Is Chinese food really healthy?

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Ultimate Geek

#2097727 27-Sep-2018 19:54

Batman: Traditional Chinese food in China is very bland.

Boiled or steamed. Healthy.

Westernized Chinese food is all deep fried or if not deep fried, cooked in a tub of oil. Not so healthy.

That is definitely not true. Each region of China has a ton of different recipes all packed with flavour and are definitely not bland in the slightest.

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#2097742 27-Sep-2018 20:26

Tzoi:

Batman: Traditional Chinese food in China is very bland.

Boiled or steamed. Healthy.

Westernized Chinese food is all deep fried or if not deep fried, cooked in a tub of oil. Not so healthy.

That is definitely not true. Each region of China has a ton of different recipes all packed with flavour and are definitely not bland in the slightest.

Completely fully correct.

Simplistically they eat meat and veg. They add spices. I commented on MSG which MF corrected me. But they don't eat food that is highly processed. They eat natural food, and in an obsessive, but healthy way. Chinese take out is NOT Chinese

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#2097755 27-Sep-2018 20:58

jonathan18:

I reckon you're confusing 'healthy food' with 'health food', the latter being food being pushed by pious gits touting the latest diet fad, which can indeed push flavour down the pecking order in terms of important characteristics. But to claim that food that is healthy is 'bland and flavourless' is just bollox. Yep, fat's great at carrying and enhancing flavour, but astute use of seasoning and combinations of ingredients means that basically anything can be made to be tasty. Perhaps it's just more that your own sense of 'tasty' is narrower than that of others?!

I dunno.. I keep being told that anything with fat, sugar, salt, msg, meat, or even half the carbs I like is "unhealthy", and I've yet to find anything that I consider edible that doesn't have at least 1 if not more of those in it.

Salad? Healthy.. tastes like rabbit food unless you put meat and cheese in it, and cover it in a dressing.

Vegetables in general? Can't say I've found a single vegetable that I really _enjoy_ eating unless it's covered in some time of sauce or dip, and probably served with meat. Raw carrots would probably be the closest, but they taste much better with dip.

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#2097757 27-Sep-2018 21:01

Lias:

jonathan18:

I reckon you're confusing 'healthy food' with 'health food', the latter being food being pushed by pious gits touting the latest diet fad, which can indeed push flavour down the pecking order in terms of important characteristics. But to claim that food that is healthy is 'bland and flavourless' is just bollox. Yep, fat's great at carrying and enhancing flavour, but astute use of seasoning and combinations of ingredients means that basically anything can be made to be tasty. Perhaps it's just more that your own sense of 'tasty' is narrower than that of others?!

I dunno.. I keep being told that anything with fat, sugar, salt, msg, meat, or even half the carbs I like is "unhealthy", and I've yet to find anything that I consider edible that doesn't have at least 1 if not more of those in it.

Salad? Healthy.. tastes like rabbit food unless you put meat and cheese in it, and cover it in a dressing.

Vegetables in general? Can't say I've found a single vegetable that I really _enjoy_ eating unless it's covered in some time of sauce or dip, and probably served with meat. Raw carrots would probably be the closest, but they taste much better with dip.

Its balance. Spices, sauces, etc. Maybe high in bad things but small unless you have dip with the odd carrot. Best to have the carrot with dip. Rather than dip with carrot.

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#2097770 27-Sep-2018 21:23

GeekGuy:

I know someone that works for MPI and she stopped eating Chinese food after inspecting what arrives into the country from there.

Funny you say that. I know someone who used to insist on nothing but organic vegetables and meat until one of the food scientists I know took them through a tour of the meatworks that exports meat overseas. Showed them the organs of the animals that don't get antibiotics and chemical treatments and also showed them under a microscope.

They came back white as ghosts.

They are much less worried about what the animals might get injected with, than they are eating what those chemicals didn't kill :)

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#2097771 27-Sep-2018 21:26

Lias:

jonathan18:

I reckon you're confusing 'healthy food' with 'health food', the latter being food being pushed by pious gits touting the latest diet fad, which can indeed push flavour down the pecking order in terms of important characteristics. But to claim that food that is healthy is 'bland and flavourless' is just bollox. Yep, fat's great at carrying and enhancing flavour, but astute use of seasoning and combinations of ingredients means that basically anything can be made to be tasty. Perhaps it's just more that your own sense of 'tasty' is narrower than that of others?!

I dunno.. I keep being told that anything with fat, sugar, salt, msg, meat, or even half the carbs I like is "unhealthy", and I've yet to find anything that I consider edible that doesn't have at least 1 if not more of those in it.

Salad? Healthy.. tastes like rabbit food unless you put meat and cheese in it, and cover it in a dressing.

