Foods found in their most natural state, fresh, locally grown when possible, grown without chemical fertilizers or pesticides, and free of additives and preservatives, are preferred to highly processed foods. Dairy products and highly refined sweeteners such as sugar, fructose, and even honey are discouraged. Whole grains, including brown rice, millet, barley, oats, buckwheat, quinoa, rye, amaranth, whole corn, and whole wheat, are to be cooked with sea salt to enhance digestibility. For optimum nutrition, whole grains are preferable to breads and noodles made from the ground flour from of these grains. Persons living in a temperate zone should consume vegetables and fruits grown in a similar climate or, preferably, the same region.
Sea vegetables are especially high in minerals such as calcium.
They can be cooked with beans, soups, and vegetables or made into delicious side dishes cooked and seasoned with soy sauce. Unpasteurized miso is a rich source of Lactobacillus bacteria and enzymes which reportedly aid digestion and food assimilation. Miso should be added to soup stock at the end of cooking and should not be boiled. Traditional pickles such as sauerkraut, daikon radish, rice bran pickles, and homemade quick pickles are an important part of this whole grain-based diet. Twig tea, specifically called kukicha or bancha, and other natural beverages such as barley tea, grain coffees, and non-carbonated mineral water are enjoyed to quench one's thirst.