Traditional Chinese meals are made with boiled green vegetables, seaweed, and plenty of other plant-based food, and very little animal-based proteins. It also has spices and fish-based proteins that are made not only to provide energy, but often made to fight diseases. Ancient Chinese medicine practitioners believed that food does more than fill you up; it also helps you to stay healthy. Chinese food is often made to balance your body temperature and target specific areas of health concerns that are gradually made better with food. They also believe that eating spices and roots provide remedies for their various types of illnesses.
The food we eat has many functions. It can have a dramatic effect on our health and well-being. The food we eat also has the natural capacity to give us stronger bones and muscles, boost our immune system, fight heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, and even cancer.
Disease fighting qualities of Chinese food
Ancient Chinese food contains mostly green vegetables and fruits. In recent studies, researchers have found that a plant-based diet consisting of fruits, vegetables, beans, dried peas, grains, and staples like potatoes can be the body’s natural weapon against many diseases. These foods work against diseases while boosting your natural fitness levels. The same food that will work for fighting cancer, keeping your heart healthy, and will also benefit your bones and intestinal tract. (Foods That Fight Disease – China culture)
Cancer fighting food
You could prevent cancer just by eating more fresh fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Berries are at the top of the list of fruits containing antioxidants, according to the United States Department of Agriculture study. They are disease fighting foods that should be in everyone’s kitchen because they contain such a wealth of disease fighting substances, writes Kathleen M. Zelman, MPH, RD, LD, in her article titled 10 Amazing Disease-Fighting Foods.
Michael S. Donaldson writes in his journal titled Nutrition and cancer: A review of the evidence for an anti-cancer diet that, “It has been estimated that 30 to 40 percent of all cancers can be prevented by lifestyle and dietary measures alone.”
If people ate more fruits, vegetables, and plant-based foods, and less high calorie, high fat foods, they could easily fight diseases naturally. Many of our diseases are related to our body weight, blood cholesterol, and toxicity of the foods that we eat. By controlling our body weight and living a healthy lifestyle, we could minimize the chances of getting cancer even more.
Although the specific ingredients in traditional Chinese food that make them an efficient weapon against cancer is still unknown, scientists are looking closely at two major components in Chinese food that could prevent cancer: phytochemicals and antioxidants. Antioxidants in the form of vitamin E, beta-carotene, lycopene, and Vitamin C found in a plant-based diet and fruits fight free radicals. The uncontrolled activities of free radicals are thought to be the cancer causing elements in our body.
The phytochemicals present in fruits and green vegetables like peas, beans, cabbages, saponins, cauliflower, and isoflavones in soy milk and tofu prevents the growth of malignant cells in our body.
Heart healthy food
Chinese food contains plenty of plant-based foods, high in antioxidants and fiber, and very little animal-based proteins, which is good for your heart.
The choices you make with your food intake will benefit your cardiovascular system the most. Eating whole grain and food high in fiber, low in saturated fat will lower your risk of heart diseases.Plant-based foods provide complex carbs, vitamins, and are low in fat. Because they contain high levels of indigestible fiber, they take up space in our stomach and help us lose weight. It has also been observed that ingesting soluble fiber has a direct relationship with the body’s cholesterol control systems. A special fluid from the stomach is released that binds with fat and prevents fat from being absorbed into the bloodstreams. Fiber forms a gel with the stomach fluids, which slows down digestion. Your stomach stays full, and you reduce your food intake. It also controls the insulin levels and diabetes. (The Benefits of Fiber: For Your Heart, Weight, and Energy)
Eating rice and fish wrapped with seaweed and vegetables is one of the delicacies of China. This seaweed roll is high in nutrients and fiber, low in calories, and also great for the heart. (Seven reasons to eat seaweed | Life and style | The Guardian)
Chinese diets also contain plenty of seafood. Eating plenty of fish and seafood is also beneficial toyour heart. It gives you a low fat, high protein, and rich in omega 3 diet. Omega 3 has been proven to keep your blood pressure and cholesterol low.
Eating saturated fat is the major cause of high blood cholesterol levels, heart disease, clogging of arteries, and high blood pressure, which can lead to stroke. If your diet consists of foods that are high in saturated fat levels, you are bound to get a heart attack, sooner or later.
People have benefited from many other traditional foods and beverages from China. One such miracle beverage from China is green tea. Chinese green tea, which has high levels of antioxidants, gives you relief from colds, boosts your immune system, and keeps you energetic.
Chinese dietitians believe in maintaining a balance between all types of foods. For example, you could have cheesecake as part of your meal, but you should not indulge in cheesecake as a main part of your diet. Chinese philosophers also recommend that you should trust your body to absorb the necessary nutrients from food and discard the substances not necessary for you. You should eat to satisfy your spirit, or “chee” which is generally thought of as the vital force within our bodies.
Want to learn more about traditional Chinese food? Please be with us at our next NTP/CEED bi-weekly huddle. Our next huddle guest, Giuseppe La Manna, CEO/CTO – EcoLogix Sustainable Business Solutions, has been a student and practitioner of Traditional Chinese Medicine-based nutrition for almost 30 years. He will share his knowledge and life experiences with us, so see you at the Huddle!
Please click here to join us for what is sure to be an informative and eye-opening hour!
Source: Nourish the Planet
