Some people think that Asians don’t eat meat on a daily basis.
That might be true for the people who live in rural areas of
some developing countries. But most Asians who live in the
cities, especially in developed countries like Singapore, Japan,
South Korea and also here in the US, enjoy meat every day.

The difference between Asian and Western meat dishes is in the
method of preparation of the meat.

Asian Method of Cooking Meat

•The meat is sliced into thin pieces. All the visible fat is
easily discarded.
•The sliced meat can better absorb the seasoning. As a result,
the meat has a strong flavor, saltier or spicier. Because of the
strong flavor, it has to be eaten with something bland such as
steamed rice.

•Varieties of vegetables are added to give color and contrast
and to complement the meat dishes.

Western Method of Cooking Meat

•The meat is served in big, thick slices. A lot of fat (marble)
is trapped inside the meat. Because of the thickness, it does
not absorb the seasoning well. It has a weak, blander flavor
compared to Asian meat dishes. To add more flavor, butter,
cheese or meat sauce is added.

•Typically served with potatoes or bread with additional oil
and fats.

•Vegetables are served on the side, usually with high-calorie,
high-fat dressings.

If you enjoy meat the Asian way, you will find it easy to
adhere to the recommendation by the American Heart Association
to eat no more than 6 ounces of lean meat in a day (about the
size of two decks of cards).

Why do Scientists Suggest that We Limit Our Daily Intake of
Meat?

• It is high in cholesterol.

• It is high in saturated fat. Scientists found that other than
the natural cholesterol found in food, our body produces
cholesterol from the saturated fat we consume. Since meat is
high in both cholesterol and saturated fat, it gives us double
trouble.

Fat and cholesterol form a buildup which clogs the arteries and
blocks the flow of blood, which leads to hypertension, stroke or
heart attack.

• Studies have found a strong correlation between meat
consumption and Alzheimer’s disease, kidney disease, breast
cancer and prostate cancer.

All Fats are Not Created Equal

There are 3 kinds of fat:

• Saturated fat is bad because it raises cholesterol, which
clogs up arteries.

Characteristic: solid at room temperature
Mostly found in meat and dairy products such as cheese, butter
and cream.

• Trans fat is an unsaturated fat from vegetable oil, processed
to become solid. It also increases cholesterol. Margarine is an
example. Liquid or soft margarines contain less trans fat than
the hard ones.

Limit your daily intake of saturated and trans fat to 10 % of
your total calories (about 20 grams for most people).

• Unsaturated fat
Unsaturated fat is not as bad as saturated fat. This kind of
fat does not clog arteries but it is still high in calories (1
gram of fat yields 9 calories). When you eat nuts or use
vegetable oil (including olive oil), keep in mind that they are
very dense in calories.

1 cup of peanuts = 840 calories
1 tablespoon of vegetable oil = 120 calories.

Characteristic: not solid at room temperature.
Usually found in nuts, vegetable oil and fish.

Limit your daily intake of unsaturated fat to 20 % of your
total calories (about 40 grams for most people).

About The Author: To get a free report about “The Best Food for
Weight Loss”, go to asianslimsecrets.com. Linda Yo
gained 25 lbs in 3 months of her arrival in the US. She failed
at every method before she discovered the easy weight loss
method that she shared in her highly acclaimed book, Asian Slim
Secrets.

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