nuts and seeds.
It also contains less sodium; sugar; fats; and red meat than the usual western diet as described above. Designed with cardiovascular health in mind, the DASH diet is also lower in saturated and trans fatty acids and cholesterol and rich in nutrients such as potassium, magnesium, calcium, protein, and fiber that are helpful for lowering blood pressure.
Research on the DASH dietary pattern has shown that it not only can lower blood pressure but also improve other risk factors for cardiovascular disease such as HDL cholesterol levels, triglycerides or blood sugar.
Long-term studies of the DASH dietary pattern have been associated with lower risk for hypertension and other cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and several types of cancer, among other chronic age associated diseases Fung et al.
As briefly discussed earlier, in an attempt to increase the effectiveness of diet in reducing serum cholesterol, the National Cholesterol Education Program NCEP and the American Heart Association recently recommended the use of functional foods, or foods high in components that reduce cholesterol, as options in dietary strategies. With these recommendations in mind the Portfolio Diet was designed by University of Toronto researchers to test the effectiveness of this dietary approach against standard drug therapy statins in hypercholesterolemic participants Jenkins et al, , Plant foods are emphasized in this vegetarian dietary pattern rich in vegetables such as broccoli, eggplant, tomatoes, onions, okra.
Whole grains are plentiful, including oats and barley, and other prominent foods include vegetable-based margarine, almonds, and soy protein. This finding suggests that a combination of LDL-lowering dietary strategies e. A number of other benefits such as lower inflammation lower CRP c-reactive protein blood levels and weight loss were also witnessed Jenkins et al.
Viscous fibers facilitate bile acid loss from the gut which binds cholesterol , plant sterols reduce cholesterol absorption from the gut, soy proteins reduce hepatic cholesterol synthesis and may increase hepatic LDL receptor uptake of cholesterol. Almonds, which contain monounsaturated fat, plant sterols, plant protein and fiber, and other phytochemicals, operate through a variety of mechanisms to reduce LDL Jenkins et al Is consuming a variety of different foods important for health?
The Japanese certainly believe this is true. This popular expression illustrates the importance placed on vegetables and sea foods--and variety. The Japan Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare recommends that one consume 30 different foods daily in order to get a wide variety of nutrients Willcox et al, When one examines healthy eating patterns around the world such as the Seven Countries Study one is surprised at the range of foods, cuisines, cooking styles, tastes, and use of spices and herbs.
These are obvious places of difference that seem to fascinate scientists and lay people alike. However, of enduring interest and intense debate , there is also significant variation in macronutrient intake, in healthy eating patterns. One only need compare the traditional diets of Okinawa, which is high in carbohydrate but low in fat, to that of the Mediterranean, which is high in fat, but low in carbohydrate see Table 1 to see this fact.
Both diets, however, are relatively low in calories but nutrient dense. The key, upon further analysis, is that these nutrient-dense diets are anchored by high quality foods—despite a range in macronutrients, both diets are dominated by low glycemic carbohydrates, lean proteins much of it from plant sources , and healthy fats monounsaturated, omega-3 , which is associated with reduced risk for chronic age associated diseases.
Adding in a DASH of Okinawan herbs and spices may also help keep sodium levels in check while boosting ones antioxidant and anti-inflammatory network capacity, which as we shall see below may help keep one on the right track to a healthy old age. Much of the longevity advantage in Okinawa is thought to be related a healthy lifestyle; this includes the traditional diet Willcox et al, ; Willcox et al. Many wonder how the Okinawan traditional dietary pattern differs from the Japanese.
Are they the same? Some jokingly state the Okinawan diet is Japanese with salsa, due to the influence of other Asian cuisines with a tendency toward spicier dishes. Although many similarities exist, including the high intake of vegetables and soy products, the low fat content, the taste for miso, plentiful fish and sea vegetables, and the lack of dairy products, the traditional Okinawan diet differs dramatically in some key areas Willcox et al, ; For example, the staple of the Okinawan diet was the ubiquitous sweet potatonot rice or other grains.
