Chinese people incorporate the philosophy of Yin and Yang in their food. The philosophy helps them to maintain the balance in the food texture, color and flavor of the ancient Chinese food. Low carb variety of ancient Chinese food is also available these days. You don’t need to give up eating Chinese food, if you are diet conscious. Instead, you can also enjoy low fat, low calorie famous Chinese food.

The characteristic way of eating Chinese food with the help of chopsticks, makes everyone curious about the food and the aroma of the food drives people crazy. Taking into consideration the Chinese food nutrition facts, you should think before ordering your favorite Chinese dishes.

Chinese Food Nutrition Facts

You must have noticed that Chinese food does not include cheese. Lots of vegetables, sea food and lean poultry are the main ingredients used in Chinese food. So, it is actually healthy food. The vegetable oil used in Chinese food has enough unsaturated fat and it balances the cholesterol-raising properties of the saturated fat it contains. Though Chinese food is popular all over the world, you don’t get the authentic Chinese dishes everywhere. Whatever you get are the localized versions of these dishes which may be higher in calories, saturated fat and especially sodium. So Chinese food is considered to be more harmful than pizza or burger.

Tips for Eating Chinese Food

• The healthy steamed vegetables and lean meat may turn unhealthy when they sit in a warm pool of sticky sauce all day. You can ask the sauce to be placed on the side. There is no need of of dumping the sauce over your food. First, dip your chopsticks in sauce and then pick up the vegetables or meat. You will easily get the sauce’s flavor and at the same time, you will be able to avoid ingesting huge amounts of fat and sodium.
• If you request, then you can get reduced-sodium soy sauce in the restaurants too. Though it has the same flavor, there is notable difference in sodium content. Do you know that hoisin sauce has sky-high levels of sodium?The sauces which are high in sugar are sweet and sour sauce, duck sauce and plum sauce.
• You should watch the quantity of the Chinese food too. If you look at the food quantity, it can be very well judged that you will be able to eat half of the meal only. You can take away the remaining half home, for the next day!
• Blood pressure raising sodium and cholesterol raising saturated fat, are the hidden unhealthy ingredients present in the sauce. If you carefully order your food, you can get low salt, low sodium food.
• Soups are fine for weight loss but they may affect your blood pressure levels as hot and sour, egg drop, wanton soups, etc., are all low in fat but high in sodium.
• You may enjoy flavorings like rice-wine vinegar, wasabi and ginger.
• Small quantities of hot mustard are fine. You just have to be cautious as each packet has a substantial helping of sodium inside.
• You don’t need to eat the crispy chow noodles that often come free with your meal as they are very high in fat.
• Steamed dumplings are healthier than deep or pan fried dumplings.
• Spring rolls are healthier than egg rolls.
• Instead of pork, you can choose vegetable filling, so as to halve your saturated fat intake.
• Eating with chop sticks, prevents you from picking up too much of sauce.
• Avoid creamy dressings or crispy noodles in the salads.
• Avoid eating crab rangoons or barbecued spare ribs as starters.
• You can order plain steamed brown rice which is healthier.
• Chicken/shrimp/pork fried rice are worse in saturated fat, calories and sodium.
• Steamed vegetables without sauce would be a healthier option.

Read more on

• Ancient Chinese Food Recipes For Kids
• Egg Drop Soup Recipes
• How to Make Spring Rolls.

Calories in Chinese Food

It is very important to take into consideration, the source and preparation methods when choosing food from a nutrition guide for Chinese food, since deep frying, heavy sauces and dishes loaded with meat can turn an otherwise healthy plate of food into a caloric and nutritional nightmare. Following table will inform you about the calories in Chinese food wherein you will find simplified Chinese food nutrition facts.

I hope the above article provides sufficient information about the Chinese food nutrition facts and if this Chinese fare has tickled your taste buds, simply pick up those chopsticks and indulge in some delicious, lip-smacking Chinese cuisine.

As quoted by someone, ‘Chinese not only enjoy eating but believe eating good food can bring harmony and closeness to the family and relationships’, holds true. Chinese food is a very unique and tasty cuisine that has grown in popularity and also found its modifications along the way.

