中西饮食方面有何差异？越具体越好，最好是英文的

略谈中西方饮食文化差异

餐饮产品由于地域特征、气侯环境、风俗习惯等因素的影响，会出现在原料、口味、烹调方法、饮食习惯上的不同程度的差异。正是因为这些差异，餐饮产品具有了强烈的地域性。中西文化之间的差异造就了中西饮食文化的差异，而这种差异来自中西方不同的思维方式和处世哲学。中国人注重“天人合一”，西方人注重“以人为本”。

这里简要从下面三个方面谈谈中西方饮食文化的差异。

一、两种不同的饮食观念

对比注重“味”的中国饮食，西方是一种理性饮食观念。不论食物的色、香、味、形如何，而营养一定要得到保证，讲究一天要摄取多少热量、维生素、蛋白质等等。即便口味千篇一律，也一定要吃下去——因为有营养。这一饮食观念同西方整个哲学体系是相适应的。形而上学是西方哲学的主要特点。西方哲学所研究的对象为事物之理，事物之理常为形上学理，形上学理互相连贯，便结成形上哲学。这一哲学给西方文化带来生机，使之在自然科学上、心理学上、方法论上实现了突飞猛进的发展。但在另一些方面，这种哲学主张大大地起了阻碍作用，如饮食文化。在宴席上，可以讲究餐具，讲究用料，讲究服务，讲究菜之原料的形、色方面的搭配；但不管怎么豪华高档，从洛杉矶到纽约，牛排都只有一种味道，无艺术可言。作为菜肴，鸡就是鸡，牛排就是牛排，纵然有搭配，那也是在盘中进行的，一盘“法式羊排”，一边放土豆泥，旁倚羊排，另一边配煮青豆，加几片番茄便成。色彩上对比鲜明，但在滋味上各种原料互不相干、调和，各是各的味，简单明了。

中国人是很重视“吃”的，“民以食为天”这句谚语就说明我们把吃看得与天一样重要。由于我们这个民族几千年来都处于低下的生产力水平，人们总是吃不饱，所以才会有一种独特的把吃看得重于一切的饮食文化，我想，这大概是出于一种生存需要吧。如果一种文化把吃看成首要的事，那么就会出现两种现象：一方面会把这种吃的功能发挥到极致，不仅维持生存，也利用它维持健康，这也就是”药补不如食补”的文化基础；另一方面，对吃的过份重视，会使人推崇对美味的追求。

在中国的烹调术中，对美味追求几乎达到极致，以至中国人到海外谋生，都以开餐馆为业，成了我们在全世界安身立命的根本！遗憾的是，当我们把追求美味作为第一要求时，我们却忽略了食物最根本的营养价值，我们的很多传统食品都要经过热油炸和长时间的文火饨煮，使菜肴的营养成分受到破坏，许多营养成分都损失在加工过程中了。因而一说到营养问题，实际上就触及到了中国饮食文化的最大弱点。民间有句俗话：“民以食为天，食以味为先”。就是这种对美味的追求，倒使我们忽略了吃饭的真正意义。

中国人在品尝菜肴时，往往会说这盘菜“好吃”，那道菜“不好吃”；然而若要进一步问一下什么叫“好吃”，为什么“好吃”，“好吃”在哪里，恐怕就不容易说清楚了。这说明，中国人对饮食追求的是一种难以言传的“意境”，即使用人们通常所说的“色、香、味、形、器”来把这种“境界”具体化，恐怕仍然是很难涵盖得了的。

中国饮食之所以有其独特的魅力，关键就在于它的味。而美味的产生，在于调和，要使食物的本味，加热以后的熟味，加上配料和辅料的味以及调料的调和之味，交织融合协调在一起，使之互相补充，互助渗透，水乳交融，你中有我，我中有你。中国烹饪讲究的调和之美，是中国烹饪艺术的精要之处。菜点的形和色是外在的东西，而味却是内在的东西，重内在而不刻意修饰外表，重菜肴的味而不过分展露菜肴的形和色，这正是中国美性饮食观的最重要的表现。

