I looked for a thread like this, but couldn't find one.
Recently, I've been noticing that typically, Asians have wonderful skin and hair, and they also typically seem to live long, healthy lives. I think this is directly related to their diets: fish almost daily, vegetable oils, fruits, legumes/nuts/seeds, vegetables, tea, and lots of rice, noodles, breads, and other grains. They typically eat meat and sweets rarely, and drink alcholic beverages moderately. I think this sounds like a very healthy way to eat, and I'd like to try to incorporate more of these foods into my diet. I think another trick is that Asians don't eat a lot of processed foods. Their food also has low saturated and total fat.
Anyone want to try to eat a more Asian-inspired diet with me?
I agree with what you are saying. I went to a workshop on nutrition as it relates to health and the presenter pointed out that cultures that eat a diet high in things such as of harmful fats and processed foods all tend to have people with common diseases and health concerns whereas people who live off of what they grow for example have fewer health concerns and live longer and healthier lives.
I have not read either, but two books were reccomended on this topic: "The Chinese Study" and "French Women Don't Get Fat"
Has anyone read or know more about these two titles?
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I just want to say that sticky rice is very unhealthy as well as too much salty foods. The asians have great skin and hair and are slim because of their metabolism not because of what they eat.
Asians do eat alot of sweets, go look at an asian supermarket and see all the yummy sweets...
The book 'French women don't get fat' is a rip-off. Basically the book is just saying eat every few hours but small quantities and you will stay slim....
I wouldn't really recommend the Asian diet because it is too salty. I do however recommend the italian diet which bascially has extra virgin olive oil in every meal that keeps the digestive system healthy and stays slim...but remember too much of anything is bad for you.
xx
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Last edited by eurofashionjunki : 19-11-2006 at 04:15 AM.
I think the Asian Diet Pyramid could be the basis for a very healthy lifestyle. Do people in Asia really eat like that? I think it's more a recommendation how you should be eating. But only six glasses of water?
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I just want to say that sticky rice is very unhealthy as well as too much salty foods.
Hmmm... I'm not in agreeance...
Much of Asian food is Americanized, or altered elsewhere, to include much more fat and salt and deep-fried coatings... in fact, most of the rice that Asians eat is steamed white rice... here in the States, I know, much of it is fried to suit the Americans. I'm not saying that all Americans eat unhealthily, but many of them do.
I just want to say that sticky rice is very unhealthy as well as too much salty foods. The asians have great skin and hair and are slim because of their metabolism not because of what they eat.
I've always heard that Asians stay slim because they eat slowly (which explains why the French are also typically slim also, as well as most of the world). Eating with chopsticks automatically means you're going to eat a little slower than with a fork or spoon. If you think about it, everyone pretty much eats slower than Americans, and I think that eating fast may be a cause of obesity, because when you eat fast, it takes your body longer to tell you that you're full, so you'll eat a lot more than you need. I could be wrong though.
I've always heard that Asians stay slim because they eat slowly (which explains why the French are also typically slim also, as well as most of the world). Eating with chopsticks automatically means you're going to eat a little slower than with a fork or spoon. If you think about it, everyone pretty much eats slower than Americans, and I think that eating fast may be a cause of obesity, because when you eat fast, it takes your body longer to tell you that you're full, so you'll eat a lot more than you need. I could be wrong though.
Eating fast can be a problem; but more problematic is portion size. The sheer amount of food served in American restaurants/households is immense. Portions are much smaller in Asian countries. That said, lets try to stay away from weight discussion and focus on the health benefits of the "Asian Diet."
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This is probably because Asians in general are a lot smaller than those in the West. I know that here they recommend eight glasses of water a day to everyone, but do you honestly think that my boyfriend and I should both consume the same amount of water a day when I'm 5'2" around 98lbs and he's 6'4" and weighs about twice as much as me? I read in a book written by some doctors that the best way to estimate the amount of water you should be drinking a day is by having one glass for every 14lbs you weigh. So, I should be drinking around seven glasses each day. Considering I'm half Asian and many Asians are built similarly to me (minus the big hips ) I think six glasses a day is about right for them (in general).
P.S. I hope I have not broken any rules by mentioning weight here, but I felt it was necessary to explain the water thing. Sorry if I have!
Last edited by Eurasian Mélange : 19-11-2006 at 11:10 AM.
This is probably the diet in more traditional Asian cultures. A Hong Konger's diet is going to be different from someone in mainland China as HKers eat more "westernized foods." A Chinese person who grew up in the west will have grown up with a diet similar to Hong Kong, except he/she may have grown up with more dairy (like moi) and will likely be a bit bigger (unlike moi...I'm slightly shorter and much lighter than most of all the women in my generation).
I think the Asian Diet Pyramid could be the basis for a very healthy lifestyle. Do people in Asia really eat like that? I think it's more a recommendation how you should be eating. But only six glasses of water?
i'm from south korea..and the whole thing about eating meat once a month caught me off guard. i agree with you that it seems like a healthy way to eat, but i dont think its realistic.
the basis for a universal 'asian diet' doesn't make any sense. asia is a continent with different countries and uhh different eating habits.
i'm from south korea..and the whole thing about eating meat once a month caught me off guard. i agree with you that it seems like a healthy way to eat, but i dont think its realistic.
the basis for a universal 'asian diet' doesn't make any sense. asia is a continent with different countries and uhh different eating habits.
From the first link I posted:
Definition of "Asia"
"Asia" represents an enormous land mass that contains a large variety of peoples, cultures and cuisines. The Healthy Traditional Asian Diet Pyramid was inspired by the cuisines of South and East Asia, including such countries as China, Japan, South Korea, India, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, and other related Pacific Rim areas.
They eat a lot of TOFU in Asian which is so so good for you, especially women. I have heard that in general, menopause and peroids for asian women is easier as they have eaten so much tofu throughout their whole lives..
I read in a book written by some doctors that the best way to estimate the amount of water you should be drinking a day is by having one glass for every 14lbs you weigh. So, I should be drinking around seven glasses each day. Considering I'm half Asian and many Asians are built similarly to me (minus the big hips 
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