Asian-style Diet – Winning from the Start Line for Good Vascular Health (2)

6 Optimized Dietary Patterns

The traditional Asian-style diet is changing to a more western style in some Asian countries, people tend to have more animal products, snacks, sweets, and sugary drinks, at the same time consuming fewer whole grains and beans. As a result, this possesses a higher risk of suffering from cardiovascular diseases.

There are some things to keep in mind to take advantage of the health benefits of the Asian-style diet:

Eat a variety of foods

Stick to a plant-based diet – consume more fruits, vegetables and beans. Control the consumption of red meat and processed meat. It is also important to consume more than 12 kinds of foods daily.

Low-oil, -salt and -sugar cooking

Steaming, boiling and stir-frying are preferred. Try to eat less high-heat fried and deep-dried food and barbecue food. Choose oil that contains unsaturated fatty acids.

Replace sugary drinks with tea

Avoid or drink less sugary drink, suggested to drink an appropriate amount of tea every day.

A mix of whole grains and refined grains

Replace refined grains with whole grains. Assorted beans, potatoes, taro, pumpkin or purple potatoes could be accounted for 1/3 of your daily whole grain intake, they can replace refined grains as well.

Eat less offal

Avoid eating offal such as liver, lung, or intestines. This helps prevent the excessive intake of purines, saturated fats and cholesterol.

Consume sufficient calcium

Suggested to consume 1,000mg of calcium every day, milk and yoghurt are your good choice. Recommended to consume seafood at least twice a week, from 300g to 500g each time, you can choose fresh fish, shrimp and shellfish.