The Japanese attach importance to fresh ingredients, gentle methods of cooking and real flavors, which is why many foods are cooked for a very short time only or are even eaten raw. Seasonings, such as soy sauce, are used carefully and only to improve the basic flavor of the food. Rice, the staple food, is eaten at almost every meal. Vegetables, fish and all sorts of seafood and plants are an important part of the Japanese diet, as are meat and tofu. An important characteristic of Japanese cooking is that the main ingredients are mostly served on their own and not mixed with others in the same dish.