Nutrition-balanced foods promoted by Chinese experts.

Over 100 Chinese experts, scholars and professors attended a seminar on balanced diet in Beijing on Wednesday to discuss how to improve Chinese health by recommending that the public eat more nutrition-balanced foods.

"Nutrition intake is crucial to China," said Li Lite, professor of the China Agricultural University, "Though China's rapid agricultural development has provided rich foods, the overall health of the population is still not satisfactory. One of the main reasons is that Chinese people are eating and drinking too many foods and beverages that lack nutritional balance."

The concept of nutrition-balanced foods came to China many years ago. However, it has never been popular or won wide acceptance from Chinese people, Li added.

To improve the situation, Li suggested that to meet people's nourishment needs, nutrition-balanced foods should firstly be genuinely nutritious as well as safe. Secondly, the foods should meet consumers' sense of need or fit in with their tastes and habits. Thirdly, the foods should perform new functions with the support of modern technology, as foods can acquire new functions by combining them properly. Fourthly, they should embody Chinese food culture.

Li suggested that convenience, renovation, price, technology, and safety in agricultural product selection should also be taken into account.

Li Zhihong, professor of the China Agricultural University, said the highest priority for Chinese people is to reduce oil intake so as to protect them from chronic illnesses.

Li emphasized that people should eat a diverse and balanced diet. She suggested people would do better to eat more fruit and vegetables in daily life, and eat at least 10 different kinds of food a day.

She said if people can stick to her three-point plan, the objective of nutrition-balanced foods can be achieved in China.

The seminar was held under a program of Modern Nutrition Assorted Food Technology and Industry in Big Cities, launched in 2008 under the Ministry of Science and Technology.

It is reported that the program will target not only nutrition-balanced foods for Chinese people, but also for people from around the world who will attend major events to be held in China, like World Expo to be held in Shanghai in 2010 and the 16th Asian Games to be held in Guangzhou in 2010.

(China Development Gateway by Unisumoon May 14, 2009)