Chinese Food vs Diets

So, you were trying to lose weight and enrolled in a diet plan. But at the same time, you crave a bit of Chinese food, as it is tasty and appealing. To tell you the truth, if traditional Chinese dishes are cooked correctly, they can become healthy foods with low-calorie intake. The trick is to cook them without frying or adding an extra amount of unhealthy oils. And you can benefit from this even though you order Chinese food. The secret is to choose restaurants that are open about heir cooking policy and ingredients. Let’s see up next what Chinese food to choose to benefit your diet.

Appetizers

As a common rule, every Chinese appetizer that is fried, like egg rolls, comes with high-calorie intake and saturated fats. Still, you can opt for having soup as an appetizer, as many Chinese restaurants offer plenty to chose from. Egg drop, wonton, or hot and sour soups are the best choices for a healthy diet. Besides, steamed legume dumplings are also suitable as a low-calorie appetizer.

Entrees

Of course, when you say `Chinese entrees`, you think about sesame chicken, lemon chicken, sour pork, or kung pao chicken. But these don’t go well with any diet because they are deep-fried and come with a high amount of fat. Instead, you can opt for steamed chicken with broccoli or boiled dishes. These have lower calories and can turn out to be a healthy addition to your meal plan.

Sides

As a general rule, avoid white rice, and always opt for steamed brown rice. Also, if you want a healthy side dish, it is recommended to choose from the menu steamed vegetables. These are rich in fiber and water, which in turn will help your digestive tract in processing the food you eat.

But what about the Chinese Diet?

Still, the original traditional Chinese foods were considered to be one of the healthiest food options, similar to the Mediterranean or Nordic diets. Several cities around the world indeed transformed Chinese food into a blend of fast foods, but the original Chinese diet can be one of the healthiest options you can make. Here is how to create an authentic Chinese diet to help you with keeping up your health and your weight balanced.

#1 Drink green tea

Traditionally, Chinese people drank green tea because it kept hunger at bay, but at the same time, supported digestion. Mostly, this beverage is perceived as the best anti-cancer drink that shields the body against free radical damage.

#2 Remove dairy from your diet

The original Chinese diet uses dairy products only for children. Starting with adulthood, no milk is permitted in a healthy diet. Instead, the necessary calcium is obtained from green leafy legumes, sesame seed, or fermented soy curds.

#3 Eat meat as little as possible

Chinese medicine underlines the fact that overeating meat, especially red meat, can harm your health and wellbeing. This is why a Chinese diet only allows you two small servings of meat per week.

#4 Design your dishes with moderation

In China, the common belief is that meals should be balanced and have the proper mix of yin (wet and moist) and yang (dry and crisp) ingredients. This can be viewed as the appropriate balance between carbohydrates and proteins. The purpose is to eat a bit from the two categories to aid the body in keeping up proper blood sugar levels.

#5 Don’t rush your meal

The most challenging part of a Chinese diet is eating slowly and determine yourself to stop eating when you feel full. The goal is to allow the brain to receive the signal that you are eating. This is why Chinese diets can be efficient in weight loss. Eating slowly gives your body time to understand that it was fed, and you are full. So, if you want to be successful with a Chinese diet, you should take your time and enjoy your meal.

#6 Always have a bit of soup with your meals

Have you noticed that each menu in a Chinese restaurant has a wide variety of soups in the begging? Well, the traditional belief was that the stomach needs liquids to remain healthy. As such, each meal in a Chinese diet starts with a soup-based dish. This controls the appetite, while fermented soups act as probiotics for the gut.

Of course, there are several other useful insights about the Chinese diet, but overall the goal is to opt for healthy food choices. Still, having Chinese food with different types of diets can boost the beneficial effects on your body. The secret is to portion your meals without focusing on counting calories carefully. In this way, you will feel less stressed while eating, which in turn will allow you to enjoy your meal.