在中国，饮食的美性追求显然压倒了理性，这种饮食观与中国传统的哲学思想也是吻合的。作为东方哲学代表的中国哲学，其显著特点是宏观、直观、模糊及不可捉摸。中国菜的制作方法是调和鼎鼐，最终是要调和出一种美好的滋味。这一讲究的就是分寸，就是整体的配合。它包含了中国哲学丰富的辩证法思想，一切以菜的味的美好、谐调为度，度以内的千变万化就决定了中国菜的丰富和富于变化，决定了中国菜菜系的特点乃至每位厨师的特点。

二、中西饮食对象的差异

西方人认为菜肴是充饥的，所以专吃大块肉、整块鸡等“硬菜”。而中国的菜肴是“吃味”的，所以中国烹调在用料上也显出极大的随意性：许多西方人视为弃物的东西，在中国都是极好的原料，外国厨师无法处理的东西，一到中国厨师手里，就可以化腐朽为神奇。足见中国饮食在用料方面的随意性之广博。

据西方的植物学者的调查，中国人吃的菜蔬有600多种，比西方多六倍。实际上，在中国人的菜肴里，素菜是平常食品，荤菜只有在节假日或生活水平较高时，才进入平常的饮食结构，所以自古便有“菜食”之说，菜食在平常的饮食结构中占主导地位。中国人的以植物为主菜，与佛教徒的鼓吹有着千缕万丝的联系。他们视动物为“生灵”，而植物则“无灵”，所以，主张素食主义。

西方人在介绍自己国家的饮食特点时，觉得比中国更重视营养的合理搭配，有较为发达的食品工业，如罐头、快餐等，虽口味千篇一律，但节省时间，且营养良好，故他们国家的人身体普遍比中国人健壮：高个、长腿、宽大的肩、发达的肌肉；而中国人则显得身材瘦小、肩窄腿短、色黄质弱。有人根据中西方饮食对象的明显差异这一特点，把中国人称为植物性格，西方人称为动物性格。

三、饮食方式的不同

中西方的饮食方式有很大不同，这种差异对民族性格也有影响。在中国，任何一个宴席，不管是什么目的，都只会有一种形式，就是大家团团围坐，共享一席。筵席要用圆桌，这就从形式上造成了一种团结、礼貌、共趣的气氛。美味佳肴放在一桌人的中心，它既是一桌人欣赏、品尝的对象，又是一桌人感情交流的媒介物。人们相互敬酒、相互让菜、劝菜，在美好的事物面前，体现了人们之间相互尊重、礼让的美德。虽然从卫生的角度看，这种饮食方式有明显的不足之处，但它符合我们民族“大团圆”的普遍心态，反映了中国古典哲学中“和”这个范畴对后代思想的影响，便于集体的情感交流，因而至今难以改革。

西式饮宴上，食品和酒尽管非常重要，但实际上那是作为陪衬。宴会的核心在于交谊，通过与邻座客人之间的交谈，达到交谊的目的。如果将宴会的交谊性与舞蹈相类比，那么可以说，中式宴席好比是集体舞，而西式宴会好比是男女的交谊舞。由此可见，中式宴会和西式宴会交谊的目的都很明显，只不过中式宴会更多地体现在全席的交谊，而西式宴会多体现于相邻宾客之间的交谊。与中国饮食方式的差异更为明显的是西方流行的自助餐。此法是：将所有食物一一陈列出来，大家各取所需，不必固定在位子上吃，走动自由，这种方式便于个人之间的情感交流，不必将所有的话摆在桌面上，也表现了西方人对个性、对自我的尊重。但各吃各的，互不相扰，缺少了一些中国人聊欢共乐的情调。

所以，归根结底还是感性与理性之间的差异。但是，这种差异似乎在随着科学的发展而变的模糊。越来越多的中国人以不再只注重菜的色、香、味，而更注重它的卫生与营养了。尤其是在经历了非典以后。还有，人们因为越来越繁忙的工作，觉得中餐做起来太麻烦，不如来个汉堡方便等。这样一来在饮食上差异也就不太分明了。

