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How to stay beautiful in Japan through your diet

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By Jamie Rockers

Has anyone ever noticed that Japanese women have particularly nice skin? Well, I decided to do a little research myself about how to achieve glowing skin through diet. However, none of the food that is recommended is Japanese but all can be found in Japan, so that’s good enough for me.

According to Lacy Drayer, MA, RD, who wrote “The Beauty Diet”, there are 10 foods that we should eat that will lead to healthy, glowing skin. And luckily, all of these foods are accessible in Japan. The Japanese believe they have the healthiest diet in the world and although many parts of their diet are very healthy, there is also a lot that is not. A lot of Japanese food has a high sodium content, which can lead to stomach cancer (of which Japan has one of the highest rates in the world) and high blood pressure.

Food like white rice has basically no nutrition whatsoever. The high carbohydrate content of white rice will make your blood sugar rise up and then crash not long after you eat it, making you crave another carbohydrate fix. So if you eat white rice, you should pair it with lean protein and vegetables to make it more balanced. Even better, switch your white rice with brown rice. Brown rice is much healthier and contains fiber, which will help to regulate your blood sugar levels. Here are some other things you can add to make your diet healthier and many of them can be found at your local Japanese supermarket.

  1. Salmon, preferably wild salmon. A lot of salmon in Japan have been raised on fish farms, so it’s not as healthy but it’s still better than not eating any salmon at all. Salmon is chock full of omega-3 fatty acids, which fight inflammation, keep our cells supple, and help our brains function properly. Think of omega-3s as moisturizing your skin from the inside out.

  2. Low-fat yogurt. Meiji brand with the probiotics is good. Of course, we all know that yogurt contains calcium, which keeps our teeth and bones strong. It also contains zinc, which supports skin health.

  3. Oysters. They help create collagen in the skin and also have high levels of zinc.

  4. Blueberries. They seem to be hard to find in Japan, although you can buy them frozen at major supermarkets. Frozen is better than nothing. These little babies contain more antioxidants that any other fruit. So there. Antioxidants protect against cellular damage from environment, stress, etc.

  5. Kiwifruit. This green fruit stimulates collagen production and is also high in antioxidants, which neutralize free radicals that cause cancer and other terrible diseases. Also packed with Vitamin C.

  6. Sweet potatoes. Although the sweet potatoes in Japan differ from the ones we typically find back home in the West, they are still packed with beta-carotene, which the body converts to Vitamin A, and then keeps your skin smooth and healthy.

  7. Spinach. Be like Popeye and eat your spinach. Contains a lot of lutein, which is good for the eyes. It also contains beta-carotene, Vitamin C, B vitamins, magnesium, iron, calcium, potassium, zinc, fiber, and even omega-3 fatty acids. So you can’t go wrong with spinach.

  8. Tomatoes. This wonderful food brought to Europe from the Americas helped make Italian and Mediterranean food what it is today. It is also the food which contains the most antioxidant lycopene, which is actually more readily absorbed into your body after it has been processed (think canned tomato paste, juice, or ketchup).

  9. Walnuts. These can be found pretty easily at any supermarket in Japan and contain a lot of omega-3 fatty acids and also Vitamin E, which helps protect cells from damage and supports beautiful skin.

  10. Dark chocolate. Yes, it’s finally okay to eat chocolate, dark chocolate that is. It contains as many polyphenols as red wine and has anti-aging properties.

So, that’s my list. Add a few or all of these foods into your diet and you will soon be blessed with glowing skin!

© Japan Today

©2024 GPlusMedia Inc.

78 Comments
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Face only white skiny but back side is black than others,no repoductive nation. See how they walk with Daikon ashi gaga walking.Old mental and fashion only Paris and Rome.Attidude are not different than other countries.

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As for japanese women having particuarly nice skin, yes there are some that do and some that dont, they definitely seem to age better than a lot of other nationalities.

dbung10: obviously you haven't been around...women in many other countries not only age better than the J women, but also age more gracefully than the J oba sans....

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First off, they rarely have to shave. They are often naturally hair-free on most of the body.

