Life in Fukuoka "English"

【Fukuoka's Ariake Seaweed】

Now in season, Fukuoka proudly offers one of Japan's highest quality laver seaweeds, Fukuoka's Ariake Seaweed. The Ariake Sea, located in the southern part of the prefecture, is one of Japan's three major seaweed production areas. This seaweed is known for its rich aroma, delicate texture, and umami that melts on the tongue From rice balls to toppings for various dishes, seaweed has long been an essential ingredient on Japanese dining tables. It's also a nutritional powerhouse, packed with protein, vitamins, minerals, iron, calcium, dietary fiber, and more. Despite being low in calories, seaweed is a natural food that is rich in flavor.
The flavor and texture of seaweed vary depending on its place of origin, season, and grade. What makes Fukuoka's Ariake Seaweed so delicious is the abundant nutrients and moderate salinity brought by the rivers flowing into the Ariake Sea, as well as the unique tidal flats exposed during low tide. This combination of natural blessings and expert techniques results in an exceptional product. The seaweed season in Fukuoka's Ariake Sea runs from mid-October to early April. During this time, you can enjoy the fresh aroma unique to seaweed at its peak.
However, even the finest seaweed can lose its flavor if not stored properly. The greatest enemy of seaweed is moisture. To maintain its quality, store dried seaweed in an airtight container with a desiccant, in a dark place away from direct sunlight. While it can be kept at room temperature, storing it in the refrigerator is also recommended. Just before eating, lightly toast the seaweed over an open flame or heat it in the microwave to remove moisture and restore its crisp texture.
Now is the perfect season to savor Fukuoka's Ariake Seaweed. Pair it with rice and experience the authentic taste of Fukuoka!

【Fukuoka City Information】

Lifestyle Disease Prevention Month

February is Life-style related disease prevention month.
These are diseases that develop due to, as you may have guessed, our life-style habits.
Life-style related diseases include diabetes, hypertension, CKD or chronic kidney disease and heart attacks and are caused by a lack of regular exercise and by nutritionally imbalanced diets. Smoking, excessive drinking and stress can also cause life-style related diseases.
To maintain a healthy life-style, balanced and appropriately portioned meals, three times a day at regular times, is key. Constantly eating nutritionally unbalanced foods, like instant meals or greasy foods, can cause obesity and diabetes. They also say that chewing your food properly is important in a healthy diet as it will reduce the burden on your digestive system and strengthen the muscles around the mouth. Taking your time to eat, spending at least 20 minutes enjoying your meal, is suggested.
Regular exercise is also important as the loss of muscle mass due to a lack of exercise will affect your basal metabolic rate, which is the number of calories you burn as your body performs basic life-sustaining functions. If this rate decreases, it's more likely you'll gain weight. So make time to exercise to maintain your muscle strength and mass. For those who do not have many opportunities to exercise, walk when shopping, use the stairs instead of the elevator or escalator, or take other short breaks in your daily life to get about 10 minutes more physical activity than you do now. It will go a long way toward your health.
Sleep is also essential to your health. It plays an important role in our health as it allows us to get rid of mental and physical fatigue and boosts our immunity. But to maintain our immunity, it's important that we are getting enough sleep and that our sleep is good quality sleep. Avoid using your smartphone, watching TV, or consuming caffeine or alcohol before going to bed, as these will reduce the quality of your sleep. Instead, find another way to relax, perhaps by taking a bath before bed, or doing whatever is it you like to do to relax. It's important to live a stress-free life. Perhaps this is a chance to take another look at your own daily life-style.