Even if it was eaten regularly by some only, Chinese cooking would still be acknowledged as one of the greatest and original cuisines of the world. There is an ever increasing interest in and appreciation of Chinese food in the West. The fact that Chinese restaurants are mushrooming in the West is ample testimony to the variety and quality of food recipes.

Chinese recipe now holds a popular place among the entire population of the world. You can find a Chinese restaurant in every major city and in many smaller areas of the world as well. As a nation that pays great attention to courtesy, our cuisine culture is deep rooted in China's history. No one can doubt that China has a rich heritage of fine food, but the most influential and widely known styles are the Cantonese, Sichuan and Shanghai Cuisines. It's certainly tasty enough, but is it healthy? In these modern days of looking good and feeling good this is a question that might often be on the lips of anyone who has just devoured an egg fu yung. Well the answer to the question is that, yes, authentic Chinese cooking is very healthy. In fact the Chinese diet might be one of the healthiest in the world.

The History of Chinese Food

The history of Chinese food is an interesting one. Unlike many cultures the Chinese people believe that the preparation of food is an art and not simply a craft. The art of cooking Chinese food can include dishes and food preparation techniques which are difficult to develop and may require the expertise of a chef with lots of experience. Noodle pulling requires skill and lots of practice and results in a delicious noodle dish. This article will refer to noodle pulling later on, but for now, let's go back to the history of Chinese food.

Chinese food and the way it is prepared is very much influenced by the two major philosophies, which influence the entire Chinese culture. These dominant philosophies are Confucianism and Taoism. Both have these philosophies have influenced the way that the Chinese people cook and the way that they enjoy their food.

Chinese food appeals to the majority and its variety of flavors is so cleverly contained in each dish that there is nothing incongruous in the serving of meat and poultry in the same course. Both the cooking and consumption of Chinese food are great culinary experiences. Besides appealing to our taste buds and eyes, food prepared in the Chinese manner is highly nutritious, retaining all its vitamins with quick and minimum cooking.

Is Chinese Food Healthy?

Chinese food, when authentic is probably the healthiest food in the world. Some restaurants, which are not authentic, prepare their menu with highly saturated fats or with meats that contain unhealthy amounts of animal fat. These Chinese restaurants are not recommended and they are both neither authentic nor healthy.

Good cuisines however, is prepared and cooked with poly-unsaturated oils. Authentic Chinese food does not require the use of milk-fat ingredients such as cream, butter or cheese. Meat is used, but not in abundance, which makes it easy for those who love authentic food to avoid high levels of animal fat. Many believe that authentic food is really the ideal diet.