The Far East is packed with flavour. Eastern Asian cuisine includes Chinese, Japanese, and Korean food. Southeast Asian cuisine includes Thai, Vietnamese, Filipino, Singaporean, and Malaysian food, as well as many others.

The majority of food consumed in these countries is grown locally. This means the majority of meals are made of a few seasonal ingredients.

Carbohydrates

Rice is an essential and large portion of meals in the Far East, but try to reduce portions to make up ¼ plate of carbohydrates gradually.

You could also opt for wholegrain rice, which offers more fibre, vitamins, and minerals for a more nourishing and filling part of your meal.

Other carbohydrate sources that comprise ¼ of your plate include:

Protein

Protein dishes include fish and meat stews, bonito fish dishes, braised meats, roasts such as babi guling, barbecue meat such as pulgoki in Korea, bakso (meatballs), meat broths, and coconut milk guali (curry).

For a balanced plate, protein also makes up ¼ of your plate. Some traditional Far East protein sources include:

Vegetables

A colourful variety of vegetables makes up Far Eastern Asian cuisine. Vegetables are used in many soups and stews, curries such as Olah Olah, fritters, and patties.

Some vegetables used in the local cuisine include:

Spices and flavours

Flavours are usually spicy and smoky, but six flavours are important to include in a balanced and enjoyable diet: salty, sweet, sour, hot, bitter, and astringent.

Bumbu paste is the base of almost all dishes in Far East Asia, particularly the Indonesian islands.

Bombu paste consists of lemongrass, galangal, candlenuts, ginger, chilli, shallots, garlic, shrimp paste, palm sugar, and tamarind. An extra-spicier version called Rica Rica uses more chilli.

Basa gede also refers to using different varieties of these spices as a main spice mix. These are great ways to flavour your meals and not rely on added sugars for a tasty meal. Some spices used in Far East Asian cooking and mixes are:

Fruit

Tropical fruits are used extensively in Far East cooking, whether in sweet and sticky desserts, as snacks during Selamat Siang, or in main dishes and curries.

Remember to opt for 1-2 portions of fruit daily as part of a balanced diet.

Fats

Fats provide a satisfying flavour and mouthfeel to meals. Fat sources commonly used in Far East cooking are:

Following this, here is the Second Nature balanced plate model for Far East Asian diets:

In Far Eastern cuisine, frying, boiling, baking, and steaming are frequently used.

These are all healthy cooking methods, though deep-frying foods can increase trans fats, which can increase the risk of heart disease in the long term. If a recipe calls for this, try to stick to shallow frying.

Similar ingredients are used across East and Southeast Asian recipes, though different foods make up balanced meals in each country.

For example, Korean foods are typified by rice, vegetables, and seafood cooked in a wide variety of sauces and spices. Preferred seasonings include red pepper, green onion, soy sauce, bean paste, garlic, ginger, sesame, mustard, and vinegar.

Thai food, however, usually features fish, chicken, or even pork as the main meat component of the dish. Many seasonings used are coconut, fish sauce, oyster sauce, and kaffir limes.

Second Nature have a great variety of balanced, healthy, and delicious recipes using these and more flavours and meal ideas from the Far East. You can find all of these in the Second Nature app:

Here are some other healthy Far East Asian recipes that you can include in your meal plans:

Dessert

Sugar in the diet can add up from Far East Asian desserts such as:

- Doughnuts

- Pastries

- Pancakes

- Fried banana

- Ice cream

- Nutmeg jam

- Peanut brittle

- Jellies

- Rice pudding

- Custard

- Tapioca pudding

To help reduce the sugar content of traditional desserts, focus on flavours such as coconut, cinnamon, tamarind, ginger, dark chocolate, and fresh fruit instead of dried fruit.

Sharing desserts with family and friends can also help with portion control. Or opt for a naturally sweet beverage such as cinnamon tea, ginger tea, spiced tea, or coffee.

Kecap manis is a version of soy sauce used in certain Far East Asian countries. It contains molasses, star anise, and galangal ginger. When using it frequently in cooking, a low-sugar soy sauce is a better option.

Mindful eating

Growing up in Far East Asian culture, it's customary to listen to hunger cues. Food is normally prepared in the morning and eaten when hungry throughout the day instead of at set meal times.

If you need any help with meal planning or following the hunger scale, message your health coach.

It’s also common to eat slowly during mealtimes with no distractions. This is great practice, and your coach can help you improve it if needed.

Religion

Religions vary across the Far East, such as Islam, particularly in Java; Hinduism in Bali; Christians from the Philippines to Papua; and Buddhists across Japan, China, and Singapore. Check out our guides below for further guidance.

Following Second Nature as a Muslim

Following Second Nature as a Hindu

Buddhism, Taoism, and Shintoism

Other guides you may be interested in:

Chinese balanced eating

Japanese balanced eating

Chinese New Year