Vegetables in general? Can't say I've found a single vegetable that I really _enjoy_ eating unless it's covered in some time of sauce or dip, and probably served with meat. Raw carrots would probably be the closest, but they taste much better with dip.

Wow, I feel quite sad for you. Corn is amazing, as are Brussel Sprouts, freshly dug carrots, and potatoes (though I greatly prefer mine with butter admittedly).

I very much enjoy many vegetables and despite the looks of disbelief of my family, I'd rather sit down to a plate of salad than apple pie at half time during the game.

My Son (honestly) prefers Brocolli to icecream.

rayonline

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#2097831 27-Sep-2018 22:39

We had a get together, shared lunch. Various chinese families bought food from home. We had 50-100 people. Not sure if these are what they have at home or if they are different food when they enjoy with others / outside.

People's background were like Malaysian / Singaporean Chinese, HKG / Mainland China. They have been here for 10 or 20yrs or even 40yrs; or esp the younger lot 30s and younger they might been born here or the few that are international students. Generally parents and their teenage or university aged kids. Some were also elderly. This is the type of food they bought along generally every year. We do a spring or a summer bbq at a park. When they do go home for Christmas of Chinese New Year they tend to visit hawker centers - those from Singapore and Malaysia.

With a smaller group visiting others. Like what we buy outside in NZ or often in Asia even, chicken rice or goose/pork rice with the 3 pieces of bok choi. In NZ when we visit people's homes that is what is served also. Singapore chicken for eg .. boiled bok choi. A meat potato curry and then followed by cheesecake or ice cream. Or perhaps tofu flower - sort of like a smooth creme brulee texture made of tofu without the sugar top. Not this time but previous their choice are rock melon and water melon.

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blackjack17

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#2097849 28-Sep-2018 06:01

networkn:
GeekGuy:

I know someone that works for MPI and she stopped eating Chinese food after inspecting what arrives into the country from there.

Funny you say that. I know someone who used to insist on nothing but organic vegetables and meat until one of the food scientists I know took them through a tour of the meatworks that exports meat overseas. Showed them the organs of the animals that don't get antibiotics and chemical treatments and also showed them under a microscope.

They came back white as ghosts.

They are much less worried about what the animals might get injected with, than they are eating what those chemicals didn't kill :)

The meatworks will not accept livestock with antibiotics in them. If the farmer submits the animal they 2ill get a heavy fine. Nor will they accept disease animals. This is for export and domestic.

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#2097851 28-Sep-2018 06:25

networkn:
GeekGuy:

I know someone that works for MPI and she stopped eating Chinese food after inspecting what arrives into the country from there.

Funny you say that. I know someone who used to insist on nothing but organic vegetables and meat until one of the food scientists I know took them through a tour of the meatworks that exports meat overseas. Showed them the organs of the animals that don't get antibiotics and chemical treatments and also showed them under a microscope.

They came back white as ghosts.

They are much less worried about what the animals might get injected with, than they are eating what those chemicals didn't kill :)

Couple of points-

Is that in New Zealand? Thought we are legally prohibited from injecting animals with chemicals and antibiotics.

Can you tell us what the microscope of the organs look like? I mean ... What can a lay person tell by looking down the microscope looking at organs? Unless it's worms or parasites. Which technically injecting growth hormones and antibiotics does nothing to prevent ....

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#2097975 28-Sep-2018 09:34

blackjack17:

The meatworks will not accept livestock with antibiotics in them. If the farmer submits the animal they 2ill get a heavy fine. Nor will they accept disease animals. This is for export and domestic.

Hmm well, seems I have misunderstood or misspoken then, apologies.

The guy was talking about the difference between organic and not and the leisons on the organs etc IIRC, perhaps the difference wasn't antibiotics, though logically if an animal gets sick, they don't just shoot them without treating them, so presumably they are treated with medications.

These two people were as white as ghosts.

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#2098026 28-Sep-2018 10:06

networkn:
blackjack17:

The meatworks will not accept livestock with antibiotics in them. If the farmer submits the animal they 2ill get a heavy fine. Nor will they accept disease animals. This is for export and domestic.

Hmm well, seems I have misunderstood or misspoken then, apologies.

The guy was talking about the difference between organic and not and the leisons on the organs etc IIRC, perhaps the difference wasn't antibiotics, though logically if an animal gets sick, they don't just shoot them without treating them, so presumably they are treated with medications.

These two people were as white as ghosts.

Nevermind the white faces, sounds like a very dodgy scientist!

