Ukmedix has previously reported on the benefits of a Japanese eating plan that contains a lot of raw fish (sushi) and is very low in fat and now new research done in Japan seems to highlight this. The research was specially done to compare a traditional Japanese diet with a traditional American diet. For the Japanese diet rice and sashimi were on the menu and for the American diet, fried chicken and burgers were the standard food.

The researchers used mice for the diet and to overcome the logistical problem of feeding mice burgers and sashimi the food was freeze dried and turned into a powder. The results showed that the actual genes that initiate the breakup of fat and cholesterol in mice were 50% more active with those on the Japanese diet and that the American diet gave mice cholesterol levels that were on average 10% greater than those eating the Japanese diet.

The research is still at an early stage and the plan is to continue the study using people over a longer time. However the results in the mice and the obvious obesity levels in Japan compared with the obesity levels in America should really give an idea of the general outcome of this future research. The Japanese at present live longer than most and have very low incidences of obesity and the people of Okinawa who eat a very traditional Japanese diet claim the highest life expectancy in the world.

The American obesity problem may have much to do with the sheer quantity of the food that they eat as well as the higher cholesterol and fat amounts to be found in the food. Sushi and sashimi tend to be eaten in smaller portions over a longer period of time.