Sagen Ishizuka's thoughts on meat eating in Japan

Continuing from the previous article, Sagen Ishizuka recommended that people in Japan refrain from eating fish, poultry, and animal meat as much as possible.

Sagen preached abstinence from meat eating for many reasons.

First, as I wrote in my previous post, grains are the most suitable food for humans. Humans have the most teeth (molars) for eating grains, so they must eat mainly grains. However, when eating grains that are not suited to a particular country or climate, or when processing grains to remove the nutrients, meat, fish, and eggs may be needed as side dishes to supplement the nutrition.

Also, when considering the balance between natron salt and potassium salt, in Japan, where the climate is high in natron salt, eating meat leads to excessive intake of natron salt, which can cause various adverse effects. The terms natron salt and potassium salt refer to sodium compounds, while potassium salt refers to potassium compounds. So what is the balance between these two? Sagen discovered that in order for organic substances (carbohydrates, proteins, fats) to be properly digested and absorbed, the function of inorganic substances (sodium, potassium, magnesium, calcium, etc.) is necessary, and that maintaining a constant balance in the amount of sodium and potassium ingested is particularly important for health.

Natron salt is found in large amounts in animal foods and has the effects of hardening and contracting, while potassium salt is found in large amounts in plant foods and has the effects of softening and expanding. When there is too much natron salt in the blood, the blood becomes viscous and movements become sluggish. On the other hand, when there is too much potassium salt in the blood, the blood becomes thin and the body becomes weak. Sagen argued that if the balance between natron salt and potassium salt is constant, one will have a strong physique and will be healthy in both body and mind.

The Japanese climate is rich in natron salt because it is surrounded by the sea, so if you eat a lot of meat that contains a lot of natron salt, you will consume too much natron salt and develop the associated diseases. (On the other hand, Europe is cool and cold, has a climate with a lot of potassium salt, and its staple foods are wheat and potatoes, which contain a lot of potassium salt, so it is necessary to eat meat to replenish natron salt.)

Sagen also felt apprehension that eating too much meat would affect people's character, making them less flexible in their minds and more violent-tempered. If people ate too much meat, they would become quick-witted but shallow-minded and restless.

From the above points, Sagen pointed out the harmful effects of meat eating in Japan and recommended that people refrain from eating meat as much as possible. However, he fully understood that people like meat because it has a fragrant and delicious taste. Therefore, he did not reject meat eating, but said that people should eat meat only as a flavor, without eating too much.

In my opinion, the appropriate amount of meat to eat varies depending on where you live, how much you exercise, your age, and your build. Each person needs to look back at their lifestyle and find the amount of meat that suits them best. Moderation is important in everything, so we need to be careful not to eat too much meat just because it tastes good.

The photo in the oppening shows a "chicken minced meat bento" made with soy meat. Soy meat has a chewy texture and if well seasoned, it can taste like meat. In this way, plant-based foods can sometimes be used as a substitute for meat.

Source: Healthy Foods (published by Rural Culture Association, annotated by Hiroshi Maruyama, translated by Masanori Hashimoto)

15th, Oct. 2024: Taka