SpartanVXL

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#2098027 28-Sep-2018 10:07

Lias:
jonathan18:

I reckon you're confusing 'healthy food' with 'health food', the latter being food being pushed by pious gits touting the latest diet fad, which can indeed push flavour down the pecking order in terms of important characteristics. But to claim that food that is healthy is 'bland and flavourless' is just bollox. Yep, fat's great at carrying and enhancing flavour, but astute use of seasoning and combinations of ingredients means that basically anything can be made to be tasty. Perhaps it's just more that your own sense of 'tasty' is narrower than that of others?!

I dunno.. I keep being told that anything with fat, sugar, salt, msg, meat, or even half the carbs I like is "unhealthy", and I've yet to find anything that I consider edible that doesn't have at least 1 if not more of those in it.

Salad? Healthy.. tastes like rabbit food unless you put meat and cheese in it, and cover it in a dressing.

Vegetables in general? Can't say I've found a single vegetable that I really _enjoy_ eating unless it's covered in some time of sauce or dip, and probably served with meat. Raw carrots would probably be the closest, but they taste much better with dip.

Its really all in moderation. Donuts for example are absolutely loaded in sugars/carbs. Taste good but seriously not good to eat every day. Just don't eat as much of the stuff thats either lathered in or mostly comprised of the bad things.

Healthy foods aren't bland, badly prepared foods are bland. Stir fry those veges, cook em in something. Use salts, spices or even the residue from the pan you just cooked your bacon and eggs in.

Same thing goes for beef or chicken. Cook a steak straight outta the packet, blerrgh bland as hell. Needs a good marinade or seasoning to get that tasty sear.

For tasty veges, corn is probably the easiest mention as good without prep. Corn, peas, honey steamed carrots, salted broccoli, sautéed capsicum. If the taste still bothers you steam cook em all into a curry soup with your choice of meat to top off a balanced meal.

OT: my Chinese mates would be disappointed in this thread. Especially the northern ones who use mean spices and cook lamb pretty well.

Westernised foods are really not representative of their origin, good example is Japanese food in US. Wth is a 'Dragon' or 'Californian' sushi roll, and why are they lathered in sweet sauce. Every time I go I have to look up what is in them cause the US menus often don't even list the ingredients

blackjack17

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#2098041 28-Sep-2018 10:26

networkn:

blackjack17:

The meatworks will not accept livestock with antibiotics in them. If the farmer submits the animal they will get a heavy fine. Nor will they accept diseased animals. This is for export and domestic.

Hmm well, seems I have misunderstood or misspoken then, apologies.

The guy was talking about the difference between organic and not and the leisons on the organs etc IIRC, perhaps the difference wasn't antibiotics, though logically if an animal gets sick, they don't just shoot them without treating them, so presumably they are treated with medications.

These two people were as white as ghosts.

I have also been on a tour of a meatworks (I am involved in education in the primary industries) and that alone would make many people quite shocked. The scale works and the speed that they can kill and dismember livestock is incredible.

What will happen with organic farming is if an animal gets sick it will be treated with antibiotics but won't be able to be sold as organic .

But this is off topic

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Lias

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#2098079 28-Sep-2018 12:03

networkn:

Wow, I feel quite sad for you. Corn is amazing, as are Brussel Sprouts, freshly dug carrots, and potatoes (though I greatly prefer mine with butter admittedly).

I very much enjoy many vegetables and despite the looks of disbelief of my family, I'd rather sit down to a plate of salad than apple pie at half time during the game.

My Son (honestly) prefers Brocolli to icecream.

Corn isn't that great by itself. I don't mind it on the cob, but it needs salt/pepper/butter.

I quite like broccoli as far as veges go, but I'd never eat it straight. Raw it's nice with dips, cooked it needs to be mixed with other things (e.g. stir fry with other meat/veg and ginger, garlic, soy sauce etc) or covered in cheese sauce :-)

Never been a great fan of potatoes, mostly only eat them as chips/wedges/roasted (and of course "crisps" as the English would say)

Brussel Sprouts are diabolical. Even drowned in cheese sauce they are horrible. If I had the money I'd happily pay a scientist to develop a pestilence to wipe them off the face of the planet.

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#2098081 28-Sep-2018 12:09

Lias:

Brussel Sprouts are diabolical. Even drowned in cheese sauce they are horrible. If I had the money I'd happily pay a scientist to develop a pestilence to wipe them off the face of the planet.

Interesting. I'd be inclined to agree, if the only way you have had them is boiled to within an inch of their lives, which makes them mushy and sulfry, but cooked till they are tender but still bright green, I can't agree.

The number of people who have never had them the second way are one of the primary reasons I think people don't like them.

I often boil them throw them with some butter, toasted almonds and bacon/pancetta.

I find a similar thing when people don't like fish. So many people have only had fishy smelling and tasting fish, whereas that's not how I eat my fish. I prefer it fresh!

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