There is a saying in English, "You are what you eat". It is indeed not easy to translate this sentence, but it means that what you eat determines what kind of person you are. Westerners have been talking about healthy eating in recent years, and even restaurant menus indicate how many calories each dish contains. This may have something to do with this sentence. The Chinese also have a similar saying, "Wherever you eat, you will be replenished." Complementing shapes with shapes is a bit like Chinese hieroglyphics, and the reason for its creation is very straightforward. If a child is afraid that he is not smart enough, he will be fed animal brains. If an old man has bad legs and feet, he will be fed pig trotters. It seems that the idea of ????eating something to solve the problem is the same in China and the West.
People often talk about food culture, saying which country’s food is delicious and which country’s food is not delicious. In fact, I don’t think the core of food culture lies in what you eat, not in the taste of food, but in it. The way to eat and the way to eat. After people in most places have solved the problem of having enough to eat, eating has increasingly become a social activity. No matter what kind of food it is, it becomes a matter of biology and nutrition after it passes through the mouth and stomach, but before it is eaten, it better reflects cultural habits. Let’s talk about ordering in restaurants. Western food menus are mostly only one page, with front and back sides at most, and also include drinks and desserts. The better the restaurant, the shorter the menu. Just like Western culture, although it is also very rich, It's deep, but it's very concentrated. Chinese food is different. The menu is generally very long and has many choices. Ordering has become a more difficult task. It is a fusion of variety, and its richness is reflected in its diversity. There is no inevitable connection between the dishes before and after the Chinese meal, and there is no necessary connection between what you eat and what you drink. It is very similar to China's diverse cultural concepts and ever-changing forms of social organization. Diversity, tolerance, assimilation, and being used for my own purposes are Basic features.
For Western food, everyone orders their own dishes, while for Chinese food, the host orders all the dishes and everyone just eats them. Both have their own merits. Ordering by yourself is more respectful of personal choices. You order by yourself and you are responsible for the quality. But the variety is definitely single, and the taste is not that lively, but it shows the independence of individuals in Western culture. Chinese culture pays more attention to the whole. The person who orders dishes has to satisfy the tastes of different people. He may be praised or criticized. Therefore, there is a saying in China that it is difficult to agree with others. We know that this is a difficult thing, but we still do this. I do it because I think overall consistency is more important. Chinese food pays attention to sharing, which may be due to the influence of uneven distribution. This kind of sharing is so deep that Chinese people also share when eating Western food. Even if everyone orders their own dishes, they will taste each other while eating. Order mine, I'll try yours, and the dining table is still very lively and cheerful?
The way of eating Chinese and Western food is different at the dining table, and it is also very different in the kitchen. I have seen the Chinese and Western kitchens of China Resources hotels in Bangkok, and I feel that the cultural contrast is also obvious. A Western kitchen is more like a factory, with a lot of standard equipment, a lot of measurement, temperature, and time controls. The layout of the kitchen is also designed according to the process, and there are strict requirements for the style and color of the products. In fact, foreigners have relatively simple minds, but they have standardized and programmed many things, which improves the efficiency and consistency of their work. McDonald's and Starbucks are both the result of product standardization. The Chinese kitchen is very different. When you push the door and walk in, you will see a fire blazing into the sky. There are rows of chefs all sweating profusely. Various condiments are arranged in several rows. Whether the final taste is good or not depends on how well the chef controls the big spoon in his hand. Therefore, it is difficult to unify the standards of Chinese food at the source. It depends more on the personal skills of the chef, otherwise it would not be Chinese food. This may be the same as how many things in Chinese culture can only be accomplished through the actions of a certain person. However, it is impossible and unnecessary for many things to be unified. The vitality of Chinese food may come from its disunity, otherwise the world would be too monotonous.
Westerners use knives and forks to eat. Some people say that the people who still use knives to cut bloody beef must not have evolved enough. However, because knives and forks are very practical, foreigners have no desire to change. No matter how advanced Western civilization is, it seems that knives and forks cannot change. Chinese people use chopsticks to eat. Foreigners are often amazed at how Chinese people can dexterously pick up the soft tofu and slippery peanuts on the plate with their chopsticks. Knives, forks and chopsticks are often topics at the dinner table. In recent years, fewer Chinese people don’t know how to use knives and forks, but there are still many foreigners who don’t know how to use chopsticks. This shows that Chinese people have a strong ability to absorb and learn. This kind of absorption and learning The spirit of China is probably the most precious part of Chinese culture.
Comparison of the nutritional composition and flavor of Chinese and Western food
Abstract: Based on the differences in Chinese and Western dietary structures, this article reviews the nutritional composition of Chinese and Western food, and analyzes the typical dishes in Chinese and Western food. The formula was introduced.
