Because most Asian diet plans have fundamental differences from the typical Western diet, they're much more conducive to weight loss and healthy dietary choices. One helpful strategy is to craft a sample Asian meal plan for a week and use it to work toward a longer-term plan of consistent healthy, low-calorie eating.
Benefits
Most Asian meal plans heavily feature whole grains, fresh vegetables and fruits. According to MyPyramid, those components have notable health advantages. When used as part of a balanced diet, they can slash risks of obesity and overweight as well as cut risks of bone loss, kidney stones, high cholesterol, diabetes, heart disease, high cholesterol, stroke and cancer.
Features
An Asian meal plan stands in stark contrast to a Western diet plan because of the differences in food pyramid levels. Western diets tend to showcase meat, but in the Mayo Clinic's model of an Asian food pyramid, meat is at the very tip of the structure and most of the main foods are low in calories, saturated fat, sugar and sodium. Whole grains make up the bottom level, and ascending upward are vegetables, legumes and plant-based proteins, fruits, vegetables oils, fish and dairy, eggs and sweets.
Types
Not all Asian cuisines or meal plans have the same features or highlighted foods. Thai meals, for example, tend to include curry sauces and saturated fat in the form of coconut and coconut milk, while Japanese cuisine may include more fish than meals based in other countries' culinary traditions. However, a food guide from the California Pacific Medical Center says that almost all Asian meal plans do have the same emphasis on fresh vegetables, fruits and other whole foods, which are low in calories, helpful for weight loss and healthier than processed options.
Results
Losing a significant amount of weight with any meal plan is unlikely to be accomplished in just a week. Weight loss comes down to consistently burning more calories than you take in over a prolonged period, but according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, it is possible to safely lose up to two pounds per week with a healthy and balanced, low-calorie meal plan. To do so, cut at least 500, and preferably, closer to 1,000 calories from your typical daily diet.
Sample Meals
Before adopting any new diet or meal plan, talk over the details with a physician. To incorporate more Asian-style meals into your diet, stock up on fresh vegetables, fruits, lean proteins and rice. The Florida Department of Health lists sample meal suggestions of tofu with rice, broth, broccoli and orange juice; lean meat stir fries with fresh fruit; and lean beef with spinach, rice, broth and an Asian pear.
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