If you had the opportunity to visit Asia, you must have been struck by the slim and cellulite-free bodies of the majority of Asian women. Many countries in the Far East have a low obesity rate and a high life expectancy thanks to a diet and a healthy lifestyle.
The origin of the Asian Diet
A nutrition specialist has decided to take a closer look at Asian diets and to unravel their mystery. This is Dr. T. Colin Campbell, American Professor of Nutritional Biochemistry at Cornell University, co-author of The Campbell Report, whose original title is The China Study.
This book highlights the link between nutrition and health and the development of certain diseases that are becoming more and more important in our time. According to Dr. Campbell, all these diseases have one thing in common, animal proteins.
After conducting specific studies and experiments in the Philippines and China, he was able to conclude that those who consumed a large amount of animal and casein-containing dairy products were the most Breast and colon, diabetes, cardiovascular disease and excess cholesterol.
The purpose of his book is to explain the benefits of plant proteins in the prevention of these diseases. He says that adopting an Asian-style diet by tracing our eating habits on their own is a solution to all these ailments. All you have to do is eat healthy, fresh and dietetic foods.
Eat seafood, fruit and vegetables
The basic food in Asia is based on seafood, rice, vegetables and fruit. Their diet is based on simple, fresh products bought at the market that they cook themselves so as not to alter their nutritional richness. They use very little oil and are not fond of dishes in sauce.
Unlike the Western way of life, meat is consumed only in small quantities and serves as an accompaniment only.
Eating varied and balanced
Asians usually consume products containing low fat and low sugar. Their breakfasts are made up of rice, fish or chicken and vegetables, they do not eat bread or butter or dairy products. They do not eat at fixed times, they usually eat throughout the day but in small quantities to bring all the essential nutrients to the body while diversifying tastes and flavors.
Avoid salty and sweet eating
The reason that Asian women have little or no cellulite is that they do not consume salt. They therefore have no water retention problems which tend to cause the orange peel effect. Moreover, consuming very little sugar prevents the body from getting used to it and creating insulin spikes that could disrupt the body, promote the storage of fat and increase the risk of diabetes.
To season their dishes, they replace the salt with nuoc-mam sauce (fish sauce) or soy sauce (fermented soy sauce).
Drinking green tea
Today, tea has become indissociable from the Asian continent. This detox drink contains polyphenols, catechins and flavonols useful for our health. A study conducted in 2010 showed that catechins possess slimming properties when combined with healthy eating and regular physical activity.
Today, there are a multitude of green and nature flavored teas with antioxidant properties. Those that contain caffeine help burn more calories. It is advisable to drink green teas from organic farming.
Here is a typical day of an Asian type diet:
- For breakfast consume a cup of organic green tea without sugar and a bowl of millet cooked in almond milk.
- In a snack, eat an orange or a grapefruit
- For lunch, prepare a serving of whole rice mixed with vegetables steamed all seasoned with a little sauce nuoc-mash.
- For the snack, consume an almond milk yoghurt mixed with sliced fruits and a cup of green tea.
Finally, at dinner, eat a lemon chicken breast with broccoli.
If consumed in large quantities, millet can be harmful to health because of the mycotoxins it contains: trichothecenes (plant parasites that come from soil fungi). These toxins attack and destroy the bone marrow.