Keywords: Chinese and Western food dietary structure, nutritional content, the four major cuisines of Sichuan, Shandong, Jiangsu and Guangdong, French cuisine, Italian cuisine, American cuisine, Japanese cuisine
Countries in the world are located in Differences in natural conditions, historical traditions, social systems and religious beliefs have formed different life characteristics and customs over a long period of time. Reflected in the food culture, they have created different styles of cooking techniques and dishes. Western food generally refers to the traditional diet of people in Europe and North America. It is very different from the Chinese food we are familiar with.
1. The nutritional composition of Chinese and Western food
In order to maintain normal activities, the human body needs many nutrients, but they can be summarized into proteins, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals Substances, dietary fiber and water. According to research by some scientific and technical personnel, many diseases that are harmful to human health, such as diabetes, obesity, cancer, etc., are related to the current simple diet of people. There are still about 15% of undernourished people in the world [ 1] Moreover, the meaning of the word "nutrition" proposed by our ancestors is actually not completely consistent with the word nutrition used in some foreign countries. This term in the West mainly refers to the meaning of nourishment and nourishment, and does not clearly include the Chinese The word "ying" in ancient times refers to seeking operation, which is one of the Ying, Wei, Qi and Blood in Chinese medicine.
1. The nutritional content of Chinese food
The traditional diet of Chinese residents uses cereals as the main source of energy [2]. The calories it provides account for about 75% of the total dietary calories. The protein provided accounts for about 66% of the total protein, while animal foods provide about 8% of the calories and 11% of the protein. Such a dietary structure is called a high-cereal diet in nutrition. It contains a certain amount of vegetables and fruits. However, due to the traditional cooking techniques and taste requirements of Chinese residents, many vegetables require a large amount of food during the washing, cutting, and cooking processes. Healthy substances that are beneficial to human health are eliminated. Since the protein content of cereal foods is not high and their amino acid composition is imperfect, the protein provided by this type of diet is not only insufficient in quantity, but also has low physiological value, insufficient calcium intake and insufficient utilization of trace elements such as iron and zinc. Low and insufficient vitamin content are also common problems in this type of diet. With the adjustment of dietary structure, grain consumption is declining year by year, while animal food consumption is on the rise [3]. However, according to the results of the 1992 National Nutrition Survey, among some wealthier households, the consumption of animal foods has exceeded the consumption of cereals. This "Westernized" or "rich" diet provides too much energy and fat, but too little dietary fiber, which is detrimental to the prevention of some chronic diseases.
In order to improve the deficiencies in the traditional dietary structure, the Chinese Nutrition Society and the Institute of Nutrition and Food Hygiene of the Chinese Academy of Preventive Medicine formed an expert committee to combine the dietary guidelines for Chinese residents with the Based on the characteristics of the dietary structure, a balanced diet pagoda for Chinese residents was designed [5].
The Balanced Diet Pagoda proposes a nutritionally ideal dietary pattern. The amount of food it recommends, especially the amount of milk and beans, may be somewhat different from the actual diet of most people. The distance may still be far away for some poor areas, but in order to improve the dietary nutritional status of Chinese residents, it is indispensable. We should regard it as a goal, strive for it, and gradually achieve it.
2. The nutritional composition of Western food
Currently, the popular diet in developed countries is based on meat as the main source of energy. It is characterized by being too dense in energy and rich in nutrients. Due to fat and sugar and lack of complex carbohydrates. Although insufficient supply of nutrients will lead to nutritional deficiencies and various nutritional deficiencies, excessive nutrient intake will lead to excess nutrient intake, which not only increases the burden on the digestive organs and causes gastric diseases, but is also The root causes of obesity, cardiovascular disease and diabetes are also detrimental to physical health. Western countries are now aware of this problem and therefore generally recommend the Chinese dietary structure.
It is worth mentioning that when it comes to the question "What to eat? How to eat?", due to differences in various aspects, the results obtained between China and the West are also different. Chinese people pay more attention to taste in their diet. requirements, while Westerners pay more attention to nutrition.
It can be seen that a reasonable diet and balanced nutrition are the keys to ensuring human health.
Comparison of Chinese Food Flavor and Western Food Flavor
The beauty of dishes should be judged by taste, and the taste comes first. The national recipes of a country reflect that country to a certain extent. Certain national characteristics, such as the affordable German cuisine and the flavor of family meals, reflect the simple character and pragmatic spirit of the German nation.
Due to different social and cultural backgrounds, China and the West have different taste requirements for food.
To sum up, "eating" is the top priority in life. Today, with the gradual improvement of living standards, we cannot stop at "eating full", but should consider how to "eat" in order to eat nutritiously. In addition, with the continuous exchange of Chinese and Western cultures, more and more people will know and accept the delicious food from all over the world.