If you adopt a traditional Chinese diet, you will eat more fiber and less protein than the average American diet contains. A Chinese diet contains three times as much fiber and 90 percent less protein than a Western diet, according to the China Study, a 20-year examination of the diet and health of more than 6,500 people living in rural China. A Chinese diet may also protect you against diseases such as Type 2 diabetes, particularly if you eat brown rather than white rice.
High Fiber Diet
A Chinese diet is rich in complex carbohydrates, mostly derived from vegetables, and little saturated fat. Most of the protein -- 89.2 percent -- comes from vegetables, according to the China Study. T. Colin Campbell, a researcher at Cornell University, and colleagues conducted the China Study to compare the health benefits of Chinese and American diets. The study, published in October 1994 in the "American Journal of Clinical Nutrition," found that a diet derived mostly from plants correlated with fewer incidences of degenerative disease. Campbell's findings align with recommendations from the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2010 that persons in the United States consume more fiber and less animal fat in their diets.
Brown Rice
If you follow a Chinese diet but substitute brown rice for white, you can help protect yourself against Type 2 diabetes, according to a Harvard Public Health study. Qi Sun, lead author, and colleagues estimate you could reduce your risk of developing Type 2 diabetes by 16 percent if you substituted two servings of white rice per week with the same amount of brown rice. White rice is basically brown rice with the husks removed. The husks contain soluble fiber and magnesium, two factors that help protect against diabetes, according the study reported in the "Archives of Internal Medicine" in June 2010.
White and Brown Rice Nutrition
Long grain white rice contains 194 calories in 1 cup, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture National Nutrient Database. It also contains 4 g protein, 21 g of carbohydrate and 1.4 g of fiber. It contains virtually no fat. It also provides small amounts of calcium, iron, niacin, folate, manganese and magnesium. If you chose the same size serving of brown rice, you'd obtain 216 calories, 5 g of protein, 44.8 g of carbohydrates and 3.5 g of fiber. White rice, a refined carbohydrate, converts to sugar in your bloodstream more quickly than brown rice, a complex carbohydrate.
Considerations
If you want to adopt some or all of the principles of a Chinese diet, look to vegetables such as broccoli, bok choy, carrots and onions for fiber and minerals. Include vegetable protein such as soy, tofu and black beans. Choose lean sources of animal protein, such as chicken. You can also obtain animal protein from broth. Include rice with most meals and consume few sweets. The Chinese diet usually omits dairy, but includes calcium-rich vegetables such as broccoli. A Chinese diet may also help you maintain a healthy weight without counting calories. The China Study found that a Chinese diet contained more calories but was less likely than a Western diet to cause weight gain.
References
- USDA National Nutrient Database: White Rice Nutrition Facts
- "Archives of Internal Medicine"; White Rice, Brown Rice, and Risk of Type 2 Diabetes in US Men and Women; Qi Sun et al; June 2010
- CNN Health: Brown Rice Instead of White May Lower Diabetes Risk; Denise Mann; June 14 2010
- "American Journal of Clinical Nutrition"; Diet and Chronic Degenerative Diseases: Perspectives From China; T.C. Campbell and C. Junshi; May 1994
- USDA, Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion: Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2010
- "The Independent"; Use Your Noodle: The real Chinese diet is so healthy it could solve the West's obesity crisis; Sophie Morris; July 22 2008
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