How to stay beautiful in Japan through your diet

By Jamie Rockers

Has anyone ever noticed that Japanese women have particularly nice skin? Well, I decided to do a little research myself about how to achieve glowing skin through diet. However, none of the food that is recommended is Japanese but all can be found in Japan, so that’s good enough for me.

According to Lacy Drayer, MA, RD, who wrote “The Beauty Diet”, there are 10 foods that we should eat that will lead to healthy, glowing skin. And luckily, all of these foods are accessible in Japan. The Japanese believe they have the healthiest diet in the world and although many parts of their diet are very healthy, there is also a lot that is not. A lot of Japanese food has a high sodium content, which can lead to stomach cancer (of which Japan has one of the highest rates in the world) and high blood pressure.

Food like white rice has basically no nutrition whatsoever. The high carbohydrate content of white rice will make your blood sugar rise up and then crash not long after you eat it, making you crave another carbohydrate fix. So if you eat white rice, you should pair it with lean protein and vegetables to make it more balanced. Even better, switch your white rice with brown rice. Brown rice is much healthier and contains fiber, which will help to regulate your blood sugar levels. Here are some other things you can add to make your diet healthier and many of them can be found at your local Japanese supermarket.

1. Salmon, preferably wild salmon. A lot of salmon in Japan have been raised on fish farms, so it’s not as healthy but it’s still better than not eating any salmon at all. Salmon is chock full of omega-3 fatty acids, which fight inflammation, keep our cells supple, and help our brains function properly. Think of omega-3s as moisturizing your skin from the inside out.

2. Low-fat yogurt. Meiji brand with the probiotics is good. Of course, we all know that yogurt contains calcium, which keeps our teeth and bones strong. It also contains zinc, which supports skin health.

3. Oysters. They help create collagen in the skin and also have high levels of zinc.

4. Blueberries. They seem to be hard to find in Japan, although you can buy them frozen at major supermarkets. Frozen is better than nothing. These little babies contain more antioxidants that any other fruit. So there. Antioxidants protect against cellular damage from environment, stress, etc.

5. Kiwifruit. This green fruit stimulates collagen production and is also high in antioxidants, which neutralize free radicals that cause cancer and other terrible diseases. Also packed with Vitamin C.

6. Sweet potatoes. Although the sweet potatoes in Japan differ from the ones we typically find back home in the West, they are still packed with beta-carotene, which the body converts to Vitamin A, and then keeps your skin smooth and healthy.

7. Spinach. Be like Popeye and eat your spinach. Contains a lot of lutein, which is good for the eyes. It also contains beta-carotene, Vitamin C, B vitamins, magnesium, iron, calcium, potassium, zinc, fiber, and even omega-3 fatty acids. So you can’t go wrong with spinach.

8. Tomatoes. This wonderful food brought to Europe from the Americas helped make Italian and Mediterranean food what it is today. It is also the food which contains the most antioxidant lycopene, which is actually more readily absorbed into your body after it has been processed (think canned tomato paste, juice, or ketchup).

9. Walnuts. These can be found pretty easily at any supermarket in Japan and contain a lot of omega-3 fatty acids and also Vitamin E, which helps protect cells from damage and supports beautiful skin.

10. Dark chocolate. Yes, it’s finally okay to eat chocolate, dark chocolate that is. It contains as many polyphenols as red wine and has anti-aging properties.

So, that’s my list. Add a few or all of these foods into your diet and you will soon be blessed with glowing skin!

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Latest 15 of 77 Total Comments Show All

2020hindsight at 06:07 PM JST - 14th October

I think that good skin has more to do with genetics and staying out of the sun/elements. I eat all sorts of rubbish but my skin is good (not that I'm bothered). Also I yet to see any evidence that collagen is good for your skin. It seems to be the accepted wisdom, but I don't follow that. I need facts.
Icewind007 at 05:19 AM JST - 15th October

If you've ever been to Japan, you'll see that they vary as much as anyone else. All the Japanese women you notice with nice skin are MODELS. However there are some differences that may affect the look of their skin compared to whites with good skin.

First off, they rarely have to shave. They are often naturally hair-free on most of the body. This removes the irritated skin look that whites will often get. Also, Japanese have more color pigment in the skin. It's just a little, but enough to smooth out the colors. Whites often will have too little pigment and will start to blemish easily. It's not bad skin, just doesn't look as appealing sometimes.

There ARE whites who share the same characteristics though. Not all whites lack that much pigment or grow hair everywhere. It's all about genes.
Everton2 at 06:50 AM JST - 15th October

dbung10 I just can’t believe that you could even remotely entertain the notion that black people don't show wrinkles because they have darker skin and therefore harder to see. With all due respect that is categorically ignorant, that is how stereotypes are born. If you understand how radiation and aging impact the skin then you can begin to fathom the whole process as to why black skin is more suitable for conditions here on earth.