You couldn't get much more wrong than this, could you. Icewind007, Japanese women not only shave their legs, armpits etc, they also commonly shave their forearms, their eyebrows to tidy them up (there's an ad on TV at the moment where a woman accidentally shaves off her entire eyebrow) and many also shave their faces- I am not kidding, go to any drugstore and look for women's face razors and you will find them. You'll need to find a new theory I'm afraid. If you mean men, my Japanese husband shaves once a day, just like men in most other countries.

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Everton2: I think many Japanese women wouldn't mind if they could retain a nice olive tone. But tanning makes their skin leathery and leaves spots as they age. That's why even those who frequented tanning salon in their 20s eventually start avoiding the sun like mad.

LoveUSA: I know eating lots of mikan or pumpkin makes your skin yellow. But darker? Sorry..

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do you know any way to make your skin darker through the diet? thanks

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Everton2

Ha ha, I definitely don't want to get in a fight about skin color! Preferences aren't based on fact, reason or anything like that. I may be wrong, but my impression is that many Japaense girls want whiter skin. But there was a fashion a few years ago where many young girls went to tanning salons to get a bronze tan and then they donned ash color make-up. It is what it is.

I do think you are being a bit hard on the Japanese people. I don't think they are in a collective stupor and I really don't think they are adopting American values.

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2020hindsight: Great! hahaha you are very claver, perhaps even on par with these Japanese girls. Mate, I am not seeking a fight with you. If you want to revel in the fact that they prefer whiter skin then more power to you.

I am only stating the facts that relates to skin and the erroneous reasoning behind it, and whatever their preferences are do not mean much to me except that I find it alarming.

In addition, Japanese people are not inquisitive enough to seek the facts about anything that they have not been told. For these reasons they persist with these archaic 19th century notions of skin color and preference. What I am saying is that there is a collective stupor in Japan about issues that require brain power and individual application. They seem to follow trends and adopt the worst of American values and we know how the issue of race and skin color play out over there.

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Everton2

True: black skin ages better than white skin. White people need to hide from the sun. You may dance around the subject as much as you all want to but the facts are pointing to one thing: most Japanese women wish their skin was lighter in color, not darker.

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As for japanese women having particuarly nice skin, yes there are some that do and some that dont, they definitely seem to age better than a lot of other nationalities.

plastic surgery, cosmetics, etc

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dbung10: sorry about the "you guys" expression it is definitely inappropriate.

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Everton2 - thanks. Just wanted to know. wasnt trying to start an argument or anything. I dont think I was categorically ignorant. Go draw a black line on a white coloured skin piece of paper, then draw the line on a black coloured skin piece of paper and see which one shows up more. Seemed fairly reasonable to me. I stand corrected. Although one quick question, could you tell me what you mean by 'you guys'?

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Generally, Japanese women tend to spend more time and money on skin care.. Many Japanese women in their 20s, 30s and even 40s go to aesthetic salon to get professional skin care while in many western countries, those salons are for rich women.

And it is probably true if you are whiter, your skin is more sensitive to the sun, so it makes sense that Asian skin tends to do better under the sun compare to most westerners.

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Furthermore, I don't understand why so much ignorance prevails on this subject. All the relevant information is easily available that points to the innate superiority of black skin. Just look up the word "melanin" as a starting point.

Is it because you guys just don't want to know or truly recognize things for how they are? You may dance around the subject a much as you all want to but the facts are pointing to one thing, the darker the skin the more capable it is for dealing with the conditions we find here on earth.

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dbung10 I just can’t believe that you could even remotely entertain the notion that black people don't show wrinkles because they have darker skin and therefore harder to see. With all due respect that is categorically ignorant, that is how stereotypes are born. If you understand how radiation and aging impact the skin then you can begin to fathom the whole process as to why black skin is more suitable for conditions here on earth.

Black skin naturally has high levels of melanin, which protects the skin. The higher the concentration of melanin the darker the kin and therefore the more protected. Melanin is both a moisture giving agent as well as furnishes protection from radiation or UV rays.

When skin ages it is essentially the moisture that vacates it, thus undermining its elasticity or its ability to be held tightly. It is in these respects that black skin is superior in both its resistance to UV rays and its ability to maintain its moisture content. That is why they look so much younger than other races for their age.