Over half of daily caloric intake was from these colorful sweet tasting tuberous roots from the morning glory family. Traditional Okinawan cuisine centers on the staple sweet potato, green-leafy or yellow-root vegetables, and soy e. Smaller servings of fish, noodles, or lean meats flavored with herbs, spices, and cooking oil often accompanied these staples Willcox et al, See Figure 1.
A meal would typically begin with Okinawan-style miso soup. Unlike the Japanese version, Okinawans preferred to garnish their miso soup with small amounts of tofu, fish, pork, or vegetables. There are three main cooking styles: champuru , nbushi and irichi. The main dish was typically a champuru stir-fried vegetable dish, which dominated by vegetables such as bitter melon, cabbage, bamboo shoots or others accompanied by a side dish, such as konbu seaweed.
This is typically simmered with a small amount of oil or pork fat, bonito broth for flavor , and small amounts of fish or boiled pork. Nbushi style uses water rich vegetables such as daikon a type of large white radish , Chinese okra, carrots, or pumpkin; seasons them with miso; and simmers them in their own juices. Irichi style focuses on less water-rich vegetables, and therefore uses a combination of simmering and stir-frying. Burdock, seaweed, dried daikon, or green papayas are favorites.
The meal would typically be served with freshly brewed sanpin jasmine tea, on occasion followed with locally brewed awamori millet brandy Willcox et al, As can be seen from the above descriptions of a typical meal, the Okinawans of old were not vegetarians but they were close to this eating pattern, but not by any particular conscious choice.
Like most Asian populations in the first half of the 20 th century, the average family simply could not afford meat, nor processed foods such as sugar, salt, cooking oil, or in the case of Okinawa, imported polished white rice. Staple foods were what could grow locally.
Since Okinawa consists of a string of subtropical islands with seasonal, quite severe tropical storms, they had two growing seasons, which favored fresh plant foods.
Some vegetables grew very well but rice did not. In fact, rice was supplanted in the s by the sweet potato as the main staple, when it was first imported from China Willcox et al, : Todoriki et al, : Robine et al, The sweet potato is hardy and can survive severe climates and thus became the main calorie source.
Most other plant foods were also grown and consumed locally. All families raised pigs, and chickens and sometimes other farm animals, such as goats. The majority of the population was engaged in farming or fishing or combined farming with local cottage industries such as carpentry or weaving Willcox et al, ; ; ; Todoriki et al, Living on an island meant ready access to fish, other sea creatures, and marine vegetables particularly in the coastal areas , which were readily consumed.
Of land animal meats, pork was the most commonly consumed meat and when pigs were slaughtered nothing was wasted. Typically, a pig was slaughtered early in the year at festival time and what was not eaten at that time was stored and consumed over the remainder of the year.
Although animal fat from pigs was often used for cooking due to infrequent access to other edible oils, the livestock rearing practices were far different from that of modern meat processing plants.
The result was a relatively higher level of beneficial n-3 fatty acids and less pro-atherogenic fats, such as saturated fat and n-6 PUFAs in the lean meat and fat stores of these animals Willcox et al, ; Todoriki et al, As can be deduced from these descriptions of a typical meal, the traditional dietary pattern in Okinawa has the following characteristics:.
Low fat intake high mono and polyunsaturated-to-saturated-fat ratio; low omega ratio ,. The downside of East Asian diets in general and the Japanese diet in particular has been the high sodium content, mainly a result of the high intake of soy sauce, miso, salted fish, and pickled vegetables.
Studies of the Japanese support a relation between higher intakes of sodium and higher rates of hypertension, cardiovascular diseases, in particular, cerebrovascular disease Kawano et al. However, sodium intake has always been much lower in Okinawa when compared to other Japanese prefectures Willcox et al, As discussed above, local Okinawan cuisine has strong southern Chinese, South Asian and Southeast Asian influences bitter greens, spices, peppers, turmeric , that results from active participation in the spice trade.
