Better health

By THE RIGHT THANG BABY

March 23, 2007 9:54 AM | Link to this

I love myself some Chinese food! I can’t cut back. I don’t care what the reports say, they Chinese have been eating it longer than we have and they are slimmer and in better shape that we are or will ever be. Go figure. I might even order a second helping!!

By Patrick

March 23, 2007 9:59 AM | Link to this

The Chinese are known to live longer and look younger than they really are in some cases. I say pass around the Mu Shu Pork and Mandarin Chicken. I’ll take a second helping of fried rice and lo mein noodle as well. I can never get enough Chinese food.

Of all the Chinese restaurants I’ve eaten at, only one or two stick out as being bad. One in Norcross and another near my home. That’s it. Everywhere else is either good or excellent.

By Mimi

March 23, 2007 10:02 AM | Link to this

uh, the chinese food we eat here in america is not “true” chinese food. they don’t eat deep fried food every day for every meal. the chinese food we eat has been americanized, just as mexican food has been. that is why the chinese live longer, healthier lives. just don’t order the deep fried stuff and you’ll be fine. you can also request (per every chinese takeout menu i have ever seen) that your food be prepared with less oil if you desire. plus most menus have a healthy choice area where you can get steamed veggies with or without meat and steamed rice with a low cal sauce on the side. it still tastes good.

By mj

March 23, 2007 10:05 AM | Link to this

Call me crazy but I doubt the Chinese have been eating the portion sizes of their food that Americans typically eat, and they also probably stick with leaner dishes, not the sugar laden General Tso’s, Sweet and Sour, or sesame dishes with thick sugary sauces.

I do love Chinese food, but I have to have it in moderation. I know how bad all the salt and sugar are for me, and at almost 2000 calories for one meal and a day and a half’s worth of salt, I only allow myself to have it once in a blue moon.

By Elizabeth

March 23, 2007 10:11 AM | Link to this

Authentic Chinese food is nothing like the “Åmericanized” version that most of us eat. And I dislike many Chinese restuarants because the food is so greasy or the vegetables look tired. If you are willing to pay a little more at nicer Chinese establishments, the food tends to be less greasy and the vegetables actually look fresh. Sometimes you really do get what you pay for. You still have to watch your portion sizes, though.

By Kerry

March 23, 2007 10:58 AM | Link to this

If you ever see the Chinese people in the restaurants eating what they serve us, I’ll give you my first born! I was shocked when reading the blog and people are saying well, they live longer so bring on the shrimp fried rice. AMAZING…

I’ve decided to cut back. I emailed that story to all my friends and we are all shocked. Once a month maybe, for me followed by an intense session at the gym!

By Asiangirl

March 23, 2007 11:07 AM | Link to this

Asian people never go to chinese restaurants or chinese buffets to eat REAL chinese food. Those places has made it more “americanzied” to cater to americans and to what society eats these days. Asians may go just to get a quick fix but to acutally enjoy true, authentic chinese food.. you will not find it there.

By ron

March 23, 2007 11:28 AM | Link to this

By serviceman

March 23, 2007 11:36 AM | Link to this

As a service person that has been in the kitchen of several chinese restaraunts - most (not all) of these folks have nasty food handling habits. I’ll never eat chinese food and you wouldn’t either if you’d seen what i see.

By Reason

March 23, 2007 11:43 AM | Link to this

It isn’t valid to compare the average life expectancy of Americans and Chinese based on food. The lifestyle of the average American is not a healthy one, so the high average life expectancy of Americans is based mostly on medical advances. These medical advances are not universally available to Chinese, which means their high average life expectancy is base on lifestyle and diet. Discounting the availability of medical advances, the Chinese life expectancy is probably higher than the American life expectancy.

By wun hung lo

March 23, 2007 12:04 PM | Link to this

you ever notice you never see any stray dogs around chinese resturants?

By Chris F

March 23, 2007 12:10 PM | Link to this

I already expected those results. I absolutely love Chinese food, so I’m not going to stop eating it. However, I don’t eat it all the time anyways (maybe once every few months), so it’s not a problem. Those results only impact the “Super Size Me” type eating - going out to eat on a daily basis. For the most part, I bring my lunch to work and eat dinner at home.

By Maria

March 23, 2007 12:16 PM | Link to this

Didn’t CSPI make a fuss about this about 10 years ago? I remember when the big story was how they revealed that movie theater popcorn was bad for you (wow, ya think?), and then their “expose” on Chinese food came on the heels of the popcorn uproar.