The philosophy of Yin and Yang finds prominence in Chinese food. The Chinese maintain a balance in the food texture, color and flavor by following the basic principles of yin and yang. Food that has the cooling properties are said to have yin and those items which have the warm properties are said to have yang. The idea is to achieve a healthy balance between the two.

The Chinese food beholds a large variety from different regions with some mouthwatering dishes. The basic Chinese food is divided into 8 regional cuisines.

Huaiyang Cuisine:

This cuisine uses fresh fish and crustaceans as the main ingredients and is very popular in the lower areas of the Yangtze River. The cooking techniques used are roasting, braising, stewing and simmering. The carving techniques of the food are very well known in this type of cuisine. Some of the famous Chinese food of this variety includes Stewed Crab with Clear Soup, Duck Triplet, Crystal Meat, Liangxi Crisp Eel and Long-boiled and Dry-shredded Meat.

Shandong Cuisine:

The Shandong cuisine gives a lot of prominence to the soups. It also uses a combination of the Jinan cuisine and Jiaodong cuisine. The main element of this cuisine is that the food items are fresh and crisp and generally non greasy. The Chinese foods belonging to this category also have a strong aroma. The soups if thin in its consistency, are clear and if thick are very creamy with a strong flavor. There is a lot of deep-frying, pan-frying, stir-frying and grilling used by the Jinan chefs. The Jiaodong chefs are known for food items with a light taste. Some of the famous Chinese foods in this category are Bird’s Nest Soup and Yellow River Carp in Sweet and Sour Sauce.

Sichuan Cuisine:

This is the most famous Chinese cuisine in the world. Popularly known as the ‘Szechuan’ in the West, the Sichuan cuisine boasts of some spicy and hot flavors due to the emphasis of the use of chili. Another reason for the typical taste it offers is the use of the Pepper and prickly ash by the chefs. This lends uniqueness to the dish. The basic cooking techniques belonging to this category use a lot of pickling, braising and also frying without oil. Some of the hottest and spiciest famous Chinese food in this category remains the Kung Pao Chicken, Tasty and Spicy Crab, Twice Cooked Pork and Water-Boiled Fish.

Fujian Cuisine:

The Fujian Cuisine is known for a wide range of seafood. This Chinese Food belonging to the Fujian Cuisine is characteristic due to the myriad colors and the mouthwatering combination of the sweet, salty and sour tastes in the food items. Another important feature is the pickled taste. The famous Chinese Food items of the Fujian Cuisine are the Snow Chicken, Prawn with Dragon’s Body, Phoenix’s tail and the Buddha Jumping Over the Wall.

Hunan Cuisine:

The Hunan Cuisine has a typical thick and sharp flavor. This is due to the use of the Pepper, chili and shallot in the dishes prepared. This cuisine has an ideal mix of the local cuisine. (Dongting Lake, Xiangjiang Region and the Xiangxi coteau). The famous Chinese food items prepared under this category range from the Dongan Chicken, the Peppery and Hot Chicken, Lotus Seeds in Rock Sugar Syrup and the Sizzling Rice Soup.

Anhui Cuisine:

Also known as the Hui Cai, it comprises of the specialties of the South Anhui, Yanjiang and Huai Bei. This cooking demands a lot of attention to the temperature of the food being cooked and also the taste and color of the dishes. The dishes are known to build up the energy of the person. The food menus include Bamboo shoots cooked with sausage and dried mushroom, Stewed soft shell turtle with ham, Li Hongzhang Hotchpotch and the Stewed Snapper.

Guangdong (Cantonese) Cuisine:

The cooking methods used for this cuisine vary from the others in terms of the flavor and and also the raw materials used. There is a strong emphasis on the seafood and mixed flavorings. The food tastes clean, light and extremely fresh. When the chefs prepare Guangdong Cuisine, they have to use methods of deep-frying, braising, stewing, roasting, stir-frying, sautéing and steaming. Once the dishes are ready, the chefs also go an extra mile in the presentation as well. Popular dishes are Steamed Sea Bass, Dim Sum, Shark Fin Soup and the Roasted Piglet.

Zhejiang Cuisine:

Also known as the Zhe Cai, it encompasses the specialties of the Hangzhou, Ningbo and the Shaoxing cuisine. The cooking methods employ the use of various methods like stewing, stir-frying, deep frying and sautéing. Some of the famous Chinese Food items are the Longjing Shelled Shrimp, Beggar’s Chicken and Sour West Lake Fish.

