|| asian weight loss diet plan ||
Asian countries hold nearly half the world’s population, and their traditional foods vary in many respects.
Yet Asian diets also hold much in common. Rice is a common staple, and diets overall are largely plant-based.
Fish is commonly eaten, and meat is fairly rare, usually enjoyed in small amounts as a flavoring in dishes – not as a huge steak in the center of the plate! Spices, herbs, fermented vegetables, sprouts, and healthy fats are also widely consumed, making for a flavorful and imaginative diet.
Most Asian diets focus heavily on vegetables and grains, with a
healthful amount of proteins. They also include smatterings of oils,
fruits and sauces. Vegetables such as broccoli, cabbage, mushrooms and
chili peppers are encouraged in every meal, including breakfast. Egg
noodles and buckwheat noodles, also known as soba noodles, are common
grain options in Asian diets, but rice is the backbone grain of most
meals. Meat, fish and other protein choices are used sparingly and
served in small portions, such as side dishes. Fish is a common and
healthful protein choice -- include it at least twice weekly in your
diet.For example, India and many South-Asian countries serve flat breads like pita in addition to rice and other grains.
Japanese dishes often focus heavily on fish and white rice. Thai menus commonly feature curry sauce and richer ingredients like coconut milk. Mix and match elements of Asian cuisines to make your diet healthier. For improved appetite control, opt for fiber-rich, whole-grain alternatives like brown rice , buckwheat noodles or roti, a whole-grain Indian flat bread. Search recipe websites and Asian cookbooks for ideas.
No diet or miracle food will melt away your fat in a week. Weight loss is a gradual process, and you should aim to lose about 1 pound weekly. No matter the diet, you'll get results if you balance your nutrition, use portion control, eliminate high-calorie beverages and eat more non-starchy vegetables. Switch to unsweetened green tea for most of your beverages, and use herbs and spices to flavor your foods instead of fats and salt. Limiting your calorie intake will also greatly benefit your weight-loss efforts. "U.S. News" states that the average Asian diet features about 1,600 calories a day, which is a healthful goal for both men and women.
This top 5 list serves up healthier habits, better nutrition and enhanced immune function. This top 5 list has been perfected and practiced for centuries.
To paraphrase Sun Simiao, the great Chinese physician in the sixth century, one wastes the skill of a great physician if one does not first consider the food he or she are eating. This is still true today. Consider also when you eat and how you eat as you read these 5 Asian diet habits.
#1. Limit Drinks, Especially Cold Drinks With Meals
Americans have a bad habit of drinking a cold glass of water or soda with meals. Changing this habit alone will create better digestion of food. Limit fluid intake with your meals and you will stop diluting your digestive enzymes which are so important for proper digestion. Green tea or other hot teas before a meal supports enzymatic activity and helps enhance your digestive abilities. It's best to add liquids 30 minutes before or after meals, not during.
#2. Small Plates and Chopsticks
Small serving bowls and small plates are a great way to eat smaller portions. I love to mix up attractive small plates and bowls in different shapes and sizes. Not only is it aesthetically pleasing to eat from these but it helps you eat smaller portions. Chopsticks are an easy way to avoid the shovel techniques of eating. For the average American inexperienced chopstick user, they are guaranteed to slow down your rate of consumption and give your stomach time to send the message to your brain that you're full and it's time to stop eating.
#3. Asian Snacks are Healthier
Take a look at what Asians eat for snacks and compare it with the American chips and cookies and you'll understand part of the reason Americans are so overweight and Asians are not. Choose seaweed snacks, nuts, dried fruit and seeds. I love pumpkin and sunflower seeds. All are easy to find in nearly every market. These healthy snacks are packed full of micro-nutrients, vitamins and minerals and the choices are limitless. One caveat, do watch out for the salt content of nuts. Raw is preferred but admittedly not as tasty as salted. If you really want the salt, try "lightly salted" versions.
