First time in China...and need to go on a diet

[kotkoda]

I'll be in China for the summer (Shenzhen). I have some health issues that I have just found out and I would like to go on a diet to improve my condition. At the minimum I need to eat eat less sugar and red meat and more veggies/fruit.

What dishes should I look for?

Advice anyone?

[tysond]

Recommend cooking from raw ingrediants when possible. A lot of eateries seem to be pretty keen on adding sugar (and other ingrediants) and it will be hard to control your intake if you eat out a lot. Markets and stores are full of veggies, fruits and other ingrediants.

If you must go out, a possible strategy in this case would be to eat fish and chicken when out - BBQ with lemon or other simple sauces.

There are usually veggie dishes that have simple sauces (soy, garlic, etc) - learn to love them.

Stick with tea when out (some bottled tea is sweetened, but fresh from the pot isn't).

Many drinks have sugar in them too and the concept of diet/sugar-free cola and other beverages is very much in its early days (you only find it in places foreigners go, and maybe supermarkets/stores in major cities).

Good luck.

[kotkoda]

Thanks a lot for your advice!

I may have to eat lunch from across the street where I will be working (arranged lunch) but I'll look for other alternatives. Perhaps I can substitute it for a more healthier alternative. Beverage is not much of an issue because I don't drink anything else than water or tea here in the US either. Soda is not my thing luckily.

Thanks again

[Cat Jones]

Make friends with your local 7-11 - they sell sushi, fresh fruit, salads, noodles and all kinds of healthier than usual foods. I often pick up lunch at 7-11 rather than eating in local restaurants or canteens.

[Ruben von Zwack]

Cat Jones, will that be expensive? I can only compare to Thailand where I thought one item in the 7/11 costs as much as a whole dish in the local restaurant next door.

[liuzhou]

A traditional Chinese diet features lots of vegetables and little red meat. Although the consumption of meat is rising fast, a lot of dishes will be predominantly vegetable based. Most students round here rarely eat much meat.

Sugar is a different problem. Some parts of China use a lot; others don't. Shenzhen is pretty cosmopolitan so you are going to get all sorts. Some of the best Sichuan food I've eaten in China was in Shenzhen, for example.

In my experience, Cantonese, Shandong and Shanghai tend to be sweeter than I prefer - no doubt others will disagree.

[Lu]

Cooking your own food is probably the best idea. Unless you're very strictly vegetarian or are eating with business partners who want to impress you, avoiding meat is not very difficult, but many Chinese dishes contain lots of sugar even if you wouldn't expect it. Gongbao jiding, for example.

[gato]

Shenzhen has good and relatively cheap seafood, so you can stick with that.

[Cat Jones]

Ruben - I usually buy some sushi, preapred melon, a soft drink and a big bottle of water for under 20RMB. You can eat in a restaurant for the same amount I guess, but for me to eat in restaurants/cafeteria daily is not an option that's good for my weight!

[Ruben von Zwack]

Thanks Cat Jones! I am planning my first visit to China and knowing little things like this is very helpful.

[imron]

Shenzhen has good and relatively cheap seafood

It's not like seafood in China isn't without its problems either.

[abcdefg]

The biggest "weight gain" foods I find in Kunming are the ubiquitous sugars and fats. Almost all restaurant-cooked food has lots of sugar added out of sight and is swimming in oil. My Chinese friends also seem to constantly much on "junk food" snacks; things that are tasty, but have little or no nutritional value.

Don't think that lean meat, red or not, should be that big a problem. Of course, I don't know the specifics of your situation. Fresh fruits and vegetables are readily available in Shenzhen.

Footnote to original poster: Best not to think of "going on a diet" for x number of weeks -- better to think of altering your eating and exercise habits as part of a long-term health maintenance strategy.

[kotkoda]

Thanks for the many advice here. I really appreciate all the replies!

Mine is not a weight issue but a health issue so yes I am trying to do it in the long run.

I don't think I'll be able to cook there (I'll be staying in a tiny hotel room). But I really like raw veggies and fruit so I'll try to buy those instead of restaurant food. I love fish too (I wonder how polluted they are I wonder...).

I am not sure about 7-11...I am one of those who don't really like to shop at corporations, but I may try it for the first few days until I know where things I prefer are located.

[liuzhou]

If you are looking after your health, eating raw vegetables in China is NOT recommended. Do you know what they use for fertiliser?

[kotkoda]

Well, that will definitely be an issue...because I am supposed to eat organic, too.

Is it really better if I fry/cook them? I don't think fertilizers just disappear with cooking.

[liuzhou]

I don't think fertilizers just disappear with cooking.

But high temperatures kill many of the pathogens and other nasties. Obviously they should be thoroughly washed, too.

Chinese people rarely eat raw vegetables, with good reason. Also, they seldom, if ever, eat the skin of fruit.

Peel me a grape!

[Cat Jones]

You can get special cleaner in supermarkets to wash your fruit and veg if you so desire.

[liuzhou]

Yes, but remember cleaning only works on the exterior. Admittedly, that is where most residues are found, but not all. Fruit and vegetables are mostly water. China has massive problems with water pollution. I hate to think what that watermelon has been soaking up.

[abcdefg]

OP -- Time to quit being coy and tell us the nature of your problem. You are more likely to get sound advice instead of everyone just shooting in the dark.

[Cat Jones]

liuzhou - Yes I'm ignoring all of that! My head is firmly in the sand...

And you didn't even mention the soil pollution yet And are you even sure that watermelon is real?!!