Okinawa was an independent seafaring trading nation known as the Kingdom of the Ryukyus from the 14 th to the late 19 th century before it became a Japanese prefecture. Hypertensive effects of sodium consumption in the diet were also attenuated by the high consumption of vegetables rich in anti-hypertensive minerals potassium, magnesium, and calcium as well as the sodium wasting from their hot and humid subtropical climate Willcox et al, See Table 2.
The dietary differences between Okinawans and other Japanese were once stark but have markedly narrowed in post-World War II birth cohorts, and in particular, since reversion of Okinawa from U. This phenomenon has also been observed in the INTERMAP Study Dennis et al, ; Zhou et al, , where differences in traditional diets that were observed in older population cohort studies, such as the Seven Countries Study in the s Keys et al, , had markedly narrowed by the s.
Therefore, in order to understand potential dietary influence on aging-related disease and longevity in older cohorts of Okinawans and other Japanese, where health and longevity advantages are the starkest, it is helpful to assess the food choices that may have influenced these aging-related phenotypes for most of their adult lives. Table 2 illustrates several important points: One, differences in the intake of grains. Fruit tended to be a condiment or eaten as an after meal sweet. However, vegetable intake was markedly different between the two diets.
The majority of this vegetable intake originated from sweet potatoes, which were the staple food in the traditional Okinawan diet Willcox et al, ; ; The edible tuberous root of the sweet potato is long and tapered, with a smooth and colorful skin that in Okinawa comes mainly in yellow, purple, or violet, or orange, shades. Some varieties are even close to red in appearance. The flesh of the most common Okinawan sweet potato Satsuma Imo is orange-yellow or dark purple Beni Imo , however violet, beige, or white varieties can also be seen.
The leaves and shoots known as kandaba in Okinawa are often consumed as greens and added to miso soup Willcox et al, ; It was only roughly a half century ago that the sweet potato was unceremoniously known as a food staple of the masses, mostly poor farmers or fisher-folk.
Those in higher socioeconomic classes consumed more polished white rice, which was associated with an upper class lifestyle, and imported from mainland Japan where growing conditions are more hospitable to rice. By the s, the health qualities of the lowly sweet potato, the staple food of the common men and women of Okinawan, were becoming increasingly apparent. The American Cancer Society, the American Heart Association and other organizations that recognize the value of a healthy diet for reducing risk for chronic disease have also heartily endorsed the sweet potato for its nutritional properties that may aid in decreasing risk for chronic age associated diseases such as cancer or cardiovascular disease Willcox et al, ; Moreover, as an excellent source of the antioxidant vitamin A mainly in the form of beta-carotene and a good source of antioxidant vitamins C and E, and other anti-inflammatory phytochemicals, sweet potatoes are potent food sources of free radical quenchers.
Some varieties of sweet potatoes contain many times the daily recommended value of vitamin A. This comes in the form lacking most in the American diet carotenoids Willcox et al. Moreover, vitamin E, is also relatively high in sweet potatoes. As a fat-soluble vitamin, it is found mainly in high-fat foods, such as oils or nuts; however, the sweet potato is rare because it delivers vitamin E in a low fat dietary vehicle.
Since these nutrients are also anti-inflammatory, they may be helpful in reducing age-associated body inflammation, which is linked to chronic age associated diseases, such as atherosclerosis, cancer and Type 2 diabetes Willcox et al, ; In light of the strong interplay between inflammation, age-associated diseases and longevity Baylis et al ; Chung et al.
Interestingly, folate and vitamin B6 help converts homocysteine into cysteine. Since high homocysteine levels have been shown to be associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease and dementia, it is noteworthy that serum homocysteine levels are particularly low in Okinawa Alfthan et al.