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If you've ever been to Japan, you'll see that they vary as much as anyone else. All the Japanese women you notice with nice skin are MODELS. However there are some differences that may affect the look of their skin compared to whites with good skin.

First off, they rarely have to shave. They are often naturally hair-free on most of the body. This removes the irritated skin look that whites will often get. Also, Japanese have more color pigment in the skin. It's just a little, but enough to smooth out the colors. Whites often will have too little pigment and will start to blemish easily. It's not bad skin, just doesn't look as appealing sometimes.

There ARE whites who share the same characteristics though. Not all whites lack that much pigment or grow hair everywhere. It's all about genes.

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I think that good skin has more to do with genetics and staying out of the sun/elements. I eat all sorts of rubbish but my skin is good (not that I'm bothered). Also I yet to see any evidence that collagen is good for your skin. It seems to be the accepted wisdom, but I don't follow that. I need facts.

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Black people in general have much better skin than all other races.It naturally has more moisture making it to a large extent more resistant to wrinkling.

Is this really true? I thought that the reason black skin looks better with age is that wrinkles dont show up so much (lines on dark skin are harder to see than lines on light skin) does anyone else know about this? I knew about the melanoma bit, but I thought in terms of wrinkles that they were just the same, its just you dont see the wrinkles on dark skin.

As for japanese women having particuarly nice skin, yes there are some that do and some that dont, they definitely seem to age better than a lot of other nationalities.

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Japanese women have nice skin? Maybe I have been missing something these past decades...

@ realist. I have to agree that they do have kinda nice skin.....BUT it seems it is so much easier for things to go wrong with it. I see too many with blotches here and there, entire raw areas, discolorations etc. So I guess its nice but not strong....if that is term for describing skin.

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I ate 1/2 a bar of dark chocolate yesterday evening and today my cheeks and forehead have broken out in acne!!

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I'm one person who pay lots of attention to my own beauty. I think the above news is meant for good health not good skin. Good skin takes more effort than just that.

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The higher the cocoa content, the lower the fat and also the less you want to eat.

We're talking about chocolate, right? I've never yet come across a chocolate I didn't want to eat more of. ('cept Hersheys of course, and that doesn't really count as chocolate)

Satisfied with just a couple of squares a day? I think you mean just about able to resist that third piece.

:-D

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Doesn't that have a lot of fat and calories? But, hey, if you just have a small piece...

The higher the cocoa content, the lower the fat and also the less you want to eat. I've switched to 72% cocoa content chocolate (Whittakers - one of the best things about NZ, and I'm speaking as one who was hitherto a Cadbury's devotee) and am satisfied with just a couple of squares a day.

The author missed out pomegranates, which were one of the diet fads a few years ago. At which point, everything became pomegranate-flavoured, in order to attract custom, even if the closest the product had ever come to a pomegranate was seeing one once!

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It is all a matter of genetics. Black people in general have much better skin than all other races. It naturally has more moisture making it to a large extent more resistant to wrinkling. As a result they tend to look much younger for their age never ever exhibiting that leathery effect that whites tend to get when they have been overexposed to the sun. They hardly ever get skin cancer or melanoma. If one really examine the facts, the darker the skin the better it tends to fear in respect to the effects of disease and aging.

It is just that white skin people has perpetrated this myth (and of course the Japanese deep down wants to be white), which erroneously attached superiority to white skin which is not supported by the facts. This misconception is rooted in colonialism as a way of justifying racism and dehumanizing darker skin people. Well we all know its all crap now and white people were simply just projecting

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honey at 06:09 AM JST - 13th October Every drug or conveniece store sells dark chocolate for 100 yen,I buy frozen Canadian bluberries for 250 yen,Yamaya sell california walnuts for 300 yen

While all this may be true (dark chocolate priced a 100yen is guaranteed not to have a bit of cocoa in it), none of these things are part of the traditional Japanese diet. Read much?

