Early History of Macrobiotics Food Choices

This article was first presented as a talk on Ginat Rice’s Whole Health forum YouTube channel. Click HERE to watch his presentation from the Whole Health Macrobiotic Forum on September 1, 2021.

The early teaching and books available on macrobiotics in the 1960s, 70s and 80s are very instructive about the spirit and understanding of macrobiotics. Below are quotes from some of the most renowned early cooking teachers.

Lima Ohsawa
In The Art of JUST Cooking (Autumn Press, 1974), Lima Ohsawa writes, “The macrobiotic diet, however, is not a strict vegetarian regimen. We do not believe that if a man or woman eats vegetable foods exclusively, he or she will, of necessity, achieve health or vitality, and live in harmony with the environment, or for that matter, that every man must restrict himself to the vegetal realm if he wants to realize his nature. The natural order in our surroundings is both more precise and more flexible. The shape and relative number of our teeth, the gateway of food into the body, tell us more about the order in human nutrition….

“Room is left, however, on the plate as in the mouth, for proportionately small quantities of animal foods if necessary or desirable. The animal foods we recommend are the lower forms of life, or those that have been least domesticated or processed by modern man. We do advise that as few animal foods as possible be part of one’s daily fare….
“To follow the MB diet properly, each of us must come to know himself and understand the dynamics of food to discover how best to satisfy his own particular requirements….

“You can be a vegetarian and derive all the vitamins, minerals, (etc) from a well-balanced diet of grains, fresh vegetables, fruits, and nuts. But animal foods and dairy products can also find a place in a macrobiotic meal if we prepare them properly and combine them harmoniously with the other elements included in our menu. We are free to eat whatever we wish; nothing is forbidden but ignorance and carelessness.”

Here are some of Lima’s recipes in this book: Red Snapper Tempura, Shrimp and Eggs, Pan-fried Mackerel, Egg Tofu, Salmon Croquettes, Egg Custard, Squid with Scallion Miso, Rolled Omelet, Seafood Dumplings (with cod), Red Snapper in Miso, Koi Koku (Carp Soup).

Cornellia Aihara
Here are a selection of recipes Cornellia included in The First Macrobiotic Cookbook (GOMF, 1964, revised 1984): Red Snapper Stew, Soup Mussels, Shrimp Tempura, Fried Oysters or Clams, Clam Miso, Scallop Miso-Lemon, Seafood Pie, Sesame Chicken, Fried Chicken, Deep Fried Chicken, and Duck Clear Soup. And here are some fish recipes from The Calendar Cookbook (GOMF, 1979): Baked Fresh Tuna, Pan-fried Cod, Baked Fish (Mackerel or Bass) with Salt, Fried Oyster with Dried Bean Threads, Cold Salmon with Gravy, Deep Fried Perch with Kuzu Sauce, Carp Soup, and Trout/Sardines. Egg recipes include Tofu-Egg Clear Soup with Watercress, Egg Foo Yung, Rolled Egg, and Egg Drop Soup, while other animal food dishes are Fried Quail, Wild Pigeon (Fowl or Fish) Shish-Kebab, Fried Chicken, and Roast Turkey with Stuffing.

Michel Abehsera
In Zen Macrobiotic Cooking (Avon Books, 1968), Michel Abehsera writes: “You also probably know that the Zen monks were vegetarians. Zen macrobiotics is based on deep respect for this vegetarianism and follows it to a very considerable extent but leave room for fish and fowl as secondary food. Unlike the traditional vegetarians, Zen macrobiotics considers fish—when part of a meal in which rice or other grains are primary, vegetables and fish secondary—a healthful food. Fowl is less healthful but, if organically fed, will do no harm.”
Recipes in this book include Stuffed Mackerel, Scalloped Oysters, Lobster Cantonese, and Fresh Herring in White Wine.
In Cooking with Care and Purpose (Swan House, 1971), he writes: “Fish is a healthy food for vegetarians who refuse to eat meat. It gives stamina to the organism. For Jews, it is a holy food that is served on Friday nights and Saturdays.”
Fish recipes include Fish Pancakes, Salmon Casserole, Salmon Rice Paddies, Mackerel in Cider.

Annemarie Colbin
In The Natural Gourmet (Ballentine Books, 1989), Annemarie Colbin writes: “As I developed my own approach, my book learning became rounded out by my own real-life experience…. I found, for example, that not only do sick meat eaters get healthier when they eat vegetarian, but weak vegetarians often become stronger when they reincorporate fish or fowl into their diets….

“In 1979 I wrote my first cookbook, The Book of Whole Meals…. The book is meatless and wholly dairy and sugar-free but does contain several fish and egg recipes. Curiously enough, I received completely opposite comments about the book…strict adherents of macrobiotics considered it ‘too wide,’ while mainstream nutritionists think it is ‘too restricted.’…
“It is possible to be a healthy vegetarian provided you eat whole-grain-and-bean combinations daily and a variety of vegetables of all colors. It is also imperative that you avoid the use of white table sugar and the foods containing it….

“It is not, however, essential that you “be” a vegetarian. If you label yourself as such, deviations from your dietary standards, which are sometimes unavoidable, will cause you anguish and guilt. It is much more sensible to choose to eat foods that keep you feeling healthy, whatever those may be. Many people today are finding that a largely natural-foods diet, sugar- and dairy-free, with accents of fish, fowl, or perhaps an occasional egg, keeps them in excellent health.”
In the fish chapter, Annemarie writes: “Committed vegetarians can skip this chapter. However, most people have some trouble absorbing the protein from vegetable foods efficiently; therefore, a tasty fish dish several times a week is a must for good health and stamina.” [page 225]

Recipes in this book include Rolled Flounder Fillets with Lemon-Dill Sauce, Poached Salmon Fillets with Mock Hollandaise, Fish Timbales with Lemon Butter Sauce, Savory Fish Stew, Baked Whitefish with Scallion Stuffing, Seafood Yosenabe (with scallops and shrimp).