While Asia is a huge land mass that contains a wide variety of people, cultures, and cuisines, the Healthy Traditional Asian Diet Pyramid was ‘inspired by the cuisines of South and East Asia, including such countries as China, Japan, South Korea, India, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, and other related Pacific Rim areas.’

Undeniably, though, these healthy traditional dietary patterns have been disappearing due to the proliferation of fast food business establishments in the region.

The traditional Asian diet has plant food at its fundamental base. ‘Plant-based foods commonly consumed in Asia include rice and other grains, noodles, flatbreads, potatoes, fruits and vegetables (including sea vegetables), nuts, seeds, beans, various soy foods, other legumes, vegetable and nut oils, herbs and spices, and plant-based beverages including tea, wine and beer.’

Benchmarked on minimal processing and freshness of foods, the traditional Asian diet assures dietary fiber, antioxidants, and a host of micronutrients including vitamins and minerals.

Asian diet is ‘characteristically low in both saturated and total fat.’ It is also marked by the very minimal use of dairy products. Contrary to the concern that lack of dairy may lead to calcium deficiency, ‘the plant-based, dairy-free diets of much of Asia are associated with low incidence of osteoporosis.’

Additionally, new researches on black and green tea reveal the tea’s various antioxidant content. The drinking of these teas, a widely accepted Asian tradition, may ‘have contributed to the low rates of certain chronic diseases in the region.’

Image

Via Chet Day

We have all known how good it is to make sure we get our daily quota of tea. It is known to fight free radicals and has been proven to be a rich source anti-oxidants. A particular antioxidant in green tea called the EGCG has now been found to delay the onset of type 1 diabetes. The research was conducted by the Medical College of Georgia. Researchers studied green tea’s effect on Sjogren’s syndrome which damages moisture producing glands and results in dry eyes and mouth.

This helped researchers conclude that EGCG has a restraining power on type 1 diabetes too. The good thing about green tea is that EGCG is naturally available in it and does not cause any side-effects or harm bodily functioning and instead delays the onset of diabetes type 1.

Perhaps this would disappoint all the coffee lovers out there who continue to drink mug-loads of caffeine and ruin the system. Tea lovers and the ones that don’t like, can go ahead and drink that much needed cup of green tea everyday and help EGCG fight diabetes and other disorders.

Image

Via: ScienceDaily