Chinese food in China is much different than the American version of Chinese food. Much of their food is steamed, not fried. And most things aren’t drowning in sauce, either. They use an assortment of vegetables and spices to flavor their food. If you ever go to China, or even visit a Chinatown in the U.S. or Canada, you can go to the markets there and see their traditional ingredients. It’s nothing that you’d recognize from your local Chinese buffet, I can tell you that! The smell is VERY different, too. It’s rather earthy and fishy.

By Jen

March 23, 2007 12:36 PM | Link to this

Yeah, I always figured it wasn’t all that great. Lots of oils and sugar.

But, I only eat it once a month or less so I have no reason to give it up. And I usually don’t do buffet. I love me som Golden Buddha!

By Fred Sanford

March 23, 2007 12:52 PM | Link to this

“Chinese” food in America is not authentic Chinese food. But, scores of deluded yuppies think P.F. Changs is right from the streets of Peking.

Second, Chinese food, in any form, is disgusting. At those hole-in-the-wall joints, they have to give the food a shot so nothing on the plate will move. Also, you are likely to find traces of soap. You see, these people do their cooking and washing in the same pot.

By Ms. Jones

March 23, 2007 12:56 PM | Link to this

This is exactly why I VERY RARELY dine outside of my home (except on the back porch ha ha). I prefer to grow my own veggies and cook ‘em at home. Or hit the Suwannee/Duluth Farmers Market……fresh foods prepared yourself are way more healthy than ANY food you can get in a restaurant. Plus it’s expensive. I prefer to cook.

By ron

March 23, 2007 1:07 PM | Link to this

I had absolutely no idea we were supposed to be valid today. I will take this under consideration.

By TL

March 23, 2007 2:50 PM | Link to this

To Fred Sanford,

I totally agree with you on the first paragraph, but boy, you sure one ignorant person on the second one. You think other ethnic restaurants including American doesn’t do it. I have work at some American restaurants, and they can be just as nasty.

My parents are Chinese and the food we eat at home are night and day with the stuffs in Chinese restaurant. They have to whitewashed their food, so Americans can consume it.

The food we eat at home are a lot healthier. The vegetable are fresh usually steam/stirfried with olive oil. Our meats(doesn’t have dogs or cats in it) are not smother in salty/sweet sauce.

By tc

March 23, 2007 4:00 PM | Link to this

Reason, China has just as much medical technology as we do. Why do you think they are a third world country? They have children going to school at 2 with doctrine degrees by the time they are 21….geez…study you countries a little better.

By green tea

March 23, 2007 4:21 PM | Link to this

No wonder I have a chocolate fountain flowing out of my rear shortly after eating chinese food!

By Hungry

March 23, 2007 4:44 PM | Link to this

Wouldn’t touch the stuff with a ten foot pole! However, I make a mean Mandarin Chicken dish at home that gives my husband his Chinese food “fix.”

By Thissoundsgood

March 26, 2007 1:05 PM | Link to this

I for one will not stop eating Chinese food. We all have to die one day and I want to die with a full stomach. I eat Chinese food every other day . I enjoy the Green Pepper Steak with Fried Rice and a Spring Roll. I didn’t think that was too fattening consdering I only eat two meals a day. If anything I will stop eating at KFC or Mrs. Winners…

By eat it sparingly

March 30, 2007 5:03 PM | Link to this

I eat Chinese occasionally but I just modify it a bit. I always get steamed rice instead of fried, and never breaded meats. I eat small quantities. My husband and I can get 2-3 meals out of one meal. Or I bring it back to the office and split a meal with a co-worker. You can even put the food in a colandar and rinse it to get off most of the salt and sauce. I can’t handle it just plain steamed, but the way I fix it it’s not too bad.

By jenny

April 5, 2007 3:29 PM | Link to this

whoever did this research did a poor job in telling how it is..it doesn’t matter where you eat, its what you choose to eat and I think this story gives a bad perception towards all chinese restaurants when they’re all different. They have their own way of making dishes, especially if you compared the type of oil they use, and they all have different types of dishes they offer. This research should of been done in comparison with other types of restaurant because than people would know its not just chinese restaurants its all restaurants. The only thing i would agree to the article is: In some ways, Liebman said, Italian and Mexican restaurants are worse for your health, because their food is higher in saturated fat, which can increase the risk of heart disease.