Southeast Asian Diets and Health Promotion

Abstract

Southeast Asia, the food bowl of Asia, covers 11 countries (i.e. Brunei, Cambodia, East Timor, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam). Their diet consists principally of rice or noodles as the staple food, fish as the main source of protein, fruits and vegetables, and herbs and spices. Their cooking style is strongly influenced by the Chinese, Indian, and Malay culinary traditions. Their food ranges from the rich and spicy dishes of the Muslims and the Indians in Brunei, East Timor, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore—the milder and less spicy local cuisines of the rest of the countries— to the relatively plain Chinese dishes among the Chinese communities in most cities. Perhaps the most distinguishing characteristics of Southeast Asian diet are the abundance of seafood and fruits and vegetables, and the liberal use of herbs and spices. Fish is considered the healthiest source of protein, made even more nutritious when it contains ω-3 and ω-6 fatty acids. Fruits and vegetables are excellent sources of vitamins, minerals, dietary fiber, and the nutritionally extremely important phytochemicals. Spices enhance the flavor and taste of the food, but also add nutritional and medicinal value to the dishes because of their biologically active phytochemicals. Generally, food of Southeast Asia is considered healthy as evidenced largely by the much lower incidence of acute obesity and cardiovascular disease as compared with the West. Unfortunately, with the rapid development and industrialization in these countries, the food trend is moving away from the traditional rice and food with lots of fruits and vegetables to the Western-style fast food and protein-rich diets, with extremely damaging consequence, especially in big cities.