Eastern and Western Dietary Culture

Food cultures should be diverse by places and people. From east and west, the food cultures are obviously different. The eastern food culture relates mostly to Chinese food culture by which the surrounding countries have long been affected. In contrast, the westerners as American and European also have their own western food culture. Eastern dietary culture is very different from the dietary culture in the West. The differences include the food itself and how dishes are prepared and served. The major differences include food, the preparation of meal, beverages, dessert, eating utensils, style of banquet, and dining procedure.

As to food, Chinese views vegetables, grain and crops as their staple food in every meal while meats and fish are served as major dish in dining for the westerners. All meals should not be without vegetables. Dishes with vegetables seem usual for Chinese food. In China mainland and Taiwan, main meals are lunch and dinner that usually consist of one staple food such as rice or noodles, soup, and several dishes with vegetables, meat, or mix of vegetables and meat. Grain is the Chinese’s essential food in daily meal. The food preference explains clearly why the Chinese are fond of noodle and rice. No wonder it is always said, “Chinese is based on agriculture”. In contrast, the westerners eat meat for dishes more than vegetables and grains. In the United States, the dinner usually consists of salad, meat, vegetables, potatoes or rice (Mothershead, 1982). Animals are fully used for food, clothes, and commodities in western society from ancient time to nowadays. Meats are eaten in many dishes as common whereas, plants are the complements.

The preparation of meal is different, too. Both Eastern and Western women often lead busy lives and have less time to cook a meal. As a result, it becomes popular for women in the U.S. to buy deep frozen food and follow the directions on packages to heat it up. Sometimes they add spices or finish the preparations for certain dishes, but the main effort of cooking will have been done by the company, which sells the product (Mothershead, 1982). Unlike women in the U.S., Chinese people prefer food sent in home from stores or restaurants if they have little time to fix meals in the kitchen.

Beverages accompanying dish for easterners are usually hot drinks as tea and soup; unlike the easterners, the Europeans enjoy wine and other cold drinks during dining time. In Chinese culture, cold drinks are harmful digestion of hot food. However, at formal meal like banquets soda is often served (Newman, 2004). Japanese usually drink hot green tea while they are having a meal. In the United States, wines are served often, but when children eat with adults, water tends to be the most possible and proper drink served in that occasion (Mothershead, 1982). Moreover, Americans often eat meats and fish with soft drinks, which is said that it may hurt their health. Still, some reports indicate most Americans are getting overweight. Some Europeans have their meals with cold beers as custom. Soup for the westerners is a dish of starter, but not a drink. In contrast, the Chinese have soup after main dish. Both food cultures are different.

The variety of dessert is different, too. In China mainland and Taiwan, sweet soup made from dates or red beans, cookies, and fresh fruit are often served after a meal; however, in the United States, desserts are mostly cakes, apple or other pies, and ice cream. Coffee, which is not very strong, is served either at table or in the living room after the meal (Mothershead, 1982).

Preference of utensils is also different in both cultures. Chopsticks are considered as easterner’s dining tool while people in the west usually use knives and forks as eating utensils. In common, a dish is shared with every Chinese around a table. They make a bite-sized piece of the dish by using chopsticks. In fact, knives and forks were treated as weapons for Chinese. Bowls are served for filling with rice while plates are for dishes. In contrast, to eat a thick block of meats as pork or steak, knives and forks are more convenient than chopsticks for westerners. Each person has his or her meals which all dishes are prepared in one place, and eat his or her own without sharing a dish with others. The using of dining utensils shows different dietary habit.

Style of banquet shows how different cultures shape relationship between people. Banquet in Chinese culture is like a feast that everybody sits around a round table. Such way implies how Chinese people emphasize the importance of unity and communion. Relationship in a family for the clue is focused in Chinese society. Family is also the core of Japanese and Korean society. However, banquet for Americans and Europeans is set for the purpose of increasing friendship, which is more important than the dishes. The banquet is set openly, so each person can take his or her time to communicate with whom they like. The dishes are placed on a big table locating firmly somewhere. As a result, style of banquet indicates what kind of relationship each culture wants to focus on.

Different dishes and dining order are taken in dinner procedures between both cultures. For the Chinese, they drink teas before dinner. Then, the cold dishes come first as appetizer during dinner. Usually, the appetizers are some vegetables, which were cooked and then cold down. Next, the main dishes are placed on plates. One kind of dish is set on one plate. The Chinese share these plates of dish by eating a bowl of rice that is hold on one of their hands. Finally, the soup serves as last. After dinner, they eat some fruit. On the other hand, westerners have totally different way. The starter is either salad or soup. Main course comes with meats of beef, chicken or fish. Next is dessert such as ice cream, cakes, fruit, pastries, etc. Then, a cup of coffee makes the dinner procedure a good end. The two cultures have many differences at the point of dinner procedure.

