A comprehensive and authoritative guide to the healing powers of Japanese foods, this book includes an in-depth look at over seventeen traditional ingredients, including miso, shiitake, toasted sesame oil, tofu, amazake, and seitan. Each food item is given its own chapter, which includes a detailed discussion of the nutritional and medicinal benefits, how to make it or buy it, cooking with it, and recipes featuring it. This book also features a pronunciation guide, which is great for ordering from restaurants or shops, and a guide to composing meals.
Japanese Foods that Heal
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"This book has exceeded my expectations and is a worthy addition to any cook's collection."—Macrobiotics Today
"According to the authors, "Japanese Foods that Heal includes everything you will ever want to know about the healthy and delicious traditional foods of Japan." And, that is exactly what they do."—Asian Pages
About the Author
John and Jan Belleme have lived and studied in Japan for twenty years and are leading authorities on the subject of the healing powers of Japanese foods. They are the authors of three previous books on the subject, and are also the co-founders of the American Miso Company, one of the world's largest producers of traditional miso.
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52 of 52 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I tend to be highly skeptical about this kind of book, mainly because they usually present some sort of idealized fantasy of a health-conscious and simple Japan where everyone is deeply in tune with the rhythms of nature, whilst I know from many years of experience living in Japan that your average Japanese person is much more likely to sit down to a steaming pile of fried chicken, reconstituted ramen and a few cans of beer rather than ocean-harvested kombu and mountain vegetables gently simmered followed by a sweet cup of amazake. However I was pleasantly surprised when the authors stated up front that "Japanese people don't eat this way", and acknowledged that many of these foods will be more readily available in an American health food store than in a Japanese supermarket.
With that fresh start, I was able to enjoy "Japanese Foods that Heal" for what it is, a brilliant guide to eighteen traditional Japanese ingredients that are powerhouses of health, with medicinal properties that strengthen the human body and provide resources and defenses against all manner of illnesses. Each ingredient is considered in-depth, talking about the traditional harvesting/creation methods, the known medicinal properties of that ingredient, and the traditional healing powers associated with it. The authors are careful to state what is a proven effect of the food and what is only a "potential" effect. Some of the foods, such as miso and green tea, are quite familiar and well-known for their health value. Others, such as soy sauce and the sweetener mirin, were more of a surprise, as I had not thought of them as having any particular value other than as a flavoring agent.... Read more ›
With that fresh start, I was able to enjoy "Japanese Foods that Heal" for what it is, a brilliant guide to eighteen traditional Japanese ingredients that are powerhouses of health, with medicinal properties that strengthen the human body and provide resources and defenses against all manner of illnesses. Each ingredient is considered in-depth, talking about the traditional harvesting/creation methods, the known medicinal properties of that ingredient, and the traditional healing powers associated with it. The authors are careful to state what is a proven effect of the food and what is only a "potential" effect. Some of the foods, such as miso and green tea, are quite familiar and well-known for their health value. Others, such as soy sauce and the sweetener mirin, were more of a surprise, as I had not thought of them as having any particular value other than as a flavoring agent.... Read more ›
9 of 9 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
This is a superb gem of a book, extremely valuable for the rare nutritional "food is medicine" information it provides concerning 18 different, "traditionally"-made, Japanese ingredients - I know of no other book, including Japanese cookbooks, which provides this unique nutritional information.
The appearance of a book containing this unique information is long overdue.
The authors are highly qualified to write this unique book, John being a research biologist with extensive (25 years) laboratory experience in medical research at two U.S. universities. Both John and Jan spent over a year in Japan living with a Japanese family and learning how to make miso in the "traditional" way.
Japanese medicinal foods produced by "traditional" methods include UNREFINED, FERMENTED, UNPASTEURIZED or MALTED foods, which means that one has to read the product labels or vendor websites VERY CAREFULLY, e.g., on Shoyru, Tamari, toasted sesame oil, brown rice MALT syrup, miso and tofu. Included at the end of the book (p. 221) is an indispensable "Shopping Resources" guide, in which vendor websites are listed. Unfortunately, South River Miso company is not listed: [...] - this company's traditionally-made and unpasteurized miso and tamari are rare and excellent, but this company DOES NOT SHIP ITS PERISHABLE PRODUCTS DURING THE SUMMER MONTHS!
Regular Japanese food stores in the U.S. DO NOT carry the "traditionally" made Japanese medicinal foods discussed in this book, but only carry products produced in Japan by modern, INDUSTRIALIZED methods.
Each chapter in the book uniformly and consistently follows a standardized analytical format. This book's contents must be read very carefully, particularly the information under each chapter's "Shopping For . . .... Read more ›
The appearance of a book containing this unique information is long overdue.
The authors are highly qualified to write this unique book, John being a research biologist with extensive (25 years) laboratory experience in medical research at two U.S. universities. Both John and Jan spent over a year in Japan living with a Japanese family and learning how to make miso in the "traditional" way.
Japanese medicinal foods produced by "traditional" methods include UNREFINED, FERMENTED, UNPASTEURIZED or MALTED foods, which means that one has to read the product labels or vendor websites VERY CAREFULLY, e.g., on Shoyru, Tamari, toasted sesame oil, brown rice MALT syrup, miso and tofu. Included at the end of the book (p. 221) is an indispensable "Shopping Resources" guide, in which vendor websites are listed. Unfortunately, South River Miso company is not listed: [...] - this company's traditionally-made and unpasteurized miso and tamari are rare and excellent, but this company DOES NOT SHIP ITS PERISHABLE PRODUCTS DURING THE SUMMER MONTHS!
Regular Japanese food stores in the U.S. DO NOT carry the "traditionally" made Japanese medicinal foods discussed in this book, but only carry products produced in Japan by modern, INDUSTRIALIZED methods.
Each chapter in the book uniformly and consistently follows a standardized analytical format. This book's contents must be read very carefully, particularly the information under each chapter's "Shopping For . . .... Read more ›
15 of 17 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Wonderfully straightforward and informative, I learned much about the beneficial properties of the foods discussed in the book. Every recipe I've tried is concise and the results have been universally splendid.
By Qigong
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
Very informative book. I love Japanese foods. I have tried the macrobiotic diet and love it also. The explanations pertaining to the various foods are fantastic. The recipes are very good.
By Jaymie Brown
Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase
Love it, full of great info on the foods of Japan and the health aspects. I would recommend it to anybody that loves Japanese foods and is interested in getting healthy.
By debi athos
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
First, I want to say that I'm friends with the authors of Japanese Foods That Heal. I have the good fortune of enjoying their cooking talents personally....and can say that they are fabulous cooks! Jan and John Belleme were two of the greatest inspirations for me to improve my way of eating and including many of the "power" foods of Japan ~ especially marvelous miso. Miso is a food that everyone would benefit from in their daily meals. Jan and John were founding partners in the first miso company here in the USA, the American Miso Company. John is an awesome "Miso Master." What I like about Japanese Foods That Heal is the wealth of information about many of the healthiest and tastiest specialty foods from Japan ~ from miso and shiitake mushrooms to umeboshi and Japanese teas. I like to learn everything I can about the food that I choose to eat including its history, health and healing benefits and about the people behind the company producing the products I buy. Japanese Foods That Heal is packed with this valuable and inspiring information along with tasty recipes to inspire you into the kitchen to begin enjoying some of the healthiest foods of Japan.
