Is Chinese food really healthy for you,as some people claim?

Question

Im talking primarily of buffet food.

Answer 1

I would say that it is healthy for you. Have you ever seen any fat Chinese people? They are all slim.

Answer 2

As with all foods, you should make decisions based on fat content and other nutrients. I enjoy chinese food very much - and NOT the North American versions of the foods. You will find that traditional Chinese is very healthy. I work for a Buddist Chinese Vegetarian restaruant which includes a variety of foods made from soy, mushrooms, noodles, etc. Stay away from chicken balls and the types of Chinese food from take out - they are the ones loaded with MSG and fat. Plus when you go to a buffet, the foods spend a lot of time under heat lamps soaking in the fatty oils they were cooked in.

Just remember to choose carefully the type of Chinese food you eat.

Answer 3

No.
Chinese Buffets are generally cheap, low grade meat cooked in loads of oil and fat. Some of them put MSG in the food which can cause headaches.
I'd also be concerned about the sodium level in some of the Americanized dishes.
Then you're sure to pig out on the all you can eat desert buffet.

Authentic Chinese food has very little meat, lots of vegetables and rice. Authentic Chinese food is pretty good for you. Just stay away from the birds nest soup. (seriously - it's one of those 'what doesn't kill you, only makes you stronger' foods.)

It's just like Tex-Mex (Americanized Mexican food) except it's Americanized Chinese food. It's safe to bet that anything Americanized is probably bad for you.

Answer 4

Like with many types of cooking, you just need to be careful in your choice. There's plenty of vegetables and soy bean choices at the buffet. Also, there's a lot of steamed dishes as well like fish, chicken and vegetables. You need to stay away from "Chinese" buffets that have mainly deep fried foods and those that use MSG. Authentic Chinese food can be very healthy if you choose wisely. Enjoy : )

Answer 5

Not all Chinese food is healthy. Some people say that Chinese food is like diet food, but thats only the day to day food that chinese eat where its plain rice with other condiments. But the buffet food, where it's like shrimp, hot and sour soup, duck, and all that, is not what you call "diet" food. Especially the food in the buffet, i'm sure they might have spiced it up with some MSG.

Answer 6

Chinese cuisine is one of the most diverse in the world. If we're talking about the dishes served in a typical banquet-style restaurant setting outside of Asia, you would find that most of the dishes are rather heavy. Oil is commonly used, and sauces often contain large quantities of sugar or salt. So I would say that restaurant food is not particularly healthy. Banquet-style food is not representative of what Chinese people eat, much in the same way that Americans don't eat slabs of steak every single day (at least I would hope not).

By contrast, the typical Chinese meal is very healthy--rice, wheat, and vegetables are staples of the Chinese diet. In southern China, rice is the more common grain, and in northern China, noodles and other wheat products dominate. Because meats and fats are consumed sparingly in the day-to-day diet, and in general much less food is eaten per meal than here in the US, the incidence of heart disease and obesity is lower.

Answer 7

I don't think it is because it's not authentic Chinese food. I lived in China for three years and have never felt so healthy in my life. The food was amazing. Every time I go to a Chinese restaurant in North America I am let down. It's made extra greasy and gross to suit the western pallette.

Answer 8

It probably is. I was under the mindset once, that because their food consisted of a lot of veggies and filled you up fast that it was good for you. Also, I thought I could substitute milkshakes for lunch. Because they were milk product and filled you up too.
Then I met this man that must have weighed 300 to 400 lbs. As we talked he shared with me that he was so big because he ate Chinese food and milkshakes thinking the same thing I did. Go Figure

Answer 9

Maybe REAL Chinese food. The crap you get in a buffet is probably loaded with salt and MSG.

Answer 10

Only if you believe in Chinese food. If you were an atheist you might not believe in it therefore it would not be healthy. Chinese food is not mentioned in the bible so does it really exist as far as you ae concerned? Some of your questions are real doozys.

Answer 11

Real Chinese food that I have had in China was very healthy.
American Chinese food often contains a lot of salt and grease.