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Every drug or conveniece store sells dark chocolate for 100 yen,I buy frozen Canadian bluberries for 250 yen,Yamaya sell california walnuts for 300 yen

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Perhaps I mis-understood the article, but half the foods on the list aren't particularly common in the Japanese diet - oysters, blueberries, kiwi, walnuts and dark chocolate - and therefore don't help to explain the author's highly subjective opinion that Japanese women have special skin.

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Really? Love these deep, important articles and the completely non-shallow international pissing contest that inevitably follows. Who has better skin? Who cares? When we're 80, it all looks the same. Eat healthy food because it's better for your whole body and stop with the comparisons. There are bundles of ugly people in Japan, just like there are back home (wherever that may be).

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Has anyone ever noticed that the Japanese men have particularly BAD skin?

No, it is for sure that Japanese men have very beautiful skin, much more beautiful than Western men. Sometimes just looking at the skin of western men, makes me feel sorry for them and to ask why they do not care about their skin properly.

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Japanese women have nice skin? Maybe I have been missing something these past decades...

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Somach Cancer is high,but not from sodium.It is from a bateria called H-Pylori.Which is easily treatable from a round of anti-biotics. The best sourse of Lycopene is watermelon 2cups 16mg 1med size tomoto 4mg.Of couse,paste and sauce have more.Green tea is a must for the list. Nothing on this list is expensive

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This sounds like a great diet. Although in Japan this would be very expenive diet usually. Still I myself will try and add some of these foods to what I eat. Thanks Jamie good job

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All the foods listed are good for you, and definitely can help. But it is always smart to keep a broad diet and maintain balance instead of over doing the same 10 foods.

To all the sun fearers: Actually responsible sun exposure i.e. not getting burned is better for your skin than avoiding it like its a monster. Vitamin D deficiency is a huge problem in many places, especially in the U.S. and can lead to premature aging. Proper sun exposure is the best way to get this necessary vitamin and is actually beneficial for your skin. If you stay in the sun and get burned, than yes you will age from the radiation damage. So be responsible, know your limit of sun exposure then you can hide from it once you've gotten enough.

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Kirakira25: We may agree that for darker skinned Japanese they have a genetic advantage over fair-skinned Caucasians in terms of the effects of the sun but we may part ways there. There are so many shades that fall within the category of "white" and Japanese with naturally very fair skin as well as those with nearly brown skin that any discussion about "white" vs. Japanese skins simply falls back into the stereotypes I've been railing against.

I don't know how long you've been reading this site but if it's been as long as long as I have then you know that you're giving the site and the posters far too much credit when you suggest that they know things are not one-size fits all. It's that very attitude which kept me off this site for so long and has made me decide to stay off it again. Adios!

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Japanese kids have very nice skin,but once they get into their teens and twenties the girls skin is awful.I think Chinese,Korean,Thai and Fillipino girls have much better skin than japanese girls blemishes,huge moles and sun damage maybe someone has been looking at too many photoshop images on the net.

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Info ripped straight from health magazines over the past 15 years. No foods "give" or "lead to" nice skin. Either you have nice skin or you don't. A proper diet will prevent some aging - as will sunscreen and exercise - but there are no magic tricks.

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Ambrosia - I understand what you mean about generalisations but I think most people realise that there are of course exceptions to the rule everywhere. And nobody is suggesting a "one size fits all" for all westerners.

My skin is OK, not bad not great, but I dont have the great genes that some people are lucky enough to be born with. But I can **generally** say that Japanese women the same age as me seem to have better skin than I do. There are some who have worse skin too. Its exactly the same if I compare myself to westerners.

But obviously in a discussion like this it is not possible to consider every exception. Just because Japanese (I think) have better skin than I do doesnt make me feel bad about myself. I have the long legs that you could GENERALLY say Japanese women dont have. The article is all about what makes skin good for ALL of us (foodwise). But in terms of genetics, yes, I think to a point Asians do have the edge over caucasians for good skin - generally speaking!

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And don't forget to take your umbrella with you whenever the sun is out and cover yourseld from head to toe.

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Dishdash: I've got no argument with both genetics and diet playing a role in the condition of skin care. What I have a problem with is ridiculous generalizations about the state of Japanese skin over their "western counterparts" and the endless list of generalizations aimed at making one group feel better about themselves over another.

