On March 27th, the Lexus brand experience space "INTERSECT BY LEXUS - TOKYO" (Minami-Aoyama, Minato-ku, Tokyo) hosted the "Low-Carb Food Event: Eat Deliciously, Stay Healthy, and Have Fun," a seminar to learn about delicious meals that build a healthy body.

This was a rare opportunity to hear "The Secrets to Eating Deliciously and Staying Healthy" from Dr. Satoru Yamada, Representative Director of the Food, Fun, and Health Association and Director of the Diabetes Center at Kitasato Institute Hospital, and Toshi Yoroizuka Toshihiko, Owner and Chef of Toshi Yoroizuka. Participants seemed excited, with notepads at the ready even before the event began.

Yamada then appeared on stage and the first part of the seminar began. He used panels to clearly explain why low-carb is good for the body. "Lo-Carb" is a colloquial term for "low carb" and refers to a diet that limits carbohydrate intake. In this age of overabundance, the term has recently gained attention among people looking to find ways to improve their health through food. At first glance, it may seem like a food culture fad, but Yamada flatly denies this. "In an age where the number of people with metabolic syndrome is on the rise, it's inevitable that awareness of Lo-Carb has grown. Everyone wants to live a healthy lifestyle without giving up on enjoying delicious food, so Lo-Carb, which aims to make that happen, shouldn't end up as just a fad. In the future, I would like to actively hold study sessions for members of the Diet in order to firmly establish Lo-Carb in Japan," he said. In response, Yoroizuka explained the appeal of Japanese cuisine and the importance of limiting carbohydrates, including his own experience, saying, "Japanese dashi, the base of our cuisine, is actually zero carbohydrate. It's garnering attention from chefs around the world because it allows you to enjoy delicious umami while being mindful of your health." Given these circumstances, Yoroizuka visited Yamada, with whom he had been in contact for some time, and expressed his desire to "think carefully about low-carb diets and ask for his help." Yamada readily agreed. He then began developing low-carb sweets, visiting Yamada each time a prototype was completed, ultimately leading to the product's development. The "Low-Carb Matcha Roll Cake," also available online, was unveiled at the tasting and social gathering held in the second part of the event. This dish, which allows you to fully enjoy the flavor of matcha and the richness of fresh cream, is also healthy. Participants were intrigued and satisfied with the final dish after the low-carb a la carte menu. The menu for the day included a hearty selection of dishes, including "Cauliflower Blancmange with Sea Urchin," "Seared First Bonito, Chicory, and Selvatico Salad with Balsamic Vinegar," "Pasta with Daisen Chicken, Nuts, and Hatcho Miso," and "Bran Bread." Even with the addition of a low-carb matcha roll cake, the total carbohydrate content was a staggering 21.4g. In response to a participant's concern that such healthy and filling meals must be difficult to make at home, Yoroizuka offered the following advice: "Just look up the carbohydrate content of each ingredient online, then simply add them up to make sure you don't exceed the ideal number. Anyone can do it." According to him, the ideal carbohydrate limit is generally considered to be 20-40g per meal. He also noted that it's recommended to consume desserts with less than 20g per day for mental health reasons. Yoroizuka added, "As a pastry chef, one of my missions is to create new sweets without the constraints of low-carb. However, from now on, I would like to contribute to this field so that everyone can enjoy low-carb as an option in their daily lives." Yamada commented, "It would be great if even at a ramen shop, you could choose 'low-carb' in addition to the basic menu." Furthermore, for a limited time until June 30th, the event venue, INTERSECT BY LEXUS - TOKYO, will be offering a low-carb menu to the general public at its cafe. Low-carb pasta options are available for lunch only, such as "This Week's Pasta" (1,300 yen), and for dinner, "Low-Carb Pasta with Wagyu Beef Bolognese and Scamorza Cheese" (2,000 yen). Other items on offer at the event include the low-carb Matcha Roll Cake (10 servings only/800 yen) created by Yoroizuka Toshihiko, as well as a Low-Carb Sweets 3-Piece Set (1 low-carb chocolate brownie, 2 low-carb pound cakes/1,100 yen).

While savoring delicious food, why not experience the wonder of enjoying delicious, healthy food? It's a great place for dates, and it seems like it would also be fun for groups of women to come and enjoy.