A report from the Asian Pacific American Community Network in Minnesota says the East Asia diet is a healthy one, reports the group’s blog, Bicultural Healthy Living.
Asian foods are generally not incorporated into the food pyramid used by many health professionals. For instance the bottom of the food pyramid includes more grains and oats whereas the Asian diet consists of more rice, noodle and tofu.
Many Asian meals consist of vegetables and fruits mixed in as side dishes. Western meals tend to center around the main entree. It’s more common for Asians to eat fruits and vegetables on a daily basis.
Asian diets are also less likely to contain processed foods.
One change in the Asian diet, however, recommended by the Asian Pacific American Community Network is to eat 100% whole grain/wheat breads and switching from white rice to brown rice.