Clearly, the eastern food culture and western food culture are very different. Both their living style also reflect what they eat and how they dine. Many traits about food also show what differences between easterner and westerner’s mind. Both show its own difference on food culture; however, food and dishes in both cultures are made in diverse methods that can be tasted well.

Similarity between Eastern and Western Dietary Culture

Culture-made extends even into the countryside of looking no matter western or eastern people, it seems. Furthermore, female pay more attention on their appearance rather than male because of their father or good male friends that they said ‘’ you are a knock out.’’ While they have been trying many ways to keep the physical appearance, such as doing some exercises per week, keeping a diet, having some medicine, having Chinese medication or through the nutrition way─food.

However, statistics indicated that all of these manners could work, but some of manners will throw in a side effect. Thus, both eastern and western people have the similar dietary culture, in addition to sustenance; people believed food play an essential role in preventing, ameliorating, and proving disease.

All in all, people are considered more about their healthy and dietary. Because of the environment and the living styles included that people’s view of beauty. If they adopt the knowledge of food then they could decrease the illness.

Nowadays, people have long-researched basis beliefs about the relationship of health and dietary. Then and now, the Chinese believe that food relates to health and that illness is a disharmony within the body. They believe that maintaining harmony and balance insures health and longevity. Therefore, they serve some yin or cold foods and some yang or hot foods at every meal. Examples of some foods that have mostly yin qualities are bean sprouts, cabbage, carrots, celery, and honey whereas bamboo, beef, black pepper, chicken, eggs, and garlic are the examples of yang food (Newman, 2004). People in China consider that Yin and Yang are the premise two opposing and complimentary theory, which regulate the universe. It could not only strike the balance between inside and outside of a person’s body but also perform into the perfect equilibrium. However, to have the fundamental notion of good eating habits is vital rule for maintaining good health (Abouta et al., 2002).

Vegetarianism is not uncommon or unusual in China; though, as is the case in the West, it is only practiced by a relatively small fraction of the population. Most Chinese vegetarians are Buddhists, following the Buddhist teachings about minimizing suffering. Chinese vegetarian dishes often contain large varieties of vegetables such as shiitake mushroom, sprouts, corn, and some imitation meat. Such imitation meat is created mostly with soy protein and/or wheat gluten to imitate the texture, taste, and appearance of duck, chicken, or pork (Diner’s Digest Website, 2009).

People who live in the West love bread, slices of sweet corn, products of cereal, and high quality food such as the wine of Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay and Merlot, and Pinot Noir. People living in western countries pay much attention in food’s ingredient and nutrition such as protein and vitamins. In contrast, people who live in eastern countries prefer to eat rice, noodles, and soup, which are made by boiling the bones of cows. Chinese people pay much attention in the flavors of food. Even though the quality is not pretty high, the flavor is wonderful. The soup is thicker than the soup in the West. The Chinese have been using the organs of animals to boil soup and stew it for long time ago; whereas the westerners consider that viscera are like organs but not food. Chinese people also emphasize nourishing in food. They consider that“Eating something will nourish something. ”Therefore, they do not prohibit some food in eating. On the one hand, there are some people eat cats. They think eating them can make their skin become better than before. It can also eliminate pock. On the other hand, there are some people eating animals, which are in danger of extinction. This behavior is condemned by animal protection advocators who emphasize that while looking for nourishment and flavors in eating, we also need to pay attention to the food we choose.

It is hard to say exactly what "American" food is. Unlike Eastern foods, which have a distinct culture and identity, American foods are simply foods taken from other countries. Some have called the United States the "melting pot of the world" in regards to the fact that there are people from different backgrounds living there, mixing cultures and "melting" together to create something new and indescribable. The same can be said about American food as well. Quite possibly the only food the United States has added to the world is not really a food at all, but rather a way of serving it- fast food. As usual, Americans make the point that "if someone else does something, we can do it faster and make money of it." It seems that nowadays there are few countries without a McDonalds, Burger King or KFC. It is the only "food" considered as pure American food.

A study in 2004 showed that fat intake among Chinese urban dwellers had grown to 38.4 percent, beyond the 30 percent limit set by the World Health Organization. Excessive consumption of fats and animal protein has made chronic diseases more prevalent. As of 2008, 22.8 percent of the population were overweight and 18.8 percent had high blood pressure. The number of diabetes cases in China is the highest in the world. In 1959, the incidence of high blood pressure was only 5.9 percent (Diner’s Digest Website, 2009).

Recent research suggests that people should decrease to eat more meats,fats, and sugar. Health advocates put some of the denounce on the increased popularity of Western foods, especially fast food, and other culinary products and habits. Many Western, especially American, fast food chains prevail over the China, and are highly successful economically. These include McDonald's, Pizza Hut, and Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) (Diner’s Digest Website, 2009).

In conclusion, different places have different characters in eating, clothing, customs and traditions. We cannot say that which county is better than other counties in these aspects because each of them has different cultures. We can choose what we like and what we want. We need to respect different cultures in different aspects.

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