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Chinese cuisine may seem like a result of a crazy experiment but in fact it is a verified system of combination of taste and nutritional value. The balance between tasty and healthy finds a worthy solution in the Chinese culinary tradition. Chinese cuisine is highly developed in Western Europe. Due to the large numbers of Asian immigrants in countries like U.S., Cambodia, Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam, their cuisines got modified to some extent (“Chinese cuisine”, 2019.) Distinctive dishes developed based on Cantonese cuisine like the Hawaiian pizza that got inspired by Chinese sweet and sour flavors. The main reason for Chinese cuisine being so popular outside the country lies in its incredible diversity. It has a global appeal, with its combination of exotic flavors and availability in any part of the world.
Clearly, the popularity of Japanese cuisine is largely predetermined by the richness of flavors and rich aromas of the dishes. Sushi and rolls combine a huge number of different ingredients – from rice with fish to sesame and avocado. It is the gastronomic accents in these dishes that make them popular and in demand. In addition, the dishes of this Asian cuisine have become popular among those who follow a healthy diet. After all, products made from fish, rice, seaweed, and vegetables simply cannot contain a large amount of calories. Just like with Chinese foods, many countries have imported portions of Japanese cuisine. Some dishes have been adapted to fit the palate of different cultures. As an example, california roll was created in the US in 1970s, rose in popularity, and, as a result, sparked sushi’s global popularity, raising interest in other Japanese traditional foods (“Japanese cuisine”, 2019.)
A lot of people say that Korean food is tasteless and that North American versions of Korean dishes are not as good as NA Chinese or NA Japanese. That is because these other cuisines had a long head start, and Korean is just starting to become popular. Korean food is in fact not tasteless. Korean cuisine is rich in different spices and sauces, and I personally find Korean food to have more intense flavors than most Japanese food. However, it might be fair to say that it indeed lacks variety in comparison to Japanese and Chinese. Yet, Korean food has made some impact in other Asian countries and in North America. For instance, US market invented combinations like kimchi quesadillas, burgers cooked bulgogi style, and tacos filled with barbecued meat (McCurry, 2012.) Korean food is just rising in its popularity and gives way to Chinese and Japanese for now; but it’s off to a great start.
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The Health Aspect
A meal in Chinese culture is typically seen as consisting of two general components: a carbohydrate source or starch – typically rice, noodles, or steamed buns, and accompanying dishes of vegetables, fish, or meat. In Chinese traditional culture, being overweight was a sign of prosperity as only the wealthy could afford foods rich in sugar and fat. Closer to 20th century, as income levels increased, so did the consumption of meats, fats and sugar (Wertz, n.d.) In China, the number of people with nutrition-related diseases like obesity has risen dramatically over the last 15 years. Health advocates blame Western foods, especially fast food. Vegetarianism in China is practiced by a relatively small proportion of the population. Most Chinese vegetarians are Buddhists (Wertz, n.d.)
In comparison to Chinese food, Japanese tends to be much lighter on the stomach, and thus, healthier. Chinese food preparations have a great amount of grease, and some of the main staples items are rice and noodles that contain a lot of carbohydrates (Simpson, 2017.) Of coarse, Japanese love rice and noodles too but don’t eat those with every meal unlike Chinese. Moreover, the Japanese like foods relatively raw and uncooked, which is not as common to Chinese.
Korean meal is balanced with grilled protein, rice, and lots of various fermented vegetables such as kimchi and miso paste. Kimchi, the pickled cabbage, is almost iconic in Korean culture, and it’s dense with minerals, vitamins, fat-free and, most importantly, loaded with probiotics. Moreover, Koreans consume a lot of collagen-based dishes and soups (Kim et al., 2016.) Koreans even have their own diet, the K-diet, that is known worldwide. The principal aspects of it include proportionally high consumption of vegetables, moderate consumption of legumes and fish, and low consumption of red meat. The average life expectancy in Korea greater than 80 years and researchers believe it’s due to the regular consumption of vegetables and the types of salt used in Korean cuisine. Koreans use unrefined, baked, or fermented salts, which may have different health effects compared with refined salt (Kim et al., 2016.) It is clear that Korea is superior to Japan in China in the health aspect of their foods and eating lifestyle.
Conclusion
In conclusion, every cuisine has its own cooking methods, different seasonal tastes, and food products. But the use of exclusively fresh ingredients and an attitude to their own food culture is what unites these three cuisines. They easily unite the principles of healthy eating with the rich taste food. All the traditions preserved by these cultures from ancient times give each of these cuisines a special philosophical meaning. That is why they are able to tell about the history and culture of their country better than any encyclopedia. This is one of the main secrets of the attractiveness of Asian cuisines.
