Foods to Avoid and Reduce

"Standard Macrobiotic Diet" is a contradiction in terms since each person is a world to himself, living according to a dream realized through food, thought and spirit.

Even so, there are foods which can be considered generally supportive of our human form and others which serve us less well.

The following guidelines, then, are for most people in most situations.  Exceptions make the rule, and the foundational concept of macrobiotics is that all food can be appropriate for a specific goal.  Yin and yang are our magic compass to determine what foods suits us when.

As we eat well, we develop the intuition and knowledge to apply yin and yang to our daily activity and thinking.  Meanwhile, the following foods are considered extreme, and generally to be avoided in day to day living.

There is no "forbidden" or "allowed" in macrobiotics.  The only principle is to self reflect in order to determine if your choices are serving you well.  The rest is up to you!

ANIMAL PRODUCTS:
Red Meat (Beef, lamb, pork)
Poultry
Wild game
Eggs

SWEETENERS:
Sugar (white, raw, brown, turbinado, organic,  cane, fructose, etc.)
Honey
Molasses
Corn syrup
Saccharin and other artificial sweeteners
Carob
Maple syrup
Chocolate

DAIRY FOODS: 
Cheese
Butter
Milk (Buttermilk, skim milk, whole, organic, etc.)
Yogurt
Kefir
Ice Cream
Cream
Sour cream
Whipped cream
Margarine

STIMULANTS:
Spices (cayenne, cumin, etc.)
Strongly aromatic herbs
Vinegar
Coffee
Alcohol
Commercially dyed teas
Stimulating aromatic teas (herb, mint, etc.)
Ginseng

FATS:
Lard or shortening
Processed vegetable oils

FISH:
Red meat or blue-skinned fish
Tuna, except raw
Salmon
Swordfish
Bluefish

NUTS:
Brazil
Cashew
Pistachio
Hazel

FOODS PROCESSED WITH:
Chemicals
Tropical Fruits and Beverages
Additives
Artificial beverages (soda, diet soda, cola)
Preservatives

TROPICAL OR SUB-TROPICAL FRUITS:
Papayas
Guavas
Mangoes
Coconut
Bananas
Figs
Dates
Grapefruit
Prunes
Oranges
Kiwi

OTHER FOODS TO AVOID OR REDUCE:
Soy margarine
Processed Foods
Artificial coloring
Emulsifiers
Sprayed foods
Dyed foods
Stabilizers
Instant food
Canned food
Frozen food
Refined (white) flour
Polished (white) rice