December 26, 1893, Shaoshan, Xiangtan, China

Maoism, or Mao Zedong Thought (Chinese: 毛泽东思想; pinyin: Máo Zédōng sīxiǎng), is a variety of Marxism–Leninism that Mao Zedong developed for realising a socialist revolution in the agricultural, pre-industrial society of the Republic of China and later the People’s Republic of China.

Mao ZeminMao Zetan

Launched by Mao Zedong, Chairman of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and founder of the People’s Republic of China (PRC), its stated goal was to preserve Chinese communism by purging remnants of capitalist and traditional elements from Chinese society, and to re-impose Mao Zedong Thought (known outside China as Maoism …

about 76.7 years

The average life expectancy of Chinese people has more than doubled in the past 70 years. According to statistics from the National Bureau of Statistics, the life expectancy of Chinese people has been continuously increasing from 35 in 1949 to 57 in 1957, 68 in 1981, and reaching 77 years in 2018.

The most important lifestyle factors are consistently found to be: healthy diet, physical activity, restorative sleep, social interaction, and stress management. Given this information, it’s not surprising the Chinese are gaining on us in terms of life expectancy.

The rice-heavy meals and fatty meat dishes are thought to lead straight to obesity and heart disease. But properly prepared, says Chinese food expert Lorraine Clissold, the very opposite is true: the Chinese way of eating is healthy and fulfilling, fights illness and prolongs life.

The Asian diet will probably help you lose weight. Research suggests people in Asian countries who follow this dietary pattern weigh less than their Western counterparts. That’s likely because it’s high in healthy foods that keep hunger at bay: whole grains, vegetables and bean products, for example.

The typical Chinese restaurant menu is a sea of nutritional no-nos, a consumer group has found. While Chinese restaurant food is bad for your waistline and blood pressure— sodium contributes to hypertension— it does offer vegetable-rich dishes and the kind of fat that’s not bad for the heart.

Worst: General Tso’s Chicken The breaded, fried chicken is smothered in a sugary sauce. One order clocks in at around 1,500 calories and 88 grams of fat, and it delivers more sodium than you should get in a day. Other fried dishes to watch out for: sesame, orange, and sweet and sour chicken.

Depending on the dish, Chinese food can be healthier than pizza, especially if it’s a simple protein and vegetable dish. Chinese food usually is higher in sodium and calories, while pizza is higher in saturated fat and cholesterol. Avoid eating too much in one sitting to eat healthier.

Try these:

• Steamed summer roll instead of a deep-fried spring roll.
• Grilled, not fried, chicken parmesan.
• Steamed vegetable dumplings instead of fried wontons.
• Soft-shell taco rather than a fried hard-shell taco (or even better — a taco salad with lettuce).
• Baked potato instead of fries.