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This is the title of a book that I checked out from the library written by a British author and historian who lived, cooked and ate in China for ten years. While not strictly a cookbook or vegetarian book, it lends insight into traditional Chinese food and supports many of the things Dr. McDougall has said in his books, especially his new book, The Starch Solution. The author even mentions T. Colin Campbell's book, The China Study which surprised me since I've rarely seen it mentioned outside of plant-based literature. Also surprising was the fact that the Chinese actually eat more calories than Westerners. These observations were made during the 1990's before the Western diet was as prevalent in China as it is now. The following is a link to the 15 reasons why the Chinese stay slim (or at least those who still cook and eat the traditional way):

http://www.chinesedontcountcalories.com ... t&hl=en_US

Also read this:

http://www.chinesedontcountcalories.com ... W&hl=en_US

The author may reference Dr Campbell's book but the recipes are full of meat, seafood and oil! And where is the rice? That was the staple of the rural Chinese diet she references. Also she says to think of vegetables as dishes yet the slim rural Chinese in the TCS did not exactly eat a vegetable-heavy diet. The average fiber intake was only 33 grams a day (many here eat more than that). And finally I do not think it is correct that their main source of protein was soy - it was rice and vegetables and even if it were soy their total protein intake was low so therefore soy was never emphasized.

Thanks for posting the link though GJ. Let us know what you think of the book.

The author doesn't SAY rice, she mentions staple foods (rice is a staple food) in number 3.

See this quote from the other article: That an authentic Chinese meal is based on rice and vegetables
In 2001 the per capita consumption of vegetables in China was quoted as 311 kg, well above the world average of 105 kg and …………………..

Cultures whose diet primarily features plant-based foods such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains and legumes have been found to have increased longevity and reduced rates of the many cancers and chronic diseases so common in populations consuming the standard American diet.

You don't think their main source of protein was soy? References, please. Do you just not think so or is there a reason? The article does not say how many grams of protein that might be, could be a small amount.

Interesting links, Jackie.

Fulenn

Right I saw the "staple foods" but I didn't see rice or even sweet potatoes in the recipes, aside from rice noodles in one. I found that surprising after reading the "rice and vegetables" comment. I would have expected the meat and shrimp to be included in recipes as condiments, if at all.

In the china study only 9 or 10% of calories came from protein - 64 grams in total. Jeff has said that in the long-lived Asians soy consumption amounted to only around 2 oz a day.

viewtopic.php?t=5600

So that is not much soy. Also soy is a high fat food yet the rural chinese diet was only 15% fat. So coconut milk and oil were not consumed in significant amounts either.

As I stated in my original post, the book is not vegetarian. It is written by a woman from England who lived in Bejing for 10 years. Most of the recipes on the website are not in the book. I checked the book out of the library and then I looked up the website. The author, Lorraine Clissold, says in the book that the Chinese eat rice with every meal. Many of the dishes are simply rice and vegetables, sometimes including soy which is a vegetable. There is an entire section of the book dedicated to rice. She has another section which talks about rice congee or as the Chinese call it Zhou. She says rice is considered the "superior staple" of China. Dr. McDougall says in The Starch Solution that the Chinese greet each other with "have you had your rice today?" The author of this book says the same thing. She also says, as does Dr. McDougall, that people should eat until they are full and that if they are eating the right foods they don't have to worry about calories. She also says that vegetables should be considered a main dish, not a side dish. While the Chinese eat some meat, they consider meat a side dish. That is just the opposite of the way Westerners eat. She goes into great detail about the importance of vegetables in the Chinese diet. It is not a cook book per say, nor is it a health book. It is simply an observation of her experience with eating local Chinese cuisine in Bejing, China for a period of ten years. Despite a few recipes that contained meat, I found many things that were in agreement with what I've read in Dr. McDougall's books. I am not suggesting this as a cookbook (although the rice (zhou) dishes sound great), but as a first hand look at the way the Chinese view food. They do not count calories or diet. They enjoy the food they eat because they know it is nutritious. They love food, but they do not obsess over it. We can learn a lot from reading about their attitude toward food.

