The Japanese diet is a traditional diet that has been around for centuries and emphasizes fresh, unprocessed foods with low levels of saturated fat and sugar. It has many health benefits such as lower rates of obesity, heart disease, stroke, diabetes, cancer and other chronic diseases along with longer life expectancy. Common ingredients used in the traditional Japanese diet include rice, soy products, fish, seaweed, mushrooms, vegetables, fruit and nuts. Eating habits in Japan focus on smaller portions throughout the day rather than large meals at once or skipping meals altogether. To follow a Japanese diet correctly it is important to maintain balance between all food groups while avoiding processed and sugary foods and drinks. However there are some drawbacks if not followed correctly such as mercury poisoning from consuming too much fish or health issues due to high sodium levels in processed food.