Although it is believed raw vegetable contains a higher concentration of vitamins and live enzymes that help people with digestion, many Chinese still can’t accept this type of diet.
What you must understand is that eating raw vegetables requires a much higher sanitary standard or it will be very easy to catch some infectious diseases. However, it’s hard to reduce the contamination risk in China.
For one thing, not all countries have consumable water directly from the tap so you can’t just directly use it to wash your vegetable but boil the water first to make it drinkable.
For another, food safety is always the main concern in China. Pesticides used in conventional farming are common so sometimes you may find pesticide residues on the surface of vegetables. Chemicals found in pesticides can be very dangerous, which generally contain neurotoxins that may negatively affect the nervous system development of babies and young children.
Disadvantages of eating raw vegetables
Except for the above reasons, the Chinese also believe there are certain disadvantages of eating raw vegetables.
Lack of joyful taste
In Western cooking, we always see chief just use saults and pepper to adjust the foods’ flavor, trying to maintain foods’ original taste and avoid the loss of certain nutrition. But not for the Chinese.
As we know Chinese cuisine sometimes can be very complicated because it’s cooked in lots of different ways and by adding various ingredients. The taste of Chinese food may be the most versatile compared to other countries’ foods. However, naturality may never be the most prior consideration for cooking Chinese foods and this is exactly why Chinese seldom eat raw vegetables.
Also, many vegetables are naturally bitter or astringent and don’t always taste good when eaten raw, especially if you’re eating an unripened vegetable that isn’t in season.
Hard to be consumed
Chinese people don’t eat raw vegetables also because of the digestion issue. It’s hard to digest too much raw food usually, which can lead to bloating and weight gain.
The main reason is that vegetables normally present very high fiber, so even those Chinese who know the benefit of eating raw foods will still prefer cooked vegetables, making it easier for the body to take on so the body can conserve energy for other tasks.
Chinese believe that every human body is made up of yin elements and yang elements. To remain healthy, a person should be careful of the good balance of yin and yang. Chinese think the stomach is easier to be affected by yin, so keeping your stomach warm by eating warm cooked food is especially important, and avoiding eating raw vegetables seems wise.
Real fresh vegetables are pricey
Raw vegetables, particularly for those organic fresh vegetables in season, sometimes can be very expensive in China. The reason is obvious, producing fresh organic vegetables requires much more cost regarding labor, place, technologies, fertilizers, etc.
If you really want to add raw vegetables to your diet and don’t want to get sick, you’ll have no choice but go for the freshest ones, which also means the expensive ones.
Chinese dishes made of raw vegetable
Although there are many Chinese who can’t accept raw vegetables, it doesn’t mean a hundred percent of Chinese. In fact, there are some typical raw vegetable dishes in the Chinese great diet culture. You can call some of these dishes “Chinese style salad” and I’m sure you will have a brand new diet experience from these dishes.
Shredded Cucumber with sauce
A light and refreshing appetizer, the shredded cucumber with sauce is mixed with plenty of garlic and drizzled with an appetizing blend of soy sauce, vinegar, and sugar. The sauce can be spicy if you want and it has a special salty flavor with a hint of sour. This shredded Cucumber dish is low in calories and goes with pretty much any other Chinese dish very well. Cucumber also is one of the few raw vegetables that the Chinese love to eat.
Tomato with sugar
This is a light, simple and nutritious dessert, one of the best snacks in the summer when tomatoes are in-season. The way to make this dish is pretty easy and straightforward. After you clean the tomatoes with water, cut them and toss sugar, then allow them to chill. When the juicy tomatoes mix with the sugar, it’s time to eat.
Coriander with shelled peanut
Coriander, in China, is not only used for flavoring but also for eating. I know it seems strange but eating coriander can provide you with a lot of benefits, such as promoting your liver function, stimulating your insulin secretion to lower your blood sugar levels, offering you vitamin K, containing antiseptic properties, etc. Having coriander with shelled peanuts can help remove the bitter taste a bit and be a great appetizer if you blend them with vinegar sauce.
Barbecue wrapped in lettuce
I know it sounds more like Korean food, but there is a nationality in China that is closely related to Korean called the Chaoxian nationality, located in the northern area of China. when you’re having a barbecue, you definitely should wrap it with lettuce because it will make the meat less fatty and more crispy. This is one of the few that the Chinese will eat raw lettuce.
Sweet and sour turnip
Another Chinese-style salad, sweet and sour turnip is quite popular in northern China. this is a delicious non-cook recipe, similar to cucumber salad, which results in a slightly sweet and salty salad with a lot of crunches. Sweet and sour turnip is absolutely one of the best China appetizers and will make you feel cool during the horribly hot summer.
Shredded carrots with sauce
The shredded carrot with sauce has the simplest ingredients that even the strictest dieters can enjoy without limits. Because of the unique flavor of the carrot itself, the Chinese normally won’t put too many heavy-tasting ingredients but a little vinegar. We all know that carrot is one of the most nutritional vegetables, which can help you reduce the risks of cancer and cardiovascular disease and implement vitamins, minerals, and fiber.
Sliced pimento with sauce
Pimento has been served a lot in Western countries but the Chinese are also fond of this vegetable. What might be more surprising to you is that the Chinese like eating raw pimento. The pimento, unlike the traditional capsicum, tastes less spicy but more refreshing. By mingling with sour flavor sauce, the Chinese-style pimento salad will give another brand new salad experience.
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