See Table 3. In addition to being the main food staple in Okinawa and an important starch throughout the southern Japanese prefectures, sweet potatoes and their extracts have also been consumed throughout Japan as folk remedy.
Indications have included anemia, hypertension, and diabetes. Building upon this folk knowledge base, Japanese scientists have extracted pharmacologically-active compounds from sweet potatoes for a variety of medicinal purposes. For example, Caiapo extract from white skinned sweet potato is sold commercially in Japan without medical prescription as a neutraceutical for the Type 2 diabetes mellitus. Although more work is needed in this area, preliminary studies of peel-based extracts from white-skinned sweet potatoes have revealed the ability to lower blood glucose by increasing insulin sensitivitywithout affecting insulin secretion Ludvik et al.
Beneficial effects have also been shown on short term fasting glucose and long-term glycosylated hemoglobin blood sugar control in diabetic patients and these findings were accompanied by increased levels of adiponectin and a decrease in fibrinogen Ludvik et al. Research has also confirmed the beneficial effects of sweet potato on cholesterol levels total cholesterol and LDL in patients with type 2 diabetes Ludvik et al. Preliminary research favors many traditional Japanese medical folk uses of the sweet potato, revealing it to be a natural insulin sensitizer with antiatherogenic and anti-inflammatory properties.
Ultimately, more randomized and placebo-controlled clinical trials will be needed to support health claims. See Table 4. Recent research has also revealed impressive free radical—scavenging abilities. Other studies have shown that sweet potatoes are rich in particular polyphenols such as 4,5-di-O-caffeoyldaucic acid that show greater antioxidant activity than such antioxidant standards as l-ascorbic acid, tert-butylhydroxy toluene, and gallic acid Dini et al.
Interestingly, anthocyanins from an extract of the tuber of purple sweet potato Ayamurasaki have shown stronger radical-scavenging activity than anthocyanins from grape skin, red cabbage, elderberry, or purple corn, and ascorbic acid Kano et al.
Polyphenols from the leaves of sweet potatoes have also been shown to suppress the growth of human cancer cells Kurata et al. Finally, despite their sweet taste, the Glycemic Index of the sweet potato is not high. It ranges from low to medium, depending upon the specific variety of sweet potato, as well as the method of preparation Willcox et al, : Reflected in this thinking is the blurring of the distinction between food and medicine since commonly consumed foods, herbs or spices are also used as a source of medicines.
These foods include sweet potatoes and their leaves , bitter melon, turmeric, seaweeds, among others Willcox et al, ; Although many of these plants or plant extracts have long histories of use in traditional Okinawan or Chinese medicine, it has only been in recent years that researchers have begun concerted efforts to assess, in an evidence-based manner, the potentially beneficial effects of plant-derived extracts to prevent or treat age associated diseases.
It is now well known that plants have the potential to synthesize phytochemicals to protect their stems and leaves from pathogens, insects, bacteria, viruses, or other environmental stress stimuli. Carotenoids and flavonoids are often synthesized to help scavenge and quench free radicals formed due to UV light exposure.
Since the sun in Okinawa is particularly strong, many locally grown plants contain powerful antioxidants, with high amounts of carotene, flavonoids or other antioxidant properties. Murakami et al reported that compared to typical mainland Japanese food items, those in Okinawa tend to have stronger free radical scavenging properties.
Of food items they tested for anti-inflammatory action, many were promising and wild turmeric and zedoary from Okinawa showed particularly promising anti-oxidative and anti-nitrosative properties. The role of hormesis in aging, in particular its relation to the lifespan extending effects of caloric restriction, has been explored in depth by Rattan et al Davinelli, Willcox and Scapagnini propose that the anti-aging responses induced by phytochemicals are caused by phytohormetic stress resistance involving the activation of Nrf2 signaling, a central regulator of the adaptive response to oxidative stress.
Since oxidative stress is thought to be one of the main mechanisms of aging, the enhancement of anti-oxidative mechanisms and the inhibition of ROS production are potentially powerful pathways to protect against damaging free radicals and therefore decrease risk for age associated disease and, perhaps, modulate the rate of aging itself.
