Chinese people generally do not seem to be as concerned with the nutrition of their food like Western culture. They are more interested in the texture and flavor, color and smell. These are the most important aspects to a good Chinese cooking. Chinese everyday meals comprise of four food categories: vegetables, grains fruit, meat and vegetables. Due to lactose intolerance Chinese don't consume huge quantities of dairy-based products. Instead, Chinese substitute these with soymilk and tofu. Both also contain large quantities of calcium and protein. Fruits, vegetables and meats are typically fresh. Certain exceptions are preserved vegetables like mustard greens, snow cabbage preserved eggs, also known as "thousand-year-old eggs" or dried and salted fish. Other examples include snacks like beef jerky cuttlefish Jerky, preserve plums that are sweet and tart or mango slices dehydrated. Foods that are frozen or canned are not often consumed. Western desserts like cakes, cookies, pies and ice creams are only eaten for special occasions, such as weddings, birthdays, and other celebrations. After dinner, families typically have a dessert of seasonal fruits. Chinese desserts like red bean soup sweet white lotus's seed soup steam-papaya are enjoyed frequently as a special dessert on a scorching summer night.
Ethnic Chinese cooking doesn't involve much deep-fried cooking. The reason the majority of Chinese eateries in America offer deep-fried meals like sweet and sour pork, almond-fried Shrimp, and chicken is to boost business and satisfy western palates. This is the reason why there is more obesity and blood pressure issues in Western culture than in Chinese tradition.