-- 作者：bill

参考资料：Minicity-合肥论坛

主要分两大点，我就写英文格式的。

Food and beverage products due to geographical features, climate environment, customs and other factors, will appear in raw materials, taste, cooking methods, different levels of dietary habits. It is precisely because of these differences, food and beverage products with a strong regional. The difference between Chinese and Western culture makes the difference between Chinese and Western food culture, and this difference comes from different ways of thinking and philosophy of life. Chinese people pay attention to the "harmony between man and nature", Westerners focus on "people-oriented"".

Here briefly from the following three aspects to talk about the differences between Chinese and Western diet culture.

One or two different dietary ideas

Compared to the "taste" of the Chinese diet, the west is a rational concept of diet. Regardless of food color, smell, taste, shape, and nutrition must be guaranteed, pay attention to how many calories a day to eat, vitamins, protein and so on. Even if the taste is the same, it must be eaten, because there is nutrition. This food concept is compatible with the whole western philosophy system. Metaphysics is the main characteristic of western philosophy. The object of the study of western philosophy is the science of things, and the theory of things often is metaphysics, metaphysics is consistent with each other, and the philosophy of forming is formed. This philosophy has brought vitality to the western culture, and it has made a great progress in natural science, psychology and methodology. But in some other ways, this philosophical proposition has greatly hindered the role, such as the diet culture. At the banquet, you can pay attention to tableware, stress the use of materials, pay attention to service, exquisite cuisine of the raw materials, shape, color collocation; but no matter how luxurious upscale, from Los Angeles to New York, steak is only one flavor, no art to speak of. As dishes, chicken is chicken, steak is steak, even the match, it is also in the session, a plate of "French Yangpai". On the side of mashed potatoes, side relies on the lamb cooked green beans with the other side and a few slices of tomato has become. In contrast color, but the taste of raw materials separate, reconcile, each is each taste, simple and clear.

Chinese attach great importance to "eat", "hunger breeds discontentment" this proverb see that we eat with the same. Because our nation for thousands of years are in the low level of productivity, people always do not have enough to eat, so there will be a a unique to eat all the food culture, I think. This is probably out of a survival need. If a culture to eat as the first thing, then there will be two phenomena: on the one hand will put the food into full play to the extreme, not only to survive, but also use it to maintain health, that is "not drug Sibu" cultural foundation; on the other hand, the excessive attention to eat, make people praise the pursuit of delicious.

In the Chinese cookery, to almost the ultimate pursuit of delicious, even the Chinese people to earn a living overseas, are for the restaurant industry, in the world we want to settle down! Regret is that when we put the pursuit of delicious as the first request, we ignore the most fundamental nutritional value of food, many of our traditional food should be through hot fried and long time slow fire boil, the nutritional content of dishes destruction, many nutrients are loss in the process of the. Thus, when it comes to nutrition, in fact, it touches the biggest weakness of the Chinese diet culture. A folk saying goes: "hunger breeds discontentment, food to taste first". This is the pursuit of delicious, but let us ignore the real meaning of the meal.

The Chinese people in the tasting dishes, often say this dish "delicious", that dish "delicious"; however if further ask what is "delicious", why "delicious", "delicious" where, I am afraid that is not easy to clear. This shows that Chinese people"s pursuit of food is a kind of hard to explain in words of "mood", that is, people often use the word "color, smell, taste, shape," to this "state" specific, I am afraid that is still very difficult to cover.

Chinese diet has its unique charm, the key lies in its taste. And delicious produce, is to reconcile, to make the food the flavor, after heating the cooked flavor, add ingredients and excipients, flavor and spices to reconcile the taste, interwoven fusion coordinated together to complement each other, mutual penetration and harmony, and you with me, I have you. Chinese cookingexquisite harmonic of the United States is the essence of the art of cooking Chinese. Vegetables, the shape and the color are the external things, and the taste is something intrinsic, heavy intrinsic, rather than deliberately modified appearance, heavy dishes taste and not overly expose dishes shape and color, this is China and the United States the concept of eating the most important performance.

