Running head: CULTURAL PAPER
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Cultural Paper
Patricia Moon
Nursing 310
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Chinese Culture and Cuisine
Nurses care for patients from a myriad of cultures. It is important to remember that diet
choices may vary related to culture and care must be given to allow patients to choose those
foods which are unique to their nationality and culture.
Historically, Chinese cuisine has been intertwined with its culture. Many foods were
eaten for medicinal properties. Others were chosen due to their abundant presence and ability to
be produced.
Topography, Foods, and Agriculture
China is the third largest country in the world (Briney, 2011). In East Asia, China borders
thirteen other countries, including Russia, India, and Vietnam plus three large bodies of water:
the Yellow Sea, the South China Sea, and the East China Sea (Briney, 2011). The topography of
China varies from mountains, high plateaus, and deserts in the west to the plains, deltas, and hills
in the east (Briney, 2011). The climate of China fluctuates from the tropic area of southern China
to the northern sub-arctic region (Briney, 2011). In order to feed the world’s largest population
China uses the abundance from the seas and grain from its land.
China produces a staggering amount of the world’s food economy. This includes 18% of
the cereal grains, 29% of the meat, and 50% of the vegetables produced in the world (Carter,
2011). It is largest supplier of pork, wheat, rice, and fish in the world (Carter, 2011). It
accomplishes this with only 9% of the global sown area (Carter, 2011). This is largely achieved
through the work of farmers who live in poverty (Carter, 2011).
Staple Foods and Meal Patterns
The most common meats eaten in China are pork and chicken (Anderson, 2002). Rice is
the most consumed grain along with noodles made from wheat, rice, or other grains (Anderson,
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2002). Typical meals include a boiled grain topped with vegetables, spices, and soy products
(Anderson, 2002). Soup is usually also present and sometimes compromises the entire meal
(Anderson, 2002). To save fuel, stir frying small slices of meat is often done. Snacks may be
steamed buns, breads, dumplings or sometimes “dim sum”, in which the buns or dumplings are
stuffed (Anderson, 2002). In the past, the Chinese diet consisted of many of the available
products from each particular region: fish near the seas and ponds, rice in the south, soybeans,
and a large variety of herbs, spices, and vegetables that varied by location. Western foods and
diet changes have begun to influence China, bringing with it some of the western concerns
related to obesity, diabetes, and heart disease.
Religions and Holiday Food Consumption
The main religions in China are Buddhism and Taoism. Buddhism encourages vegetarian
diets. Chinese holidays typically are celebrated with a particular food. According to the Travel
China Guide, they include: Spring Festival, Chinese New Year, Mid-Autumn day and Dragon
Boat Festival. Spring Festival is the most important and it is a strong family time. It coincides
with Chinese New Year and is based on the first lunar month. Special foods eaten include
dumplings and rice cakes. Moon cakes are eaten on mid-autumn day and zongzi (pyramid shaped
dumplings with various fillings) are eaten on Dragon Boat Festival (Travel China Guide, 2012).
Health Concerns and Food Avoidance
High agricultural yields in China are partly due to the use of fertilizers and pesticides.
This has resulted in increased levels of potentially toxic elements (PTEs) in many of crops
produced worldwide. According to a 2009 article in Environmental Pollution, rice is a major
pathway for PTE exposure making the high rice consumption in China a “critical problem for
food safety” (Hang, 2009). Dietary concerns are being addressed by the Chinese Nutrition
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Society. These include increases in diabetes, hypertension, and cerebral vascular disease (Ge,
2011). An increase intake of animal foods and a decrease in the amount of cereals combined with
a decrease in energy expenditure has led to changes in the Food Guide Pagoda for 2007 (Ge,
2011). Another dietary concern voiced by Ge is the increased drinking of fluids that contain
sugar. Ge states that “over 60% of secondary students drink carbonated beverages at home” and
this is contributing “remarkably” to the fact that the “proportion of overweight children is
increasing” (Ge, 2011). Adequate water intake is also a problem in China where the water must
often be boiled due to pollution (Ge, 2011). Increased intake of cow’s milk for children also
encouraged as the calcium intake is about 50% lower than is recommended (Ge, 2011). This may
be more difficult as they age since East Asian adults tend to be lactose intolerant (Anderson,
2002).
Personal Cultural and Food Choices
I was raised in a traditional family during the 1960’s. My mother and father both worked
and they took turns cooking. My father loved to make large pots of chili and soups and would
often give it away to the neighbors. Other meals consisted of meat, such as beef roast or pork
chops, along with potatoes and gravy. Corn was the vegetable served. My Polish mother made
pigs-in-a-blanket or kielbasa and sauerkraut. While the diet sounds high in calories, my family
was thin since we rarely had candy, chips, or cookies. Cartoons were only on Saturday morning,
so we generally played outside. According to my Catholic upbringing, we ate fish on Fridays and
the biggest meal of the week followed Sunday morning mass.
