Many foreigners who come to Japan are attracted to Japanese food culture. As globalization progresses rapidly, we too need to understand foreign customs and cultures and prepare to entertain with food. One of the religious food cultures is "Halal food." Halal food is food that is permitted in Islam, and eating anything other than halal food is considered to be disobedience to God. With a quarter of the world's population now Muslim, understanding Halal culture is essential. I also find it interesting that Halal food is clean, safe, and healthy. It is important to be conscious of whether the things you eat are good for your body, and I can see the importance of understanding the culture of other countries and being more conscious of your diet.

MESSAGE

Miyoko HondaProfessor

How would you feel if someone told you to "eat a balanced diet from now on"? Would you want to be shown how to do it right away? Let's have fun learning about the nutrition education activities required for registered dietitians.

The Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare's "National Health and Nutrition Survey" reported that diabetes is one of the diseases that Japanese people are prone to. The number of diabetes patients in the world is also rapidly increasing to over 400 million. In response, an increasing number of foreigners are visiting Japan to participate in tours that combine medical services such as medical checkups and treatment with sightseeing. Diabetes is often thought of as a disease that overweight people get, but it is very complex and the mechanism of onset varies greatly depending on race. Western diabetic patients are clearly overweight, while Asians such as Japanese people secrete less insulin, so they are more likely to develop diabetes even if they only have a slight belly. It is important for Japanese people to eat an appropriate amount of carbohydrates, avoid eating a lot of animal fat, and manage their weight by following a traditional Japanese diet that is high in dietary fiber and exercising moderately in order to prevent diabetes.

MESSAGE

Minako YoshizawaProfessor

Dietitians are experts in "food," providing nutritional guidance and management, as well as school lunch management, for individuals, from infants to the elderly and athletes, not just those with illnesses. It is expected that the scope of their activities will continue to expand.

School lunches were first introduced
What prefecture is it?

School lunches, one of the joys of school life, are eaten by more than 9 million children and students (according to the FY2018 School Lunch Implementation Status Survey). School lunches began in 1889 at an elementary school in Yamagata Prefecture, and the menu at the time consisted of rice balls, grilled fish, and pickles.

For fun and delicious food.

The School Lunch Law was enacted in 1954 with the aim of popularizing and improving school lunches and promoting food education in schools. For example, local cuisine and special event meals are provided, and recently there have been luxurious school lunches using spiny lobster as a locally produced food. Also, providing cuisine from around the world in school lunches is a good opportunity for students to experience seasonings and ingredients that are not normally used.

An opportunity to learn about food cultures around the world.

Nowadays, the wave of internationalization is sweeping over school lunches. In addition, the number of foreigners living in Japan is steadily increasing. Therefore, it is necessary to think about well-balanced, nutritious meals that incorporate international cuisine. Even more globalization is expected in school lunches in the future.

[Reference] Survey on school lunch implementation status etc.
Summary of FY2018 results is national statistics

MESSAGE

Eiji OharaAssociate Professor

The job of a registered dietitian is to create meals that are balanced in both nutrition and food. Food balance can be achieved by learning about ingredients, cooking methods, and dish names. Let's study nutrition and food balance together.

It has been highly acclaimed overseas for over 40 years.

In 2013, Japan's traditional food culture, "washoku," was registered as an intangible cultural heritage by UNESCO. Since then, more and more foreigners are visiting Japan to eat sushi and sashimi. Some brands of sake that go well with Japanese food have been winning awards at overseas liquor competitions for over 40 years, and are highly regarded around the world. According to the National Tax Agency, although domestic consumption of sake is declining, exports are on the rise.

Japanese people are a race that is weak to alcohol.

The decline in domestic consumption of sake may be partly due to the physical characteristics of the Japanese people. There are two enzymes involved in breaking down alcohol in the body: alcohol dehydrogenase and aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH). ALDH2, which breaks down acetaldehyde, the substance that causes "bad hangovers," into harmless acetic acid, is highly active in almost all Caucasian and black people, but many Japanese people have low levels, making them a race that is sensitive to alcohol.

A drink that goes well with any dish.

Sake, made from rice, the Japanese staple food, has become known to pair well with French and Italian cuisine, even more so in Japan, where many people can't tolerate alcohol, and is now loved and adored by people all over the world.

MESSAGE

Minako YoshizawaProfessor

The job of a registered dietitian is to create meals that are balanced in both nutrition and food. Food balance can be achieved by learning about ingredients, cooking methods, and dish names. Let's study nutrition and food balance together.