GJ thanks for the lengthy description of the book. Sounds like an interesting read. The recipes posted on the site do appear different than what she describes as typical meals in the book.

I just want to point out that the website - which as you say she may not even have anything to do with - references the China Study which studied the rural Chinese around the 80s-early 90s not the Chinese living in Beijing (then or now). The diets may not have been the same so to say that the chinese eat more calories yet weigh less (in reference to TCS) might not apply to the Chinese people she observed.

But again like you said she might not have anything to do with how that site is put together just like Dr McD didn't personally put together a site promoting weight loss while eating french toast "swimming in maple syrup."

Maybe you will cook up some congee or other recipes from the book and post them on your blog for all of us to enjoy!

Dr. McDougall may not have taken the photo of the pancakes, but he has recipes for pancakes, muffins, chocolate cake, fruit crisp and brownies in The Starch Solution. He also has recipes for bread, cornbread, pies and other assorted treats in his two cookbooks and in The McDougall Program: 12 Days to Dynamic Health. The only book he has written that forbids those things is his his Maximum Weight Loss book, and in his Maximum Weight Loss Book he even has a couple of recipes that have maple syrup as an ingredient.
Also in the archives of recipes (see under Newsletter on the front page of this website) there are many recipes for richer foods. The Starch Solution is written for a general audience, not just those who need to lose weight.

Thanks Jackie for telling us about a society where it is (or was) normal to eat lots of starches and vegetables.

Here in Canada and the USA, we think it is "normal" to eat lots of meat and small amounts of vegetables. We think that this is the way way it "should be." Eating lots of rice and vegetables sounds like a bad diet to many those who love their SAD.

it is a reminder, just as Dr. McDougall said, that societies around the world have survived and thrived on starch based diets.

That is true. Even Dr. McDougall says in 12 Days to Maximum Health that the Chinese eat some meat. The emphasis is on "some," no a lot. Of course that may be changing as their economy improves. I have heard that the Chinese want to be just like Westerners, with more cars and more rich foods that before. This too echos what Dr. McDougall has said in his books.

I often shop at the Asian grocery store instead of the regular supermarket. There is a huge difference in what people put in their carts. Of course the Asian customers have some fish and meat, however their carts are mostly filled up with greens! The amount of greens & veggies they buy is impressive. It even makes me think I don't eat enough veggies!!!

I realize that the TSS has recipes for brownies, pancakes etc. I don't see any problem with that. It wasn't the french toast itself it was the "drowning in maple syrup" line that I referring to. Dr McDougall clearly said in his fat vegan lecture last ASW that "calories do count." Pouring maple syrup all over anything slows weight loss as it not only adds extra calories without offering satiety but it also increases insulin levels and as Dr M always says on of insulin's job is to store fat in the fat cells. So I highly doubt Dr M would have chosen those words. IMO "french toast topped with maple syrup" would have been more appropriate.

Several friend's who have been to China to study have mentioned in passing the great prevalence of bicycle transportation, Tai Chi and Qi Gong mass practice in parks etc. I think they likely sit on their butts a lot less on average than we do. When you take into account the entire country, they probably have a higher percentage of population doing labor and farm work also. That could account for the calorie differential. And of course Americans almost all eat many more calories than they need (present company excluded of course)

One of the big differences I have noticed here is that the Chinese EAT their water. They tend to drink very little, compared to Americans. This means that their wet foods are consistently lower in caloric density than comparable dry foods would be...and you know what that means.

So more exercise and lower caloric density work quite well for keeping people fit!

Gramma Jackie, I want to thank you very much for posting about this book. It is definitely a book I will be interested in reading. And like you said, the information in this book was the way things were before KFC and Mcdonalds took over. What a shame.

And thanks for the tip about the Trader Joe's Skinny book (another post). I am loving the recipes in that book..and also about the Yonana...any other advice...believe me I'm listening!