Natural Chinese Foods For Health

The traditional Chinese diet emphasizes whole, plant-based foods and beverages, including fruits, vegetables, mushrooms, legumes, whole grains, nuts, seeds and black and green tea, with little meat. These foods are high in antioxidants and fiber and low in sodium and saturated fat. Chronic conditions and diseases such as obesity, heart disease and cancer rarely occur when eating a traditional Chinese diet. Consult your nutritionist about eating natural Chinese foods to boost your health.

Chinese Vegetables

Chinese vegetables, such as bok choy, Chinese broccoli and cabbage are among the most nutrient-dense foods. These vegetables contain high concentrations of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and fiber. The Centers For Disease Control and Prevention recommends that you eat generous amounts of vegetables each day to prevent chronic diseases, including heart disease, high blood pressure, stroke, type 2 diabetes and cancer.

Tofu

Tofu is a soy food that is part of a traditional Chinese diet. Tofu contains all essential amino acids to make a complete protein, calcium, healthy fats and an antioxidant called isoflavones. Eating tofu can improve your blood levels of cholesterol and iron and reduce your blood levels of lead. Research by scientists at the Jiangsu Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention in Nanjing, China, and published in the "Journal of the American Dietetic Association" in July, 2008 found increasing the intake of tofu is associated with a lower risk of anemia, a condition of red blood cell deficiency, among Chinese adults in both sexes. Research by scientists at Harvard School of Public Health in Boston and published in the "American Journal of Epidemiology" in June 2001 discovered that increasing consumption of tofu is associated with lower blood levels of lead, a toxic heavy metal.

Sesame Oil

Many Chinese dishes include the use of sesame oil, a nutritious food that contains healthy fats, such as monounsaturated fatty acids and polyunsaturated fatty acids. Eating sesame oil may reduce your risk of atherosclerosis, a cardiovascular disease characterized by hardening of the arteries. Research by scientists at Louisiana State University in New Orleans and published in the "Journal of Medicinal Food" in Winter, 2006 found that sesame oil may inhibit the formation of atherosclerotic lesions and reduce blood levels of LDL cholesterol, the bad cholesterol, in mice.

Green Tea

Green tea is a popular beverage throughout China. Green tea includes high concentrations of antioxidants called polyphenols. Drinking green tea may reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease and cancer, alleviate inflammation associated with rheumatoid arthritis and help you control blood sugar. Green tea is not recommended for children since there are not any scientific reports on pediatric use.