>This week I will try to show case different diets. I am starting with Asian because people many people believe that the Asian diet can be found at your local Chinese restaurant! This is not true!
The Asian diet does not call for specific quantities of food, only types of food. For example: Meat is only eaten once a month. Sweets, eggs and poultry, once a week. Fish and shellfish, and dairy- daily, but the dairy needs to be low fat, and consumed in low to moderate amounts.
Therefore, a daily Asian diet consists of mostly grains, fruits, vegetables and legumes. If used, alcohol should be consumed in moderation, primarily with meals. Physical activity is part of the whole Asian philosophy on proper diet.
The following is a typical daily Asian diet:
Breakfast
Cooked cream of rice or cream of wheat
soy milk
peanuts as garnish
Lunch
Miso soup
Spring roll stuffed with cabbage, carrots
bean sprouts and a small amount of tofu
or shrimp
plums
Dinner
Large serving of rice
Tofu stir-fried with broccoli, carrots, onions
mushrooms, peppers, and water chestnuts
in a little sesame seed oil
The typical Asian meal consists of small portions and light meals,
therefore, portion control is not mentioned in their diet plan.
The main diet consist mostly of fruits, vegetables and grains.
Taken in part from : Loecher, S.& O’Donnell, S. ( 1998) Women’s Choices in Natural Healing: Drug Free Remedies from the World of Alternative Medicine. Emmaus, PA. Rodale Press