What Is the Asian Diet? How to Follow It and Its Food List

Rich in many healthy foods, the Asian diet was evaluated by US News & World Report, which assesses diets according to their features and capabilities, for its 2021 Best Diets list of 39 dietary patterns with a ranking of 14. Let us examine this dietary pattern together to answer questions about its nutritional principles, ease of use and cost.

What does the Asian Diet include? Which foods are allowed and which are prohibited?

The Asian dietary pattern recommends vegetables, fruit, nuts and legumes. Since grain consumption is also very common in Asian culture, grains are frequently consumed in the Asian Diet pyramid. Foods widely available in Asian countries, such as brown rice, noodles and buckwheat, are recommended as grain choices. Soy, fish and shellfish are recommended as protein sources, while milk/dairy products, eggs and poultry are recommended in limited amounts. Red meat and foods high in sugar are permitted rarely and in small portions. 

In addition to food, the Asian dietary pattern requires a minimum of 6 glasses of water daily. It does not prohibit alcohol and permits limited amounts of beer and wine.

How did the Asian Diet become popular?

Chronic diseases such as heart disease, diabetes and certain cancers are much less common in Asian countries than in the United States and other Western countries. This is thought to mean that the foods in the dietary pattern followed in Asia help reduce disease risk and thus extend lifespan. However, it should be remembered that these foods are also found in many other balanced, healthy dietary patterns, such as the Mediterranean Diet. Diet therefore certainly plays an important role in the lower occurrence of these diseases in Asia. It is also clear, however, that genetic makeup plays an important role alongside dietary habits.

Asian Diet food list: How often are foods consumed?

Daily consumption

• Grains and Breads: Rice, rice products, noodles, bread, millet, corn and other grains account for the greatest consumption among daily foods. Potatoes and other grains are also included in this food group.
• Vegetables: Fresh vegetables are also consumed in large amounts in the traditional Asian diet. Cabbage, green onions, dark leafy vegetables and bean sprouts are just a few of the many types used.
• Fruit: Fruit is a food group consumed daily in as much variety as possible. In Asian cuisine, fruit is used not only in snacks or desserts but also in meals. Bananas, mangoes and pineapples are among the fruits used in dishes.
• Nuts and Legumes: Nuts and legumes are the main protein sources in the traditional Asian diet. Soybeans are a legume widely used in this diet. Tofu, soy products, nuts and seeds are used in main dishes, salads and soups.
• Vegetable Oils: Vegetable oils high in unsaturated fat are used more often for cooking. This is one of the main differences between the Asian diet and Western-style eating. Western-style diets use large amounts of saturated fats, such as butter and animal fats, in meals. Medical research shows that diets high in saturated fat may play a role in certain chronic conditions, such as heart disease. Replacing saturated fats with monounsaturated fats, particularly canola and olive oil, is thought to reduce the risk of heart disease.

Weekly consumption

• Sweets: Sweets high in fat and sugar are consumed in moderation and only on a weekly basis. Fresh fruit is recommended to satisfy a craving for sweets.
• Eggs and Poultry: Eggs, chicken or turkey are also recommended only a few times a week.

Monthly consumption

• Red Meat: Red meat is recommended on a monthly basis. However, it may be consumed a few times if the portions are much smaller.

Foods not consumed very much in the Asian dietary pattern but allowed in limited daily amounts if desired include;

• Dairy Products: Dairy products such as milk and cheese are not widely consumed in the traditional Asian diet. If daily consumption is desired, small amounts of low-fat/fat-free products may be consumed.
• Fish and Shellfish: Fish and shellfish are also considered foods that may optionally be consumed daily.

Does the Asian Diet provide the vitamins and minerals the body needs?

The Asian Diet provides many vitamins and minerals through its vegetables and fruit. However, meat and milk/dairy products are consumed in limited amounts. Without good nutritional planning, it may therefore be difficult to obtain enough protein, iron and calcium. Protein and iron come from nuts, seeds and legumes, while green leafy vegetables are consumed to meet iron needs. Because milk/dairy products are restricted, soy products, nuts, seeds and green leafy vegetables are consumed to obtain calcium.

Does the Asian Diet help with weight loss?

Eating the foods in the Asian Diet pyramid in ideal portions is thought to help with weight loss. Many studies state that people in Asian countries who eat in a similar way are slimmer than those following Western-style dietary patterns. The reasons are thought to be 1- the inclusion of lower-calorie foods such as fruit, vegetables, legumes and whole grains in the Asian diet, and 2- the inclusion of high-calorie foods such as fried foods, sugary drinks and fatty meat products in the Western diet.

Is following the Asian Diet expensive?

The cost depends on which foods within the Asian dietary pattern are consumed. For example, meals prepared with fresh vegetables and fruit that have just come into season may be expensive, whereas meals made with frozen vegetables may be affordable. Foods in the Asian dietary pattern, such as whole grains and eggs, are also inexpensive.

How easy is it to follow the Asian diet?

Whether it is easy to follow the Asian diet depends on taste preferences. Alongside foods commonly used in Turkish cuisine, such as noodles, fresh vegetables, nuts and legumes, it includes many foods we are not accustomed to seeing in Turkish cooking, from seaweed to lotus root and adzuki beans. Recipes for Asian dishes can also be found easily online. However, preparing these meals may require time and a range of spices, which can be challenging for people who work long hours or do not like eating spices.

Should exercise accompany the Asian Diet?

The Asian diet is only a dietary pattern, so it makes no recommendations about exercise. However, this does not mean you should not exercise while following it. Leading a physically active life reduces the risk of diseases such as heart disease and diabetes and also helps with weight loss.

Summary / Commentary

With good nutritional planning, the Asian diet can provide many of the vitamins and minerals the body needs. However, because some foods are consumed in limited amounts, minerals such as calcium and iron may be insufficient without balanced planning. The Asian diet also has a high consumption of foods such as noodles and rice with a high Glycemic Index (GI) value. This raises the GI of meals somewhat. Although the Asian Diet is generally expected not to have adverse effects on health, we can say that it is not suitable for people with diabetes. We can also say that following the Mediterranean dietary pattern, which has been researched the most, would be much more beneficial. The Mediterranean dietary pattern is a more balanced way of eating, better suited to Turkish tastes, that contributes to improving health.