I recently passed a highly demanding physical examination for my new job in the US. And I've found out that I'm totally fit except that my LDL cholesterol is a bit high due to my eating habit here in Canada. I have a sweet tooth and love eating cheese, butter, chocolate, ice cream, cookies, muffins, brownies..., which are all unhealthy and may be the cause of my LDL cholesterol level.
I have done a research on the Internet about food and health concerns, only to find that people in North America eat a lot of unhealthy food and have more bad habits in eating and drinking compared to Chinese and Japanese.
According to a research by American scientists, tea is healthy, especially Chinese green tea, but drinking tea with sugar is not healthy. And Chinese people do not drink tea with sugar or milk. In fact most Chinese love strong tea.
Healthy food listed on the Internet that may help lower LDL cholesterol level includes tofu, soy milk, apples, seaweeds, carrots and corn.
Most Japanese food is even healthier than Chinese food, except that Japanese eat more raw fish. They eat lots of sea food, not so oily, not salty either. No wonder the Japanese all live a long time and so few of them are obese.
Chinese people buy fresh vegetables and fruits on a daily basis, which is healthy, while Westerners eat more frozen food and all fill their refrigerators with food for several days, which is unhealthy.
Chinese people drink herbal tea without sugar or milk, which is healthy, while Westerners drink tea with tea bags and much sugar, which is unhealthy.
I just have to warn myself that I should eat less dessert. Many people here in Vancouver simply run to work and eat a muffin for breakfast, along with a cup of fresh coffee. Sometimes I have just dessert as a meal, too, which is dangerous.
In the long history of Chinese cuisine, the Chinese have always combined food with health improvement. Up to today, most Chinese people have a general knowledge about food and nutrition. Below is the translation (proof-read by my American soul-sister Cheryl) I made for an upscale restaurant in Beijing who once served the Fortune Forum guests including Bill Gates. Simply have a glimpse of the Chinese food and nutrition culture even though animal lovers and vegetarians like me may be against eating them--
Bird's Nest
Bird’s nest is a delicacy that has been favored by emperors and beauties for thousands of years.
Living in the grottoes of Southeast Asia, this magical bird creates it’s tender nest, readying it for the eggs which she lays in April. Since the nest is made from the salivary glands of the birds, these glands are highly developed and specialized.
Bird’s nest contains protein, calcium, amino acid and carbohydrate, which are indispensable to human beings. More significantly, bird’s nest also contains two types of collagen, which may accelerate cell division and contribute to the growth of epidermis. In short, bird’s nest is rich in beauty genes so as to activate the aging skin cells.
The bird’s nest used by South China Restaurant is top class bird’s nest all from Indonesia. Remade by our chefs, it creates a tender and refreshing feel in your mouth.
Shark Fin
Sharks live in the depths of the ocean, and not in the polluted shallows, so their flesh is very pure.
Shark fins are dorsal fin, caudle fin, pectoral fins, pelvic fin and anal fin removed from a shark and dried in the sun.
With high protein and low fat, shark fins are rich in as organic colloid, protein, and trace elements like phosphorus and iron. The collagen that shark fins contain is widely known as a kind of animal protein good for the skin. Eating shark fins regularly may help one stay young, strong and healthy.
Imported from the seas of Norway, the shark fins used by South China Restaurant are prepared in the classic Chinese manner by our master chefs. The texture is thick yet tender, and creates an incredibly delicious shark fin soup.
Sea Cucumber
Sea cucumber, an ancient species living in the depths of the mysterious ocean, is the only animal food found, thus far, that does not contain cholesterol. It is rich in chemical components that enhance the human immune system.
Sea cucumber, an invertebrate in the sea, usually lives under the reef where the wave is calm, sea weeds are luxuriant, and no fresh water comes in, or under hard sand.
A rare nutritional supplement with high protein, low fat, no sugar and no cholesterol, sea cucumber may help keep human organs and skin from aging, strengthen the flexibility of blood vessels, and contribute to the improvement of high blood pressure, coronary heart disease and cancer.
The preparation method for sea cucumber, at South China Restaurant, is meticulous and exacting, as our master chefs take care to preserve the freshness and vitamins in each dish.
Abalone
Abalone, the ultimate perfect protein from the sea, is not a scavenger shellfish, but lives on pure seawater and seaweeds.
Abalone usually inhabits reefs with a high salt level, with abundant seaweeds, where the flow of wind and tide keep the waters pure.
Abalone contains very high protein, vitamins, and nutritional elements including calcium, iron, zinc and phosphorus, and has very low fat and almost no cholesterol. It also contains three elements -- specific to the species -- which destroy the metabolite needed by cancer cells, and thus enhances human immune response.
The abalone prepared at South China Restaurant is kept tender, pure and tasty by the classical clay pot method of cooking. We use clean charcoal and ventilation stoves with new and improved technology to produce the best-tasting dish with a rich, thick sauce.
