Zhao 1 Food in South Asia and China Introduction: Food is playing a significant role in people s lives. In China, there is a famous quote Food is the first necessity of the people. It means that people cannot live without food. Many Chinese like traveling and finding some local food. From my perspective, I like eating delicious food, so when I travel to other countries, I like finding food first because in my opinion, food is the part of culture. When I go to another country, some food is not good, but I want to try and adapt to that culture. However, different countries have different food habits, but the food habits are the similar between China and South Asia. Different countries have different food habits and many people think about food habits. As a result, in this project, I will organize my paper by food security, food in South Asia and food habits in China and South Asia. Background: In my opinion, food security is very important. In China, many vegetables looked good, but it has pesticides in food, so Chinese people focused on the food security and it becomes popular questions about food. In addition, different countries have different food. For example, in China, people like eating spicy food, while in India, people like eating curry, so food is different. As a result, I am interested in South Asia food, so the second area is food in South Asia. Furthermore, there are different food habits in China and South Asia. For example, in South Asia, people like using hands to eat food, but in China, Chinese people think that hands are dirty and avoid using hands to eat food. However, there are different habits in China and South Asia. Food
Zhao 2 is part of culture and many people focused on it, they want to eat health and they want to know different countries food cultures. Food Security: South Asia is developing country, but now it become better and better. Food security is a big problem in South Asia. According to the statistics in Big Facts Info graphics website, there are about 295 million people in South Asia. It is account for 16.8% of the total population. (Big Facts: Focus on Sub- Saharan Africa.) In South Asia, cereals are the most important food in South Asia and the yields are growing in the meantime. In South Asia, many people like eating rice. Some countries are in South Asia is rich, compared to other countries, so they like eating animal product, especially in India. The image shows that the important food is cereals, but the meat in South Asia is not important, which is opposite to China. Climate change has no uncertainty issues in South Asia. According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, they said, heavy precipitation events will increase substantially. (Intergovernmental Panel on
Zhao 3 Climate Change). There are many affects on precipitation, the heavy precipitation can make the sea levels are increasing, many people are living around Bangladesh, so the flooding are increasing and the flooding from the sea and river. People should drink water in the daily life, so water availability is very important in people s daily life. Many people in South Asia are depending on glacial melt water. The article also indicates that if the temperature increase, the melt rate will also increase. In the 2050, the precipitation will increase, which means that water is not a big problem in that time. In South Asia, food should adapt higher temperature and change the climate change, such as rainfall patterns. It is the best way to improve the food security in South Asia. According to the essay called Big Fact: Focus on South Asia. The essay discussed about how the adaptive is important. To deal with erratic rainfall, accessible and reliable seasonal weather forecasts will be needed, crop diversification and insurance systems must be introduced and crops tolerant to submergence should be planted (Oxfam, 2011). In my opinion, food security is a big issue because it could make people healthier. In China, many Chinese people try to eat health, but they cannot eat health vegetable and water. There are many people in China and the food seller cannot provide many organic foods. As a result, some farmers put some pesticides into foods, but many people do not know this fact. According to the Food Security Portal Website, the website described that food security is a big issues for government in China. In 2006, the agricultural foods in the supermarket are increasing dramatically. It has negative effects.
Zhao 4 For example, there are many low-income families in China, so they cannot buy organic food because it is more expensive than others. From 2005 to 2007, the rate of food price in 2005 is 2.9 percent, and 2.3 in 2006, but in 2007 is jumping to 12.3 percent. Chinese food is becoming expensive; so many people cannot afford it. From my perspective, food price should decrease and many people can eat healthier. Compared this situation to South Asia, The Concept of Food and Nutrition Security (Lioba Weingartner, 2005). Food and nutrition security is achieved, if adequate food (quantity, quality, safety, socio-cultural acceptability) is available and accessible for and satisfactorily utilized by all individuals at all times to achieve good nutrition for a healthy and happy life. (Lioba Weingartner, 2005). As a result, many people in South Asia are in hunger. In my opinion, there are many issues caused higher hunger rate, such as food availability, access food, and gender inequality. Food in South Asia: In South Asia, there are variety foods. According to the food by Amar, it is described the Indian food. Indian people like eating rice and having many sauces. (Amar) According to the essay Southeast Asia food and culture, the essay discussed about Indian cooking is very popular in South Asia and many people do not like eating pork because of ethnic and religious preference. In Hindus, people cannot eat beef. In the high caste from the South of India, many people do not like eating meat. In China, there are special traditions. For example, Chinese people think that foods are health and have different functions. However, some food should avoid by pregnant people and high blood pressure people.
