Due to the differences between Chinese and western philosophies, westerners attach importance to science in diet, that is, emphasize nutrition. Therefore, western diet takes nutrition as the highest criterion, and eating is like adding fuel to biological machines, paying special attention to the nutritional components of food, whether the contents of protein, fat, carbohydrates, vitamins and various inorganic elements are properly matched, whether the heat supply is just right, whether these nutritional components can be fully absorbed by consumers, and whether there are other side effects. These problems are put forward by the university in cooking, and the color, aroma and taste of dishes are second-class requirements. Even France, the leading food country in the west, although its food culture is similar to ours in many aspects, in terms of nutrition, the two sides have already pulled away.

China's cooking technique "Harmony of Five Flavors" aims at the pursuit of delicacy. In the process of processing, hot frying and long-term slow fire attack will destroy the nutritional components of dishes. Although French cooking also pursues delicacy, it also does not forget the premise of "nutrition". They don't want to give up nutrition and pursue delicious food. Especially in the 1960s, modern cooking thought especially emphasized health preservation and weight loss, thus pursuing lightness and less oil, emphasizing the use of fresh raw materials, and emphasizing the preservation of original nutrients and original flavor in the cooking process, so vegetables were basically eaten raw. Therefore, it is common for western diets to attach importance to nutrition.

In all fairness, talking about nutrition also touches the biggest weakness of China's diet. Although we pay attention to diet therapy, food supplement and food supplement, and pay attention to keeping fit through diet, our cooking takes the pursuit of delicacy as the primary requirement, which leads to the loss of many nutrients during processing. In recent years, chefs from China have participated in the World Cooking Competition, and the nutritional components of a dish are clearly listed, but we can't produce this material. After being asked questions, I was dumbfounded, confused and suffered a big loss!

We have always regarded the pursuit of food as the primary purpose of eating. There is a folk proverb: "Food is the first priority for the people, and taste is the first priority for food". Although people always say "good color, smell and taste" when praising food, it is because our sensory organs "eyes, nose and mouth" are arranged in this order. People's inner feelings about "color, fragrance and taste" have always been "taste".

Western cooking pays attention to nutrition and ignores taste, at least not to enjoy taste as the primary purpose. They eat cold drinks and ice cubes in iced wine. Once the taste nerves all over the surface of the tongue are chilled, they lose their taste sensitivity greatly and gradually become unable to distinguish taste. Bloody steak, big white fish, big white meat, raw vegetables, boiled beans and potatoes, although they have "taste", do not enter the "Tao", which all reflect the westerners' neglect of taste. Their refusal to use monosodium glutamate is enough to prove that this generation belongs to people who don't know the taste, and they are not guests who know the taste!

Based on the emphasis on nutrition, westerners eat more vegetables, not only tomatoes, cucumbers and lettuce, but also Chinese cabbage, onions and broccoli. So their "salad" is like a plate of rabbit feed, which makes it difficult for us to accept. Modern China people also talk about nutrition and health care, knowing that once vegetables are heated, vitamins will be destroyed, so they advocate frying with strong fire. Although this also reduces the content of vitamins, it will not be completely lost, but it is much more delicious than rabbit feed. Therefore, modern cooking in China aims at the best balance between nutrition and taste, which of course belongs to the "golden mean".