And for the record, just because someone disagrees with you doesn't mean they've "lost their cool" nor does it mean the topic itself is a sore point. It's the presentation and poster generalizations that are sore points for me, not the topic. In case you're wondering, I've got fantastic skin, always have and don't wear make-up even though people have always assumed I do.

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Good diet is good. So is a healthy glow by taking a walk in daylight letting the blood reach the skin. Also a little sun goes a long way in maintaining ones health. Without it we all start to look like mushrooms.

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"Has anyone ever noticed that the Japanese women have particularly nice skin?"

No. Some do, many more don't. They have to wear make up all the time to cover the black spots they get at a surprisingly young age (in some cases from their early 20's, while in my country, I don't know anyone under 70 having that problem). That's weird because Japanese men don't have so many skin problems. Maybe the cosmetics are a cause. Then, dermatology has made progress in the country. 20 yrs ago, we'd see so many people with awful acne or eczema. Now they all seem to get a good treatment. If dentists could take inspiration...

The list is weird. Normally, the fashion is to say natto and tofu give you a nice skin. My beautician friends say that, from what they see, the most (the only) diet thing that makes a difference on you skin is sugar. If you eat lots of it, that shows on your skin. Then yes, exposure to sun, smoking, and general unfit life.

" the sweet potatoes in Japan differ from the ones we typically find back home in the West"

My home country is clearly in the "West" and we don't find sweet potatoes.

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These are good foods, but worthless if eaten incorrectly or overly cooked.

Some tips for eating healthy:

stay raw as possible. This is why Japan's diet is "so good." Raw food has enzymes that help it digest in our system. If we cook food and destroy their natural enzymes, it's up to our body to supply our own enzymes to digest the foods. When we deplete our enzymes, we start to have degenerative diseases.

Combine foods properly. Meats and carbs is the worst combination you can give your stomach. If you want to know why, google "trophology."

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Wow. Just, wow. This needs a copy editor, stet!

Brought to you by Babelfish!

LOL, Hima.

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They eat less food that Americans. They end up having a lot less skin to nourish and take care of daily.

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Face only white skiny but back side is black than others,no repoductive nation. See how they walk with Daikon ashi gaga walking.Old mental and fashion only Paris and Rome.Attidude are not different than other countries

Post only confusing. See how English textbook before walking (to PC). Gibberish are not different than other countries.

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Babelfish translation adds humor to the thread.

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All the posts above sounds right and I thought I was the only one who knew about these things :). Hellokityis right about the bloodflow and the serious problem Jmen have. Korean women hav good skin but they also have a serious problem with the sweat glands. My beautiful J sister-in law is suffering from problematic skin particularly liver spots from 30 years of age. It is a lot of make up guys. Sorry to disaapoint you.

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This makes no sense. But it's really funny!!

Brought to you by Babelfish!

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Has anyone ever noticed that the Japanese men have particularly BAD skin?

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Not so crazy about Japanese skin, but their hair is astoundingly beautiful.

Smoking a lot does destroy men's skin, not to mention slowing the blood flow to the penis.

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Not all Japanese women have nice skin. It's a bad generalization.

Prevalence of "nice skin" or "beautiful people" (both subjective) is largely linked to economic progress of a country. Richer citizens means better quality of life and therefore more time and money to spare on health, beautiful and of course, cosmetics.

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Ambrosia - you shouldn't lose your cool. My comment regarding Japanese men is that they would probably have nice skin if they didn't drink and smoke a lot. Whether you like it or not genetics does play a part accompanied by diet. Look at the Dutch, they are the tallest people on average in the world, you dont put that down to genetics? I think no one here in this commentary is being particularly nasty. Obviously this is somewhat of a sore point. And PS your not the only one that has travelled.

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Dishdash: If it's in the Asian genetics to have nice skin then surely Asian men would have it as well. If not then do you attribute it to non-genetic factors?

Yes, good food, staying hydrated, staying out of the sun and getting enough sleep are good for the skin. Why not just an article about maintaining good skin? Why does it have to pit one nationality against another? Open your eyes and really look around! Some Japanese have lovely skin and some look like the walking dead and most fall so ewhere in the middle, pretty much the same as the women of the 50-so e countries I've been to.