Black skin naturally has high levels of melanin, which protects the skin. The higher the concentration of melanin the darker the kin and therefore the more protected. Melanin is both a moisture giving agent as well as furnishes protection from radiation or UV rays.

When skin ages it is essentially the moisture that vacates it, thus undermining its elasticity or its ability to be held tightly. It is in these respects that black skin is superior in both its resistance to UV rays and its ability to maintain its moisture content. That is why they look so much younger than other races for their age.
Everton2 at 07:06 AM JST - 15th October

Furthermore, I don't understand why so much ignorance prevails on this subject. All the relevant information is easily available that points to the innate superiority of black skin. Just look up the word "melanin" as a starting point.

Is it because you guys just don't want to know or truly recognize things for how they are? You may dance around the subject a much as you all want to but the facts are pointing to one thing, the darker the skin the more capable it is for dealing with the conditions we find here on earth.
fishy at 09:18 AM JST - 15th October

Generally, Japanese women tend to spend more time and money on skin care.. Many Japanese women in their 20s, 30s and even 40s go to aesthetic salon to get professional skin care while in many western countries, those salons are for rich women.

And it is probably true if you are whiter, your skin is more sensitive to the sun, so it makes sense that Asian skin tends to do better under the sun compare to most westerners.
dbung10 at 09:45 AM JST - 15th October

Everton2 - thanks. Just wanted to know. wasnt trying to start an argument or anything. I dont think I was categorically ignorant. Go draw a black line on a white coloured skin piece of paper, then draw the line on a black coloured skin piece of paper and see which one shows up more. Seemed fairly reasonable to me. I stand corrected. Although one quick question, could you tell me what you mean by 'you guys'?
Everton2 at 10:58 AM JST - 15th October

dbung10: sorry about the "you guys" expression it is definitely inappropriate.
LoveUSA at 11:38 AM JST - 15th October

As for japanese women having particuarly nice skin, yes there are some that do and some that dont, they definitely seem to age better than a lot of other nationalities.

plastic surgery, cosmetics, etc
2020hindsight at 01:20 PM JST - 15th October

Everton2

True: black skin ages better than white skin. White people need to hide from the sun. You may dance around the subject as much as you all want to but the facts are pointing to one thing: most Japanese women wish their skin was lighter in color, not darker.
Everton2 at 02:42 PM JST - 15th October

2020hindsight: Great! hahaha you are very claver, perhaps even on par with these Japanese girls. Mate, I am not seeking a fight with you. If you want to revel in the fact that they prefer whiter skin then more power to you.

I am only stating the facts that relates to skin and the erroneous reasoning behind it, and whatever their preferences are do not mean much to me except that I find it alarming.

In addition, Japanese people are not inquisitive enough to seek the facts about anything that they have not been told. For these reasons they persist with these archaic 19th century notions of skin color and preference. What I am saying is that there is a collective stupor in Japan about issues that require brain power and individual application. They seem to follow trends and adopt the worst of American values and we know how the issue of race and skin color play out over there.
2020hindsight at 03:05 PM JST - 15th October

Everton2

Ha ha, I definitely don't want to get in a fight about skin color! Preferences aren't based on fact, reason or anything like that. I may be wrong, but my impression is that many Japaense girls want whiter skin. But there was a fashion a few years ago where many young girls went to tanning salons to get a bronze tan and then they donned ash color make-up. It is what it is.

I do think you are being a bit hard on the Japanese people. I don't think they are in a collective stupor and I really don't think they are adopting American values.
LoveUSA at 10:06 PM JST - 15th October

do you know any way to make your skin darker through the diet? thanks
Sariri at 12:41 AM JST - 16th October

Everton2: I think many Japanese women wouldn't mind if they could retain a nice olive tone. But tanning makes their skin leathery and leaves spots as they age. That's why even those who frequented tanning salon in their 20s eventually start avoiding the sun like mad.

LoveUSA: I know eating lots of mikan or pumpkin makes your skin yellow. But darker? Sorry..
Apsara at 10:00 AM JST - 16th October

First off, they rarely have to shave. They are often naturally hair-free on most of the body.

You couldn't get much more wrong than this, could you. Icewind007, Japanese women not only shave their legs, armpits etc, they also commonly shave their forearms, their eyebrows to tidy them up (there's an ad on TV at the moment where a woman accidentally shaves off her entire eyebrow) and many also shave their faces- I am not kidding, go to any drugstore and look for women's face razors and you will find them. You'll need to find a new theory I'm afraid. If you mean men, my Japanese husband shaves once a day, just like men in most other countries.
seesaw at 09:03 PM JST - 16th October

As for japanese women having particuarly nice skin, yes there are some that do and some that dont, they definitely seem to age better than a lot of other nationalities.

dbung10: obviously you haven't been around...women in many other countries not only age better than the J women, but also age more gracefully than the J oba sans....