In China, the pursuit of the beauty of the diet obviously overwhelmed the rational, this concept of diet and the Chinese traditional philosophy is also consistent with the. Oriental philosophy as a representative of the China philosophy, its distinguishing feature is the macro, intuitive, fuzzy and subtle. Method of making China dish is harmonious, is ultimately to reconcile a better taste. The stress is measured, is the overall coordination. It contains a wealth of Chinese philosophy thought of dialectics, all with vegetable taste of beauty, harmony degree, within the protean determines the Chinese food rich and changeful, determines the characteristics of Chinese Cai Cai and the characteristics of each chef.

Two, the differences between Chinese and Western diet object

Westerners believe that food is to eat, so eat a large piece of meat, chicken block "hard food". While Chinese cuisine is "taste", so the Chinese cooking in the selected materials also show great arbitrariness: many Westerners as spoil things, in China are excellent raw materials, foreign chefs can not handle things, to a Chinese chef hands, you can for the magic of decadent. This China diet in materials aspectvastness capriciousness.

According to a survey of Western botanists, Chinese eat vegetables have 600 kinds, more than six times the west. In fact, in Chinese dishes, vegetables are a common food, meat only during holidays or a higher standard of living, before entering the usual diet, since ancient times there will be "food," said vegetable food occupies the dominant position in the usual diet. The Chinese people to plant for the main course, with the Buddhist preaching has thousands of strands of silk ties. They see animals as "creatures" and plants "without spirit".

Westerners in the presentation of the features of their country"s diet, feel more attention than the Chinese Nutrition reasonable collocation, there are more developed in the food industry, such as canned food, fast food, etc., although the taste is monotonous, but to save time, and good nutrition, so their country"s human body is generally Chinese robust: tall, long legs, and a broad shoulders, developed muscle; and Chinese people is thin, narrow shoulders short legs and yellow matter weak. It is based on the obvious differences between Chinese and Western diet object this characteristic, the Chinese called the plant character, the West called animal character.

Three, different ways of eating

Chinese and Western diet is very different, this difference also has an impact on the national character. In China, any banquet, no matter what the purpose, there will be only one form, that is, all round the table, sharing a seat. To use the round table, which is a form of unity, courtesy, a total of interest in the atmosphere. Delicacies on a table of people, it is not only a table of people appreciate, taste the object, but also a table of people"s emotional communication media. People toast each other, with each other for food, vegetables advised, in front of the beautiful things, reflecting the mutual respect between people, the comity of virtue. Although from the health point of view, this diet way has the obvious deficiency, but it is consistent with the general mentality of our nation, "reunion,", had reflected in the Chinese classical philosophy "and" this is an area for future generations of thinking, easy to collective emotional exchange, which has been difficult to reform.

Western style banquets, food and wine, although very important, but in fact it is as a foil. Friendship is the core of the party, with the guests sitting next to the conversation, to achieve the purpose of friendship. If the friendship of the banquet and dance of the analogy, then it can be said, Chinese banquet is like collective dance, and Western style banquet like a dance of men and women. Thus, the purpose of Chinese and Western style banquet banquet friendship is very obvious, but the Chinese banquet more reflected in the companionship of a banquet, and Western style banquet reflected in the friendship between neighboring guests. The difference with the Chinese diet is more obvious is the western popular buffet. This method is: will all food display one out, we take what we need, do not have fixed seat on the eating, walking free. This way for emotional communication between individuals, not all put on the desktop. It also shows the Westerners on the personality, self - respect. But each eat, do not disturb, the lack of some Chinese chat Huan jihs emotional appeal.

So, in the final analysis, it is the difference between sensibility and reason. However, this difference seems to be blurred with the development of science. More and more Chinese people not only pay more attention to the color, smell and taste of food, but also pay more attention to its health and nutrition. Especially after the sars.