Famous Chinese Food Items:

• Grape-shaped Fish
• Hot Diced Pork
• Maofeng Smoked Hilsa Herring
• Red-Bayberry-Shaped Meat Balls
• Diced Ham with Crystal Sugar
• Fish in Vinegar and pepper
• Litchi and Prawns
• Chicken Balls with Qiandao Sauce
• Fragrant Stewed Chicken
• Squid with Pineapples
• Gluten-Meat Pouches
• Bean Skin Rolls
• Deep-fried Onion
• Roast Leg of Lamb

So if you think this Chinese fare has tickled your taste buds, simply pick up those chopsticks and indulge in some delicious, lip-smacking Chinese Cuisine.

Lao Tzu, the Chinese philosopher who lived in the 6th century BC and is considered the founder of Taoism, said: ‘Governing a great nation is much like cooking a small fish.’ What he meant was, in order to govern successfully, one required just the right adjustments and seasonings. This metaphorical allusion to food illustrates quite clearly how important it has always been in Chinese culture.

The Culinary History of Ancient Chinese Food

The culinary history of ancient Chinese food dates back to about 5000 years. And over this vast period of time, the Chinese have developed and mastered a complex system of preparing food, such as: identifying ingredients that make compatible combinations; making use of cooking techniques that are multi-phased such as first steaming and then deep frying or stir frying, then boiling; and administering multi-phased flavoring like marinating between the stages of roasting, or after steaming, or before stir frying.

Some Ancient Chinese Food Cooking Styles

Ancient Chinese food can be divided roughly into the Northern style of cooking and the Southern style of cooking. Generally, Northern Chinese dishes tend to be oily, although they are not cloyingly so, and garlic and vinegar flavouring are more pronounced. Northern Chinese food also includes a lot of pasta; some of the favorite flour-based treats being steamed bread; fried meat dumplings; steamed stuffed buns; dumplings resembling ravioli; and noodles. The best known cooking styles of Northern Chinese food are perhaps the methods used in Shantung, Tientsin, and Peking. The Chinese wish for satiation and plenitude is symbolized by an elaborately made stuffed chicken.

Some of the distinguishing Southern styles of cooking are: Hunan and Szechwan cuisine which are well known for the liberal utilization of chilli peppers; the Chekiang and Kiangsu styles of cooking with their emphasis on tenderness and freshness; and Cantonese cuisine which has a tendency of being a little sweet and includes a lot of variety. Rice as well as rice products like rice cake, rice congee, and rice noodles usually accompany Southern main dishes.

Flavor, Aroma, and Color in Ancient Chinese Food

The Chinese always laid a lot of emphasis on satisfying the olfactory, visual, as well as the gustatory senses, which they did by giving equal importance to incorporating aroma, color, and flavor. Entrees usually have a combination of 3-5 colors, which are chosen from ingredients that are caramel, black, white, yellow, red, dark green, and green in color. Typically, a vegetable and meat dish is cooked using one principle ingredient and then including 2-3 ingredients of secondary importance which have contrasting colors. It is then prepared according to ancient methods of cooking, adding sauces and seasonings, resulting in an aesthetic dish full of aroma, color and flavor.

The Methods of Cooking Ancient Chinese Food

Some of the main methods of cooking are: pan-frying, flash-frying, deep-frying, steaming, stewing, and stir-frying. Since the Chinese always knew that the fragrant aroma of a dish whets the appetite, they used various flavoring agents like black, dried Chinese mushrooms, sesame oil, pepper, cinnamon, star anise, wine, chili peppers, garlic, fresh ginger, and scallions. One of the most important aspects of cooking any dish was to preserve the natural, fresh flavor, and remove all unwanted game or fish odors, which ginger and scallion served to do. Ingredients like vinegar, sugar, and soy sauce were used to enhance the richness of a dish without smothering the natural flavors.

Hence, in ancient Chinese cooking, a well made dish would be: hot and spicy for those with a penchant for piquancy; sweetish for people with a predilection towards sweet flavor; for those with a preference for blander tasting food it would not be over-spiced; and for those who revel in strong flavors it would be rich. The Chinese were of the opinion that if a dish comprised of all these features and satisfied all these tastes, it was indeed a successful one.