#4. Avoid Cow's Milk and Milk Combining
Milk combines horribly with just about everything, while supplying vastly too much calcium and not enough magnesium. Cow's milk is completely absent in Asian diets. Other cultures such as Jewish kosher rules recognized thousands of years ago that milk products should be eaten apart from other foods. If you just can't give up cow's milk, at the very least don't ignore the tenet of food combining. Combining the wrong foods, i.e., dairy, slows down gut motility to a snail's pace, the exact opposite of what is best for healthy digestion. Replacements for cow's milk are easier than ever today with the arrival of convenient cartons of almond, coconut, rice or organic soy milk.
#5. Seafood -- See Food Differently
No need to repeat what we already know. Research supports this common Asian diet practice of eating fish daily. We've heard all about the healthy oils from fish. Fish has always been part of man's diet nearly everywhere in the world, not just Asia. But the Asian culture has kept this part of their heritage alive better than most.
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Asian Diet Pyramid :
This pyramid, the second in the series of traditional diet pyramids, was developed by Oldways in conjunction with the Cornell-China-Oxford Project on Nutrition, Health and Environment, and the Harvard School of Public Health. It was released at the International Conference on the Diets of Asia in San Francisco in 1995.
The Asian Diet Pyramid illustrates the Traditional Asian Diet. Like the Mediterranean Diet Pyramid, this pyramid was developed as a model for healthy eating because of the historical low incidence of chronic diseases in a specific region – in this case, in Asian countries. The traditional diet in many Asian countries also is often closely tied to both religious practices and long-standing customs, and the record of these eating habits is an excellent source of information and culinary inspiration.
The Asian Diet’s geographical base is very broad. It includes (but is not limited to) Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesian, Japan, Laos, Malaysia, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nepal, North Korea, South Korea, Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam.
Although each Asian country and region has its distinct flavors and cooking styles, almost all share one food in common—rice, which is prepared and eaten somewhat differently from country to country.
But as the staple food central to survival, especially during times of famine, rice has acquired an almost sacred status in Asian societies, and it is served in many ways. It is a significant part of each meal of the day; incorporated as a main ingredient in confections such as candy and cakes; fermented to make wine (Japanese sake) or beer; and traditionally offered to the gods to ensure a good harvest.
Asian Diet Foods
- Physical Activity — Many Asians bike or walk for transportation. It is recommended that some form of regular exercise be adopted for health. Regular physical activity has been shown to help control weight, reduce stress, and prevent many chronic diseases.
- Tea — Green and black tea is consumed widely in Asia. Some medical research suggests that the various beneficial antioxidants found in these teas may provide a protective effect against some chronic diseases, such as throat, stomach, lung, and breast cancer.
- Sodium — Historically, Asian diets have been high in sodium, partly due to the use of soy sauce. Today, many Asians are lowering their salt consumption by switching to reduced-sodium soy sauces. They are also increasing their use of many herbs and spices for seasonings. For example, ginger, basil, lemon grass, garlic, fennel, clove, cinnamon, and fresh and dried chiles are just a few of the herbs and spices being utilized as flavor enhancers.
- Wine, B
eer, and other Alcoholic Beverages — Alcoholic beverages are considered optional in Asian-style diets. They should be consumed only in moderation. Many health and social factors should also be taken into consideration before determining whether alcohol should be used. For example, alcoholic beverages should be avoided during pregnancy or before operating a motor vehicle.
| Sample Menu | ||
|---|---|---|
| Breakfast | Lunch | Dinner |
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| This Sample Diet Provides the Following | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Calories | 1796 | Fat | 50gm. |
| Protein | 120gm | Sodium | 3772mg |
| Carbohydrates | 214gm | Calcium | 657mg |
Asian Diet Risks
A traditional Asian diet is low in dairy products and may, therefore, be low in calcium. Diets low in calcium can lead to osteoporosis, a weakening or the bones. Women are especially vulnerable to this disease after menopause when lower levels of hormones weaken bones as well. Similarly, pregnant women and children have higher calcium requirements. To insure that adequate amounts of calcium are in the diet, a calcium supplement may be needed or the addition of low-fat dairy products.Attempting to follow an Asian diet by eating at Asian style restaurants in the West may not be successful or healthy since many of these restaurants have adapted to Western tastes by adding high levels of fats and sodium. To enjoy the benefits of Asian style eating, it may be necessary to prepare the foods at home. Though many communities enjoy authentic Asian restaurants and it may be possible to find healthy Asian cuisine.