As a final note, "their Western counterparts" include women of a much greater variety in skin shades and how the sun effects it than the average woman here so let's try and stop pigeonholing people into these ridiculous and limiting stereotypes that this site and so many of its readers seem so fond of.

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Face only white skiny but back side is black than others,no repoductive nation. See how they walk with Daikon ashi gaga walking.Old mental and fashion only Paris and Rome.Attidude are not different than other countries.

This makes no sense. But it's really funny!!

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Keep it up and you will have the world-renowned beauty of the battleaxes you see in every supermarket. Astonishingly beautiful until mid-thirties, then someone flips a switch and - hey presto! Distressed leather.

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Has anyone ever noticed that the Japanese women have particularly nice skin?

Mmmmm nope. I really don't agree. Once you get up close and take off all the make-up, it's usually not that nice.

The nicest skin I have ever seen was a Korean girl. Smooth as a baby's bum and whiter than my pasty gaijin self.

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Sure Japanese women on average have better skin and that is because of the 1) culture to not suntan and 2) so much pressure to have nice skin. In the west most women at a young age are out and about and skin beauty is not so emphasized. Lastly its asian genetics because Korean women have beautiful skin too.

The comment about Japanese guys skin is interesting and I think that person is right. I don't think Japanese guys have great skin esp. as they tend to pick at their acne.

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This is all old news.

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@Hanadecaka,

Your post is almost impossible to understand. I think you are saying there backsides are usually the darkest parts compared to the rest of their body.

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can't really afford to eat "healthy"... I'll just eat my 'pan no mimi' and be happy...

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Face only white skiny but back side is black than others,no repoductive nation. See how they walk with Daikon ashi gaga walking.Old mental and fashion only Paris and Rome.Attidude are not different than other countries.

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Japan have nice skin until they hit 30, then liver spots and other things happen, western people over 60 have much better skin than Japanese over 60.

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Generalisations about "the west" are almost always off somehow. Contrary to what the author claims, Japanese sweet potatoes are almost identical to the kumara sweet potatoes we eat in New Zealand. Dark chocolate and blueberries contain lots of anitoxidants? Not really a newsflash, women's magazines have been telling us that for over a decade now. Bit of a cut and paste job, the nutrition advice here really.

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Sarge: Thanks for the spinach recipe!

Well, I found a very similar list of food that is good for you skin. One thing to definitely add: WATER!!

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Sarge wrote:

A little above the thighs you'll see the most impressive backsides and tummies, and a little below the thighs you'll see the most impressive calves! Perhaps, understandably, you are focusing too much on the thighs...

I can understand the point about tummies but backsides. You either have a fetish or your personal experience with women who have backsides that would be considered nice by most of the world population as whole lacking. There are always exceptions to the rule but backsides are not what Japanese women are known for.

Oh yeah, and the daikon legs.........?

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and things like white rice, have basically no nutrition whatsoever.

Agreed.

What I have noticed is that while Japanese women's skin may not be bad, the men's is another story. By the time they reach their 30's, their skin looks like leather. They age very badly when compared to whites or blacks, and even other East Asians. I don't know whether it's too much sun or stress, but it's awful. Of course there are exceptions. Did anyone notice the three candidates for the LDP the other day? There was 64yr old Tanigaki and someone else who was 46. Tanigaki looked way younger than the 46 yr old who really looked dreadful.

To put it briefly, exercise regularly, eat well, lay off the cigarettes, cut down on the booze and be happy. Genes also help. I'm blessed with a very young looking mother.

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Typical Japanese diet is healthier than typical American diet, but as it is said in this article, it has some problems too. High sodium content is the major issue in Japanese diet, Japanese get 3 to 5 times more sodium than they actually need. Probably the major killer in Japan is table salt not tobacco.

A reversed sodium / potassium ratio is bad for health, and bad for the skin, the largest organ in the human body.

To the food listed here I can add citrus fruits, pumpkin, carrots, papaya, avocado, Brazil nuts and lots of good clean water.

