A brief discussion on the differences between Chinese and Western diets from a cultural perspective China and Western countries represented by Europe and the United States are quite different in geographical environment, history, culture, religious beliefs, etc.
Different geographical environments, historical cultures, ethnic characteristics, religious beliefs and living habits have resulted in differences between Chinese and Western food cultures.
This difference is obvious and is the result of geography, history, and cultural development and influence. It embodies the characteristics of a nation and a country.
1. Differences in dietary concepts between China and the West China has a long history and culture. For a long time, the diet has been mainly based on crops and cereals. The use of vegetables is also based on vegetables, supplemented by meat.
Food culture is an important part of Chinese culture. It can be seen from the different foods eaten during each festival. Chinese festivals place great emphasis on food, and each festival has specific representative foods.
For example: dumplings for the Spring Festival, glutinous rice balls for the Lantern Festival, the purpose of the Dragon Boat Festival, mooncakes for the Mid-Autumn Festival, etc.
The foods eaten on different festivals are the same, but they all have specific meanings and represent people's good wishes. Judging from the different foods on festivals, what Chinese people eat during the festival is not food, but a symbol of hope for happiness.
"Good luck and long-lasting happiness."
The West is quite different from China in terms of festival diet. The West pays attention to activities and rituals during festivals. Food is just a necessity and is no different from daily life.
Chinese diet focuses on the color, aroma, taste, shape and quality of food.
The external requirements for the food itself are very high, and the color combination requires complete colors, natural and beautiful combinations; aroma refers to fragrance, which requires a compelling fragrance that arouses people's connection with food; taste refers to the texture and taste of dishes, which is the core of Chinese food.
, the requirements are higher than others; the beauty of form, the shape of the dish must be decorated with artistic means to make the dish image and give meaning; quality, refers to nutritional quality, hygienic quality, cooking technology, etc.; also refers to touch and taste as objects
The aesthetic feeling of texture such as looseness, softness, crispness, tenderness, smoothness, and refreshing is the "texture" of food.
Chinese people’s requirements for food can be said to be the pursuit of beauty, so Chinese food culture is an aesthetic food culture.
However, they do not pay attention to the combination and intake of nutrients. This is a shortcoming of China's food culture. Chinese people only want to eat well and taste well, and enjoy the taste without thinking about the nutrition and energy. They lack scientific diet.
Compared with China's aesthetic food culture, the Western food concept is contrary to it. It is a rational and scientific food concept.
Westerners do not pursue perfection in the color, aroma, taste, and shape of food when it comes to diet. Instead, they pay special attention to the nutritional value of food. They ensure that they consume sufficient but not excess nutrients while trying to maintain the original taste of food.
and natural nutrition.
In the eyes of Westerners, eating is a need for life. Like sleeping, it is a biological instinct. Therefore, eating is the nutrition of eating. Food is rarely linked to neurological enjoyment. This is inextricably linked to Western religions.
connect.
There are "seven deadly sins" in Western religions, the first of which is "gluttony". They believe that a person's gluttony of delicious food is a sin and will be punished.
Therefore, their requirement for food is only nutrition. Even if the taste is the same, they still eat it with relish.
Regardless of the color, aroma, taste, or shape of food, as long as it is nutritious, it can meet your own nutritional needs and provide your body with necessary calories, vitamins, and protein.
Breakfast is usually an egg, a glass of milk, a few slices of bread and a sausage; lunch is usually a buffet; dinner is bread, French fries, sausage, ham, fried chicken, cheese, etc. Although the food is simple and has a single taste,
Very nutritious.
2. Differences in dietary objects between China and the West. China has been a large agricultural country since ancient times. Except for a few nomadic tribes in the north, the vast majority of Chinese people’s daily diet is mainly vegetarian. In the north, pasta (steamed buns) is the main food, while in the north, rice is the main food.
(Rice) is the staple food, and the dishes are mainly vegetarian. Meat dishes are only used for matching. Generally, meat dishes are the main dish during festivals.
Although people's living standards and purchasing power are now able to hide the fact that they eat meat every day, and the proportion of meat in the Chinese diet is constantly increasing, vegetarianism is still the mainstay in daily life, which is also influenced by China's local Buddhist culture.
Surveys by Western botanists show that Chinese people eat far more types of vegetables than Westerners, about 600 kinds, which is six times as many as Westerners.
Secondly, Chinese people like to eat freshly cooked dishes, and eat them while they are hot. When they are cold, they become leftovers. However, Westerners prefer cold drinks, salads, cold dishes, etc., and like to eat some vegetables raw, thinking that this is the most primitive and most
Nutritious eating method, excessive heating will destroy the nutritional structure of vegetables.
Most Western countries are nomadic or seafaring peoples. They mainly obtain food by hunting, breeding, and fishing, supplemented by growing crops and collecting fruits.
Meat is the staple food of Westerners, and the proportion of meat in their diet is much higher than that in China. They believe that meat is a high-energy food that can hide their requirements for fat, protein, and nutrients, and that China's diet is not sufficient.
Science, they pay more attention to scientific diet.