Brands and policymakers should not focus solely on introducing new sustainability solutions. There may also be value in modernising and preserving traditional Japanese food practices.
“This includes evaluating the extent to which traditional food practices can be sustained amid the demands of modern, convenience-oriented lifestyles. Identifying culturally resonant, feasible strategies that align with both sustainability goals and contemporary life will be critical to guiding long-term dietary transitions in Japan and beyond,” wrote researchers in Nutrients.
The study analysed 120 contemporary recipes from NHK Today’s Cooking between 2023 and 2025, a television programme by Japan’s national public broadcaster widely regarded as reflecting Japanese home cooking practices.
Researchers examined how sustainable healthy diet (SHD) pillars—nutritional diversity (e.g. varied protein sources), environmental sustainability (e.g. low-carbon ingredients), and cultural continuity (e.g. traditional techniques)—are embedded in Japanese home cooking.
Results showed that pork (33.3%) and seafood (19.2%) dominated main protein sources, with minimal beef (2.5%) and a notable presence of soy-based foods (12.5%), supporting lower reliance on environmentally intensive red meat.
The data also identified emerging challenges, including environmental pressures such as fisheries management concerns and public health issues such as excessive sodium consumption.
The mean salt content per person in main dishes was 2.16 ± 1.09 g (28.9% for men, 33.3% for women of Japan’s daily salt targets). Recipe patterns emphasising fermentation and seasonal alignment were also highlighted as potential contributors to environmental efficiency within Japanese dietary practices.
Researchers concluded that centering dishes as culturally meaningful units and using media recipes as reproducible datasets offers a framework for assessing dietary sustainability in evolving global food systems.
Here are five action points and the key takeaways based on the study.
Key action point #1: Preserve the parts of traditional Japanese diets that are already working
The study highlights several practices worth maintaining and potentially promoting – these include greater use of soy and legumes, moderate reliance on animal protein, use of seasonal ingredients, and fermented foods.
“As a whole, these features reflect a culturally rooted approach to food that meets multiple dimensions of sustainability while preserving time-honored culinary traditions,” said researchers.
“Our findings affirm that contemporary home-cooked Japanese cuisine embodies a functional synthesis of nutrition, environmental stewardship, economic viability, and cultural continuity. This sustainability-oriented dietary paradigm is operationalised through several key practices: strategic protein sourcing that prioritises low-trophic marine species and legume-based proteins; adherence to seasonal food procurement; flavor enhancement through fermentation rather than high resource inputs; and reliance on energy-efficient cooking methods.”
Energy-efficient cooking methods include steaming, which utilises the rapid transfer of heat through condensation. It cooks food significantly faster than boiling or baking while retaining more nutrients and natural flavour.
Stir-frying is similarly efficient as the intense, direct heat over a highly conductive metal wok requires shorter stove-on time via continuous heat contact.
These features naturally support nutrition, sustainability, affordability, and cultural heritage.
Implication for industry: Develop products, education programmes and policies that make traditional eating patterns easier to maintain in modern lifestyles rather than trying to replace them altogether.
Key action point #2: Make sustainable diets compatible with modern lifestyles
The researchers recognise that traditional diets are under pressure because consumers increasingly want convenience, speed, ready-to-eat products, and modern eating formats.
The challenge is no longer proving that traditional Japanese diets are sustainable, rather, it is asking whether sustainable dietary principles survive in a convenience-driven and internationalised food environment.
Researchers noted that the actual dietary landscape in Japan has become increasingly diverse and internationalised.
In addition to traditional staples such as udon, soba, and sushi, many Japanese households now incorporate a wide variety of global dishes into their daily meals. Examples include Chinese-style mapo tofu, Korean chijimi (savory pancakes), Japanese-style adaptations of ramen, and Western imports like pizza and hamburgers.
“While such culinary diversification can enhance dietary variety and consumer enjoyment, it also introduces new public health and environmental challenges. The increasing reliance on ultra-processed foods and the declining prevalence of home-cooked meals have been associated with rising rates of obesity, hypertension, and other non-communicable diseases, as well as greater environmental impacts linked to resource-intensive food production. These developments call for a renewed examination of the relevance of traditional Japanese dietary practices in the context of contemporary SHDs frameworks,” researchers said.
They argued that future research should focus on identifying solutions that are culturally acceptable, practical, and compatible with modern lifestyles.
Implication for industry: The opportunity may not be to persuade consumers to return to 1950s-style cooking habits, but to create convenient products based on traditional ingredients, lower-sodium ready meals, and modern formats that preserve traditional dietary principles.
Key action point #3: Continue reducing sodium
Even though Japan has sodium-reduction guidelines and NHK features lower-salt recipes, current efforts are insufficient.
The researchers repeatedly flag sodium as a major public health issue and explicitly called for continued food reformulation and more public health interventions.
“While washoku [Japan’s traditional dietary culture] continues to serve as a cultural ideal and reference point, it is not without nutritional limitations. A prominent concern is the traditionally high sodium content of many Japanese dishes. Excessive sodium intake has been consistently linked to elevated risks of hypertension and cardiovascular disease. In 2010, Japan’s average daily salt intake was 12.7g – substantially higher than that of the United States (9.2g/day) – and that of Western Europe averaged 9.7g/day. Although recent decades have seen gradual improvements, national surveys still indicate that average intakes exceed recommended limits,” researchers said.
Implication for industry: There remains significant room for salt-reduction technologies, umami-based flavour enhancement, fermentation solutions that maintain taste while lowering sodium, and reformulation of processed foods and condiments.
Key action point #4: Find alternatives to reduce pressure on seafood
The researchers acknowledge that seafood contributes positively to nutrition and have a lower carbon footprint compared to red meat.
However, Japan’s high seafood consumption also raises concerns about overfishing and marine ecosystem degradation.
“Japan’s high per capita seafood consumption, while beneficial to public health due to its nutritional profile, places growing pressure on marine ecosystems. Overexploitation and habitat degradation necessitate more robust fisheries management and the development of alternative protein sources to ensure ecological sustainability,” said researchers.
Implication for industry: This creates opportunities for alternative proteins, including plant-based seafood, fermentation-derived proteins and other solutions that reduce reliance on wild-caught fish.
Key action point #5: Understand what people actually eat, not just what recipes suggest
One limitation the researchers acknowledge is that NHK recipes may not perfectly reflect real-world consumption.
People may modify recipes, eat convenience foods or order takeout instead. They may even consume more processed products than cooking programmes suggest.
“Contemporary Japanese dietary practices have been reshaped by the forces of globalisation, urbanisation, and shifting consumer preferences. The expansion of convenience stores, fast-food chains, and ready-made meals has introduced a growing array of ultra-processed and Western-style foods into the daily diet,” wrote researchers.
They therefore called for research into actual dietary behaviour in the future.
Implication for industry: The next step is less about analysing recipes and more about studying consumer behaviour.