Some Korean and Japanese woman have great skin even without makeup, probably genetic factors are involved. But the majority of them use skin-care products and make-up.

Major problem among people with white skin (low melanin) is "photo-aging", due to high UV exposure their skin looks older than its chronological age. People who avoid strong sunlight will always have a better skin than people who sunbathe at noon. No matter the diet they are on.

Tobacco and excess alcohol cause premature skin aging too.

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"Dark chocolate"

Doesn't that have a lot of fat and calories? But, hey, if you just have a small piece...

"Beer, Wine and Sake"

Those are fermented drinks. But, OK, in moderation those are also good for you.

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Fermented foods.....Beer, Wine and Sake.

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"Fermented foods. Natto and..."

We've got yogurt here already. Don't need the natto!

"aside from their thighs, I don't really don't see anything hugely impressive with the women here"

A little above the thighs you'll see the most impressive backsides and tummies, and a little below the thighs you'll see the most impressive calves! Perhaps, understandably, you are focusing too much on the thighs...

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Fermented foods. Natto and Kimchi. Let the bacteria process the food for you in ways your stomach can't.

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The truth is a mixture of the following;

More exercise at a young age, less junk food at a young age due to the pretty decent school lunch, naturally browner skin than the average white girl, loads of make-up and finally, the system of eugenics that occurs when an island is isolated to the extent that Japan has been.

And to be honest, aside from their thighs, I don't really see anything hugely impressive with the women here.

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Although this food is all healthy, a lot of other food is too. The nice skin, you get it by taking a bath every day for at least 20 minutes, doing face massage twice a week and using whitening cream.

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A lot of the previous comments are on point. This is bogus. If there is any issue in life that can't be applied to a simple, one size fits all explanation, it is our skin. It's purely luck based on your genetics. You can certainly eat certain foods and use certain products to dictate how your skin appears but ultimately, if you don't have that baby smooth complexion many lucky sobs have, then no amount of intervention by you can change that.

As to this writer's impression that Japanese females seem to have nice skin, it is very obvious that most wear an insane amount of makeup, more so than their Western counterparts in my personal opinion.

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"Spinach"

Wash and cut up a bunch of spinach, mix in a little salt and pepper and olive oil, wrap it up in aluminum foil and put it in your toaster oven on medium for 10 minutes or so. Dee-licious! ( as soon as fresh brussel sprouts show up at your yaoyasan, do them the same way, except maybe 15-20 minutes for those )

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Some Japanese women have nice skin but a lot don't! They do heap on so much makeup they have to covering something up ;-)

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Yes these foods are all very good for you - but also as if not more available in every other country, including organic varieties too, which are VERY hard to come by for a reasonable price here.

So it STILL begs the question - why do Japanese women have such good skin?

My take on things - they protect it from the sun once they are adults, but seem to be pretty lax on sun protection when they are children - which is when 80% of the damage occurs - so why is their skin so good?

I also dont think - based on comparison of western and Japanese female friends - that they drink nearly as much fluids as we do (and ocha doesnt count if it is loaded with caffeine). My western friends will often have a bottle of water in their bags, unlike the Japanese who tell me they feel ashamed to be seen drinking water and walking around on the street.

I also dont think - whatever they may believe - that they eat nearly as much fruit and veg as we do. I certainly dont see much evidence of the "6 of the best" every day in the required portions being consumed, perhaps because fruit and veg is so expensive here. And peeling apples or grapes loses much of the vitamin content.

I think the answers lie a) in a culture where paleness is "beautiful", b) genetics to a large extent. (Japanese skin appears better adapted to the rigours of the sun than western counterparts) and c) the foods that Japanese eat a lot of that we DON`T necessarily have such a selection of overseas. For example fresh Tofu, green tea. d) The balance of their diet - they appear to eat a LOT more fish than average westerners. e) They tend not to have the sweet teeth that we have (sugar I believe is responsible for collagen breakdown) and finally f) tokyochris is right - I have never seen such a range of cosmetics so brutally applied!

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Japanese women seem to have nice skin because they wear so much makeup ;-)

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this is very educational!!! i'm gonna start eating these ten selected foods!

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