Chinese Food Culture - Vegetable

Steamed Choy Sum (YOUnique Cafe)

"食不可無綠" is a popular Chinese saying that has been passed on from generations to generations.  It can be translated as "food without greenish is unacceptable", which indicates the importance of green ingredients in the Chinese food culture. 

According to a well-known newspaper in China, the People's Daily, the vegetable consumption per capita in China yields to an estimate of 311 kg, "well above the world average of 105 kg" in 2001.  Vegetable makes up a major part of Chinese people's daily diet, along with grains and other starchy products.  Meat is usually served in a relatively smaller amount.  This diet structure corresponds with WHO (World Health Organization)'s recommendation of "a minimum of 400 g of fruit and vegetables per day for the prevention of chronic diseases such as heart disease, cancer, diabetes and obesity".

Nowadays, the importance of vegetables in daily diet has been a well-known concept.  In the Chinese food culture, steam and stir-fried are the two most common ways to cook vegetables.  The cooking process is done in a short period of time, thus preserving all the precious nutrients in our vegetables.

Did you have your vegetables today?      O(^_^)O

YOUnique Recommendation:  Steamed Choy Sum with Oyster Sauce, Chinese Broccoli with Cracknels

Chinese Broccoli with Cracknels (YOUnique Cafe)

Sources:

"China's Per Capita Vegetable Consumption Above World Average", Oct. 28, 2011, People's Daily.  http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/200110/28/eng20011028_83348.html

"Promoting Fruit and Vegetable Consumption Around the World", http://www.who.int/dietphysicalactivity/fruit/en/