Why don't Asians eat milk or cheese?

Question

You won't find a Chinese, Japanese , Korean, Indian etc using milk or cheese in any meal. But they do have cows.
Is it just the climate or sth else in their culture?

BTW, they are the healthiest people on the planet, because milk and cheese are substances that stick to the intestines like glue, especially in the toxic combination with meat ...

I'm talking about their ETHNIC cuisines, not Americanized version of poop, oops...food.

Answer 1

Indians may not cook with milk or cheese much, but yoghurt is a popular ingredient!

As for Japan, I live here now and most people consume some milk and cheese, usually the American version of cheese - think along the lines of those awful Kraft slices...!

Historically, yes - milk and cheese simply weren't found in Japan! But once they appeared they became mildly popular...! Only mildly though! Nothing like us Westerners...!

Don't forget that cows weren't native to Japan! And it's not easy to get milk from a bad-tempered mountain-goat! Then there's the fact that until electricity was widespread, and refrigeration widely available, it was difficult to keep dairy products fresh enough to use. That's why in India they make Ghee. (Butter melts too damn quickly!!) People in Japan simply got their nutrients from other sources. Westerners often consume too many nutrients, which isn't always healthy...

Answer 2

Asians don't eat milk or cheese? You are so wrong! Alot of Indian dishes have yogurt in them. I cook with milk and cheese all of the time. You don't know what you are talking about. Stop using such broad generalizations like that.

We are the healthiest people on the planet; this is true.

Answer 3

I notice a lot of Chinese people around here drinking milk, eating ice cream and cheese. My mom is Chinese and is lactose intolerant. I am only half-Chinese and still lactose intolerant. I'm wondering if there's some kind of genetic basis to lactose intolerance. I've seen some facts on the internet, that 90% of all chinese/japanese/koreans are lactose intolerant, have defects in the lactase enzyme.

Answer 4

A lot of non-white people are lactose intolerant. Due to their genetics many of them stop producing enzymes that allow them to digest milk and dairy products after a young age. Whereas most caucasians continue to produce the enzymes and so are able to eat dairy products all their life.

The reason for this is because certain Asian cultures such as in China and Japan never used to drink milk or make cheese, so they had no need for lactose digestion. Whereas other groups, such as northern europeans and certain Indian and African cultures consumed milk as part of their diet and the ability to digest lactose remains with descendants of these groups today.

It does by no means apply to 'all Asians' though.

see link for more info

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lactose_intolerant#History_of_genetic_prevalence

Answer 5

Many Asian's have a lactose intolerance due to the much later introduction of milk and cheese into their diets than europeans.

Answer 6

Asians do use dairy in ethnic cuisines
Such as Paneer recipes in Indian cuisine (Paneer is the same as cottage cheese(also like tofu)...which is from milk)

Answer 7

Okay, lemme try to explain, my dad was born in the Phillipines, and my mom is white, so Im filipino american. My dad didnt have alot of access to milk growing up, so he's lactose intolerant. This was passed on to my brothers and I, we love and embrace our filipino culture, but we also eat alot of american foods that involve dairy, and yes, it does make us have to use the restroom. I enjoy it eating both of my cultures foods!

Answer 8

on condition that it really is soya milk. I actually have not heard of soya cheese. Vegans who stick with their guns are strict vegetarians and do not eat any dairy or animal products which contain gelatine goodies

Answer 9

im asian and i take milk every morning and i like cheese too. whered u come up with that question?

Answer 10

c'mon..indians r one of da highest milk consumers in da world...they have da highest no of cattle..its just a myth dat they dont eat milk or cheese..almost every single indian takes milk everyday in sum form or other..they put it in their dishes,in spl desserts..all sweets r made of milk n milk products...n indians luv sweets ok???n as for cheese..they have cottage cheese..n its a favt of every household