Zhao 5 Another book called Food Culture in Southeast Asia. The book discussed about the traditional food in Southeast Asia. The chapter two is about the main major foods and ingredients. Rice is the most important in South Asia and it is the central source. The fermented fish, local vegetables are in the variable products. (Esterik, 2008) The images below show that curry is very important in India and rice is also important in people s daily life, which is similar situation in China. (Food in South Asia) Food habits in China and South Asia: There are some differences between South Asia and China. In China, people do like eating sauces. When we eat chicken wings and fries, we do not like eating with sauces. In China, people do not like eating cheese because it is contain many calories. Chinese people like eating healthy. In China, people like eating spicy because they think that it is delicious and tasty. In the meal, it should have variety foods, such as vegetables, meat, and seafood. In the fast food restaurant, it is also special. For example, the hamburger is spicy and it has no cheese over the foods. There is no sauce in fast food restaurant. In addition, there is rice and soup in fast food restaurant. Chinese people like drinking hot and they do not like putting ices in the water.
Zhao 6 However, it has similar food cultures between South Asia and China. Chinese people also like eating curry seafood because they think that it can make food delicious. (Curry in China) According to the Limbu Folk Cultures related to food cultures, the book described that people like eating curry, it has similar situation in China, people also like eating curry food and putting some vegetables over the rice. In China, the main food is rice and people like eating rice with other food (Limbu, 34). In China, preparing food is a difficult procedure because it will take people many times and Chinese people want the food delicious and tasty. In the festival, there are special foods. In Spring Festival, people like eating dumpling, which means next year will happiness and successful.
Zhao 7 For food habits, there are some different habits between South Asia and China, the essay History of the Caste System in India described about accepting the food. In my opinion, it is the big problem that related to caste system. In addition, the essay mentioned about accepting food from the hands in Brahmin. If people accept food from lower caste person, it means that the food would be polluted. In China, there is no discrimination in that situation, so people are equal. People should not wear gloves when greeting because it is impolite. In China, people are sitting together and use chopsticks when they eat food. There are no castes in China and everyone is equal. In China, people like communicating with their friends when they are eating. Male like talking about the jobs and economics issues, while female like talking about shopping and interesting events, so everybody is friendly and easygoing. That situation is occurred in the history, but now people are in Asia are have different eating style. For example, in India and the Middle East, people eat food with their hands. According to the essay Southern Asian Food and Culture, the essay discussed about people in South Asia like eating food with their hands because it is direct way to experience with food. People wash their hands before and after each meal. People are always using their right hands and food in the central of the plates and people take small amount when they are eating. In China, people are sitting in the chair and use chopsticks to eat food. Chinese people do not like eating with hands because they think that hands are dirty. The two images below shows that different ways eating food. The right one is people in China eating food and they like using chopsticks.
Zhao 8 (Food Habits in India) Conclusion: Food is playing a significant role in people s life and many people are concerned about the food security. As a result, government should think about it and make sure eat health food. Compare to China, some eating habits are similar, such as eating rice and curry, while some cultural habits are different, such as eating foods by hands. Food can reflect different countries culture. When we go to another country, we should try to adapt it and eat it.
Zhao 9 Works Cited: 1. Amar India. Web. 30 July 2015. http://amarindiadayton.com 2. Ambar, Limbu. Limbu Folk Culture related to food Habits, Feb, 2014 3. "Big Facts: Focus on Sub-Saharan Africa." Big Facts: Focus on Sub- Saharan Africa. 1 Apr. 2014. Web. 30 July 2015. https://ccafs.cgiar.org/bigfacts/#region=south-asia 4. "China Food Security Portal." China Food Security Portal. Web. 30 July 2015. 5. Esterik, Penny. Food Culture in Southeast Asia. Westport, Conn.: Greenwood, 2008. Print. http://www.christianbookstore.net/food-culture-in-southeast-asia-byvan/catalog-5374691/ 6. "Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change." - The New York Times. Web. 30 July 2015. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/01/science/earth/climate.html 7. Oxfam International The power of people against poverty. Web. https://ccafs.cgiar.org/blog/big-facts-focus-south-asia 8. Rtner, Lioba. Poverty and Food Security Monitoring in Cambodia: Linking Programmes and Poor People's Interests to Policies. 1.st ed. Berlin: Centre for Advanced Training in Rural Development, 2005. Print. http://www.gafspfund.org/sites/gafspfund.org/files/documents/cambodi a_4_of_16_strategy_food_security_and_nutrition_strategy_0.pdf 9. Szczepanski, Kallie. "History of the Caste System in India." Web. 2 Aug. 2015.