Healthful Traditions and Modern Challenges in Asian Diets
The Chinese New Year celebration is made more exciting with an array of festive foods on the table that imbue bounty and good health. However, in many parts of the world, food insecurity has become prevalent, making the largesse of festivities a luxury they cannot enjoy.
According to the latest FAO Asia and the Pacific Regional Overview of Food Security and Nutrition Statistics and Trends, the region continues to suffer from some protracted effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and the “5Fs” crisis – Food, Feed, Fuel, Fertilizers, and Finance. Recent statistics reveal that the region, home to nearly 371 million undernourished people, represents half of the global total. Similarly, the Asia and the Pacific region accounts for half of the world’s severe food insecurity, with more women than men facing food insecurity. Prevalence rates of stunting, wasting, and overweight among children under 5 years of age, as well as anemia among women of reproductive age, remain below the World Health Assembly’s global nutrition targets. These challenges are worsened by the rising cost of a healthy diet, which increased to an average of 5.3 purchasing power parity (PPP) dollars per person per day in 2021 – higher than the world’s average of 4.3 PPP dollars per person per day. It is estimated that in 2021, 232.8 million people in the region could not afford the cost of a healthy diet.
Asia’s healthy plate
Asian diets boast numerous healthy aspects, including the incorporation of soybeans, unsweetened tea, and fresh fruits and vegetables. However, a study focusing on heart disease and diabetic risks among Asian-American subgroups has highlighted certain culinary practices in Asia that may not be considered “healthy.”
The study’s lead author, Dr. Tak Kwan, a clinical professor of medicine at Northwell Health, pointed out that Asian diets also have their weaknesses. He noted a lack of emphasis on dietary fiber and a heavy reliance on white rice and rice products, which translates to a high intake of refined carbohydrates. Managing carbohydrate intake is crucial for controlling Type 2 diabetes, while a diet rich in dietary fiber can help protect against various illnesses, including heart disease.
To account for geographical variations in food preparation preferences, the study divided preferences into three regions:
In Southeast Asia, encompassing Cambodia, Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, and Singapore, a balance of grilling, stir-frying, braising, and deep-frying is common in diets. Dishes often use ingredients such as coconut milk, fish sauce, shrimp paste, and meat broth.
South Asia, covering India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bangladesh, and Burma, sees a prevalence of vegetarians, but deep-frying is popular among meat-eaters. Rice is a staple in dishes like dosa (a fermented crepe) and vada (a type of fritter), while flour forms the basis of naan and roti flatbreads.
In Northeast Asia, which includes China, Taiwan, Japan, and Korea, soy and soy-based protein are prominent, and white rice is considered “an integral part of each meal.”
Despite these regional dietary strengths, weaknesses are also evident. Southeast and South Asian diets often lack fresh fruit and derive unhealthy fats from cooking oils such as coconut oil. Additionally, diets from Southeast and Northeast Asia tend to have high sodium levels from condiments like soy sauce, although specific regional favorites may vary – for instance, sambal, a chili paste, is a staple in Indonesia, while sweet and savory hoisin sauce is more common in China.
Healthy diet comes with a price tag
The nutritional quality of our diets significantly influences our overall health, contributing to various forms of malnutrition such as undernutrition, micronutrient deficiencies, and overweight/obesity. In 2021, there was a global increase of 4.3% in the average cost of a healthy diet compared to the previous year, with Asia and the Pacific experiencing a higher surge of 5.3%. This rise in food prices affected all subregions, particularly Southern Asia, where costs have been steadily increasing since 2017. Oceania had the lowest average cost, while Japan and Bhutan had the highest costs per person per day for a healthy diet. According to the report, it is important for governments and stakeholders to monitor the economic accessibility of nutritious diets to promote fairness, create livelihood opportunities, and implement social protection measures, ensuring universal access to nutritious foods for all.
Westernization of Asian Foods
Asian staple foods have been hailed as nutritious, promoting the consumption of more naturally grown food. However, this ideal situation has gradually degraded as economic prosperity, urban expansion, and globalization takes over Asia. These trends have transformed the so-called Asian diets, but for the wrong reasons. According to a 2004 working paper published by the FAO, traditional staples like rice are being pushed aside in favor of a more diverse array of foods, including meat, dairy, fruits, and oils. This shift, propelled by rising incomes, is altering food consumption patterns, nearly mimicking Western food choices. Globalization, particularly the interconnectedness of urban middle-class communities, is a driving force behind this trend, with the proliferation of global supermarket chains and fast-food outlets further accelerating the shift.
The paper identifies six key trends that illustrate these changes, including declining rice consumption, increased wheat consumption, greater food group diversity, a preference for high-protein diets, a surge in temperate zone product consumption, and growing demand for convenience foods. That said, Asian agriculture has transformed, moving away from its traditional focus on cereal crops, notably rice, toward a more commercialized and diversified production model.
While it is imperative for supply systems to adapt to these trends, it remains to be seen how these shifts will impact the supply and demand for organic produce and affect the cost of healthy diets for the long term.
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