Eating Practices, Preferences and Preparation
I became a vegetarian as a teenager. I remained that way until I married and we
purchased a home on ten acres. My husband wanted to raise our own beef and pork. We did so
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for many years while our four children were home. I preferred to feed my family meat that I
raised since I always knew exactly what it had eaten. We continue to raise our own pork, but I
avoid red meat. I prefer fish and nuts for protein. We have chickens that produce our eggs and
grow a large garden every summer. I freeze some items and we eat homegrown vegetables for
much of the year. We very rarely use pesticides and fertilize using manure and compost. My
favorite foods are salads, fish, and nuts. Soup and tea are my comfort foods; something about
holding a warm mug in my hands is very calming.
Holiday and Food Customs
Now that my children are grown with three living out-of-state, a holiday is any time I can
get them together. Last year we were able to all travel to Tennessee to my daughter’s home for
Thanksgiving. Herself a busy mother and family physician, she was smart enough to have
someone else make our meal and deliver it on Thanksgiving morning. My children are not fussy,
and they will eat almost anything. I have never been a good cook, so they have low expectations
for holiday meals. I generally try to cook turkey for Thanksgiving, ham for Christmas and Easter,
and their own personal favorite for birthdays.
Dietary Health Risk Factors
One of the greatest health risks in the American culture is the tendency to eat fast food
and sugar laden drinks. These items provide additional calories that do not supply nutrition. An
additional danger is portion size. Many individuals eat larger portions than are needed. High
caloric intake leads to obesity and can increase risks for heart disease, diabetes, and other
diseases.
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MyPlate versus MyPyramid
The food pyramid was devised to show the larger portion of the recommended foods
forming the base of the ideal diet (Painter, 2002). Additional foods are added according to the
amount that should be consumed. Fruits and vegetables share a level on the pyramid that is
divided, as does dairy products and protein products such as meat, poultry, and eggs (Painter,
2002). The top of the pyramid is the smallest level, fats, which should be eaten least (Painter,
2002). MyPlate depicts a daily meal on a plate (USDA, 2012). It resembles a divided foam plate
with areas for each food choice: fruits, vegetables, protein, and grains (USDA, 2012). The dairy
group resembles a glass of milk alongside (USDA, 2012). The divisions are not equal in size,
grains and vegetables take the larger portion of the plate, with fruit and protein making up the
difference. I believe this visual is easier for people to understand. Fruits and vegetable make up
half of the meal. Grains and protein make the other half, with grain being larger. One of the
biggest problems leading to obesity is the inability for people to recognize what a portion size
should be. The pyramid shows the number of portions while the plate shows how the portion
should fit on a plate. I believe this is an easier guide for most people to use on a daily basis.
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References
Anderson, G. (2002). Cuisine-China. In K. Christensen & D. Levinson (Eds.) Encyclopedia of
modern Asia: Vol 2. (pp. 187-192). Gale Virtual Reference Library. Gale document
number:GALE/CX3403700744Retrievedfromhttp://0go.galegroup.com.libcat.ferris.edu/p
s/i.do?id=GALE&7CCX340700744&v+2.1&u=lom_ferrissu&it=r&p+GVRL&sw=w
Briney, A. (2011). The geography and modern history of China. About.com Geography.
Retrieved from: http://geography.about.com/od/chinamaps/a/china.htm
Carter, Colin A. (2011). China’s agriculture: Achievements and challenges. ARE Update
14(5):5-7. University of California Giannini Foundation of Agricultural Economics.
Retrieved from: http://giannini.ucop.edu/media/are-update/files/articles/V14N5 2.pdf
Ge, K. (2011). The transition of Chinese dietary guidelines and the food guide pagoda. Asian
Pacific Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 20(3), 439-446. Retrieved from:
http//apjcn.nhri.org.tw/server/APJCN/Volume20/vol20.3/Finished/12_China.pdf
Hang, X., Wang, H., Zhou, J., Ma, C., Du, C., Chen, X. (2009). Risk assessment of potentially
toxic element pollution in soils and rice (Oryza sativa) in a typical area of the Yangtze
River Delta. Environmental Pollution, 157, 2542 – 2549. doi:
10.1016/j.envpol.2009.03.002
Painter, J., Rah, J., Lee, Y. (2002). Comparison of international food guide pictorial
representations. Journal of the American Dietetic Association (pp. 483-489). Retrieved
from: http//:intraspec.ca/pictorials_nutrition_guides.pdf
Travel China Guide (2012). Chinese festival food. Retrieved from:
http://www.travelchinaguide.com/tour/food/chinese-cooking/festival-food.htm
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United States Department of Agriculture. (2012). MyPlate. Center for nutrition policy and
promotion. Retrieved from: http://www.cnpp.usda.gov/MyPlate.htm
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