Traditional Chinese Diet
and Chinese Way of Eating

The traditional Chinese diet and Chinese way of eating is why, despite a population of 1.3 billion, China does not have a major obesity problem. This author has lived in China since 2000 and sees very few obese people.

Traditionally, Chinese people eat what is called a clear, bland diet, consisting primarily of cooked vegetables, rice, noodles, fruits and relatively small amounts of meat. Unlike the typical Western method of basing main meals on meat, in China the traditional way is to base meals on veges and rice or noodles, accompanied by small amounts of meat. Garlic, ginger and chilli are used not just to enhance flavor but also as important digestive aids.

Despite the relative lack of obesity in China today, the author predicts obesity will, however, become a major health problem in China, particularly in urban areas. The main reasons? Western fast food restaurants and 24-hour convenience stores are everywhere and are hugely popular, particularly with young Chinese. Also, Chinese people are buying cars at a phenomenal rate (800-1000 new cars reportedly hit the streets of China's major cities every day), meaning more people are getting less exercise in their daily life. Fast food plus an increasingly sedentary lifestyle leads to obesity and a host of other modern day diseases.

To learn more about the traditional Chinese way of eating see the author's Chinese Diet Report. This free report contains 25 practical, time-tested ways to improve and maintain your health and wellbeing through traditional Chinese dietary principles. Note: You will need Adobe Reader (a free program) installed on your computer in order to open and view the report. You can get it here (a new window will open so you can download without leaving this page).

Got a question or comment about traditional Chinese dietary principles or the Chinese way of eating?

Click below to see contributions from other visitors to this page...

Breathing exercise for losing weight 
Hi, I have heard there is a Chinese breathing exercise one can do before every meal (5 times a day) that helps you lose weight. Do you know about this ...

White Rice Good or Bad?  Not rated yet
Hi, is white rice bad for you and if so why do Asians eat it almost every day?

Matthew's reply: Hi Barbara, white rice is quite stodgy and can clog ...

Back to top of page: Traditional Chinese Diet