Hormetic phytochemicals, including polyphenols such as resveratrol, have received great attention for their potential pro-longevity effects and ability to act as sirtuin activators.
FOXO3 is essential for caloric restriction to exert its beneficial effects. Willcox et al first showed that allelic variation in the FOXO3 gene is strongly associated with human longevity. This finding has since been replicated in over 10 independent population samples Anselmi et al. Space limitations preclude an in-depth analysis, but a brief review of four popular food items bitter melon, Okinawan tofu, turmeric and seaweeds in the traditional Okinawan diet, each of which has been receiving increasing attention from researchers for their anti-aging properties, appears below.
Bitter melon is a vegetable that is shaped like a cucumber but with a rough, pockmarked skin. It is perhaps the vegetable that persons from mainland Japan most strongly associate with Okinawan cuisine. It is usually consumed in stir fry dishes but also in salads, tempura, as juice and tea, and even in bitter melon burgers in fast food establishments.
Likely bitter melon came from China during one of the many trade exchanges between the Ryukyu Kingdom and the Ming and Manchu dynasties. Bitter melon is low in caloric density, high in fiber, and vitamin C, and it has been used as a medicinal herb in China, India, Africa, South America, among other places Willcox et al, ; Traditional medical uses include tonics, emetics, laxatives and teas for colds, fevers, dyspepsia, rheumatic pains and metabolic disorders.
From a pharmacological or nutraceutical perspective, bitter melon has primarily been used to lower blood glucose levels in patients with diabetes mellitus Willcox et al, ; In vitro studies have demonstrated anticarcinogenic and antiviral activities Lee-Huang et al.
The high legume content in the traditional Okinawan diet mainly originates from soybean-based products. In the traditional diet, soy was the main source of protein, and older Okinawans have arguably consumed more soy e.
Soy is rich in flavonoids, which have antioxidant-like effects and exhibit hormetic properties which can activate cell signaling pathways such as the Sirtuin-FOXO pathway. For example flavonoids, such as genestein, are potent activators of gene expression in FOXO3, a gene that is strongly associated with healthy aging and longevity, among other health-promoting properties Speciale et al.
More evidence is required from clinical studies of human populations to better assess organ or disease-specific effects, as well as overall health effects of flavonoids in humans.
The tofu in Okinawa is lower in water content than typical mainland Japan versions and higher in healthy fat and protein. This makes tofu more palatable and may be a factor in the exceptionally high consumption in Okinawa Willcox et al, The high consumption of soy in Okinawa may be connected to the low rates of breast and prostate cancer observed in older Okinawans Douglas et al.
Soy phytochemicals such as isoflavones, saponins, or trypsin inhibitors have also been shown to have strong anti-inflammatory effects Dia et al. Moreover, soy protein hydrolysates can decrease expression of inflammatory genes in vitro Martinez-Villaluenga et al.
Further therapeutic potential is present in soy-derived di-and tripeptides which have shown recent promise in alleviating colon and ileum inflammation, in vivo Young et al. More work is needed in human populations since most of this work has been in vitro. Clinical studies have shown that ingestion of soy proteins can modulate risk factors for cardiovascular disease. This property originally led to the approval of the food-labeling health claim for soy proteins for prevention of coronary heart disease by the U.
A subsequent meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials suggested that soy isoflavones indeed contributed, in part, to reduction of serum total and LDL cholesterol in humans Taku et al. The American Heart Association still advocates substitution of high animal fat foods with soy since it has other cardiovascular benefits in addition to LDL-lowering effects Sacks et al, However, evidence for other health benefits for soy isoflavones, such as the ability to lessen vasomotor symptoms of menopause, to slow postmenopausal bone loss, and to help prevent or treat various cancers, is less convincing, and more complicated than it initially appeared a couple of decades ago.
