CHINA Handout

Charles Chen, Alex Guan, Sio Chong Dao, Danny Ma

Background
-China is located in East Asia and has the largest population in the world with approximately 1.3 billion
people
-Western China contains many mountains, high plateaus, and desserts
-Eastern China contains plains, deltas, hills, and being closer to the coast leads to better living conditions
-Majority of Chinese population in the East, and food is more developed there
Major staples: South China- Rice, Tea, Sweet Potatoes, Sugarcane, Fruits and Vegetables
North China-Wheat, Sweet Potatoes, Corn, Cotton, Soybeans, Fruits and Vegetables, Millet
Meals– Three meals a day, grains are main component of meal, all other food considered
accompaniments
Breakfast (Zao Chan)- Common foods eaten are congee (rice porridge) and steamed bread or rice
dumplings. Youtiao (Chinese Donut) is most common item served at breakfast
Lunch (Wu Chan) – Similar to dinner but a smaller proportion, usually rice with meats and vegetables or
stir fry and noodles
Dinner (Wan Chan)- Most important meal of day, eaten with family. Usually rice, with separate side
dishes which may include chicken, fish, and vegetables
Dim Sum- Usually served with tea- a meal in between breakfast and lunch with the purpose of replacing
them. Usually contains bite-sized dumplings made from a mixture of wheat, starch and tapioca flour,
stuffed with force meats, fish, meat or vegetables and fruits.
Celebrations and Holidays
-Chinese New Year (Lunar New Year) – Chinese candy box which contains chocolate coins and candies
lotus seeds and roots. Gao (cakes) are often eaten for best wishes.
-Dragon Boat Festival – Zong-zi: Glutinous rice or sweet sticky rice would often be eaten. The Zong-zi
may be stuffed with: beans, egg and meat, sweet potatoes, or walnuts, or a combination of all of them.
-Moon Festival- During the moon festival, many people eat moon cakes, which are usually round or
rectangular cakes made with a thin crust and dense filling. These cakes are often made with: lotus seeds,
taro paste, red bean paste, or jujube paste, and each may contain an egg inside as well.
Food Theory
Yin and Yang- Yin= more cool and cold, Yang= more warm and hot, Together they are neutral
Therapeutic Foods
-There are more than 2000 herbs that the Chinese use, and they may be used in combination to treat
illnesses. They are sun dried for storage and often brewed into tea for consumption.
-Common therapeutic foods- From plants: ginseng, caterpillar fungus, ginger
From animals: dried deer horn, Tai He chicken
Exotic/Weird and unusual foods
Includes dry lizard, stinky tofu, alligator, scorpion, baby mouse liquor
Health- Life expectancy Avg. = 73.18 years, for males=71.37 years, females = 75.18 years
-Heart Disease- Coronary Heart Disease most prevalent, due to increase amount of fast food, and high
amounts of fat and salt intake
-Lung Cancer- most deadly cancer in China
Health Programs: GAIN Project- Fortifying flour with iron and vitamins in Gansu and Shaanxi Provinces
PNDC(Public Nutrition and Development of China) created to maintain a healthy nutrition status in
China and to prevent an increase in health care problems.