The macrobiotic diet

It's all the rage among health-conscious Hollywood divas, but is the macrobiotic diet one that us lesser mortals can follow? Jini Reddy investigates the pros and cons.

Do you hanker after brown rice, seaweed, tofu and lentils? Turn your nose up at Atkins? If so, the macrobiotic diet could be for you. It's spawned a legion of fans, not least Gwyneth Paltrow, before her pregnancy cravings took over. (Though naming her daughter Apple suggests she'll soon be back on track…)

The diet aims to restore balance to the body by applying the principles of yin and yang – or hot and cold – to the foods you eat. In practice, it means sticking to a meat-free, dairy-free diet, rich in wholegrains, sea vegetables (ie seaweed), vegetables, beans, fruit, pickles, sprouts and seeds; fish is optional.

Renée Grove of the Natural Cookery School in Somerset has been eating this way for the last 28 years. 'Macrobiotics is a way of understanding life and the energy in us and in the food that we eat,' she says. 'Having the freedom to choose how I want to feel by the way I eat is very empowering.'

If you're more interested in the food than the philosophy behind it, take a look at a typical menu. Breakfast, Renée suggests, might kick off with carrot juice or herbal tea, followed by unyeasted bread with some vegetable paté or natural fruit spread. Or you could try a bowl of grain porridge, served with roasted seeds and nuts or dried fruit. Lunch might be soup or a sandwich, and dinner, anything from a stir-fry to baked fish, or a tofu and vegetable stew.

It all sounds roaringly healthy, but can you really get the vitamins and minerals you need on a dairy-free diet? Nutrition scientist Claire Williamson isn't so sure. 'A strict macrobiotic diet is low in calories, protein and a range of vitamins and minerals – particularly vitamins B12, D and calcium. Studies have found that individuals following a strict macrobiotic diet are more likely to suffer from iron-deficiency anaemia,' she says.

Renée Grove believes that we lose those vitamins and minerals in the first place by eating acid-forming carbohydrates, such as saturated fats, refined carbohydrates, chocolate and alcohol. 'They create an acidic PH in our blood, which our body compensates for by using minerals from our bones, teeth, nervous system, etc.' On a macrobiotic diet, this wouldn't happen, she says, as we'd be consuming, on a daily basis, nutrient-rich food.

However you look at it, it's hard to ignore the claims that a macrobiotic diet can prevent – and even reverse – certain cancers. Claire Williamson doesn't dismiss them. 'A high intake of plant-derived foods has been linked to a reduced risk of developing certain cancers, such as stomach cancer,' she says. 'And some studies have shown that individuals who follow a vegetarian or vegan diet have reduced mortality rates from certain cancers.' Whether this is down to an overall healthier lifestyle or the diet itself remains to be seen.

It may be a sure-fire way to keep your figure, but isn't a macrobiotic diet tricky to stick to if you're dining out? 'It's as easy as eating at home. We can always eat a salad, a good fish dish, rice, pasta, vegetables,' says Renée Grove. 'We're happy to go out and enjoy a social life!'

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