The basis for the hypothesis originates manly from Japan, where observational studies show that soy consumption is high and women experience fewer menopausal symptoms and fewer hip fractures, and there has been far less hormone-associated cancer incidence and mortality e. Nevertheless, despite the encouraging ecological evidence and the generally positive results from observational and epidemiological studies that indicate soy reduces breast cancer risk Qin et al. Brain health is an additional area of interest.
Finally, soy rates very low on the GI, and helps regulate blood sugar and insulin fluctuations Willcox et al, While we await more evidence regarding soy isoflavones for multiple health conditions, there does seem to be strong consensus that soy foods are of potential benefit to cardiovascular health due to multiple other factors as wellhigh content of fiber, polyunsaturated fats, vitamins, and minerals, and low content of saturated fat Sacks et al.
Definitive conclusions regarding other health-related outcomes as well as pharmacokinetic issues that critically influence the biological activity of isoflavones Vitale et al. Marine-based carotenoids, such seaweed, algae, kelp are very low in caloric density, nutrient-dense, high in protein, folate, carotenoids, magnesium, iron, calcium, iodine, and have significant antioxidant properties.
They represent relatively untapped potential for plant-based therapeutic products, including new and useful nutraceuticals. Fucoxanthin is a xanthophyll that is found as a pigment in the chloroplasts of brown algae and most other heterokonts ranging in size from very large multicellular kelp to unicellular diatoms of plankton , which have a brown or olive-green color. These foods are commonly consumed in the Okinawan diet Willcox et al, Some interesting studies in animal models show that this carotenoid has multiple beneficial effects on metabolism, including reducing blood glucose and insulin levels, increasing the level of hepatic docosahexanoic acid, and attenuating weight gain, thereby holding promise as a potential dietary intervention for obesity, metabolic syndrome and Type 2 diabetes mellitus, among other related metabolic disorders Maeda et al.
Fucoxanthin may also promote thermogenesis within fat cells in white adipose tissue Maeda et al. One double-blind placebo-controlled human trial in obese women with showed that a seaweed extract containing fucoxanthin and pomegranate seed oil lost an average 4. Studies of fucoxanthin show diverse potential health benefits, principally though biological activities including antioxidant, anticarcinogenic, anti-inflammatory, antiobesity, and neuroprotection Kim and Pangesttuti, : Miyashita et al, Astaxanthin, a xanthophyll carotenoid, is a powerful, broad-ranging antioxidant from microalgae that also occurs naturally in a wide variety of living organisms such as fungi, complex plants, and sea life such as crustaceans and reddish colored fish Guedes et al, As such, is makes its way into the Okinawa diet through widespread means Willcox et al, Results from multiple studies have revealed significant antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties for astaxanthin compounds and suggest that there is promise as a nutraceutical and cosmaceutical Anunciato and da Rocha Filho , He has several nominations for Who's Who in Healthcare and Medicine in the past few years and co-authored two best-selling books The Okinawa Program and The Okinawa Diet Plan on healthy aging that translate his research findings into practical public health programs.
He also consults regularly for industry, having recently consulted for Chanel, VHI Healthcare largest private health provider in Ireland , Amway Nutrilite and other well-known leaders in product development that promotes healthy aging.
Willcox has published widely in the genetic, environmental and clinical aspects of healthy aging, is on the Editorial Board of the Journals of Gerontology, and a frequent reviewer for the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society and the Journal of the American Medical Association. With his identical twin brother, Dr.
Craig Willcox, Dr. Richard Allsopp PhD is a pioneer in the field of biogenesis through his research on telomere and stem cell biology. Subsequently, he spent five years training in the prestigious stem cell lab of Dr. Allsopp's major research focus is the cellular and molecular mechanisms of aging.
In particular, he has long been interested in telomere-induced senescence, factors which regulate telomerase in stem cells, and on developing novel telomerase-based therapies to treat age-related diseases. Of note, Dr.
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